Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-08-15
BEN RUrLER,s VIEWS.

There are few stronger men before the peo-
pie of the eastern States to-day than Benja-
min F. Butler; indeed, we doubt if there are
any stronger. At one time an ardent Demo-
crat, during the war poor soldier, but a
tyrannical department commander; and since
1865, and until recently, one of the first among
the most relentless of Radicals, he is now a
pronounced Greenback- Labor Reformer, and
the accepted leader of that party in New
England. In a speech which he made at
Biddeford, Maine, last Friday, he announced
this last change of heart, and made the too
tardy confession that the Republican party,
yielding to the control of capital, has, ever
since the war, been at work to see how it can
protect the money power. Ever since the
war, the general cenfesses, and yet, ever
since the war, he has been a leader of the
party thus controlled by capital, and has lent
himself to the purposes he now condemns, if
not by his direct vote, certainly by his coun-
tenance and continuance, until last
Friday, in the party. He ad
mits, too, that capital, through
the Republican party, helped to steal
the votes of the people of Louisiana and
make Hayes a fraudulent President, and he
calls attention to the fact that, notwithstand
ing this robbery of the Presidency which
it was promised was to bring the country in
creased business, the poor have grown poorer
and the rich richer. The business of the
country, notwithstanding the granaues of
the west are Overlooking, and the manufac-
turing establishments of the east are full,
are all but paralyzed, and men, women and
children are going barefooted and bare
backed, with empty bellies. And all this be-
cause, as the general says, "capitGl got con-
troll Of the Republican party, and eUer since
the aOa,' the only thing the Republican party
has been at aOOrk for is to see hOlO it can pro-
tect capital, for capital makes laaos." This
Is a fearful indictment, not only of himself,
but of his late associates, and we doubt that
4 lifetime OF labor in behalf of the working
classes would atone for his part in the Radical
crimes. But we are told it is never too late
to mend. and while he cannot hope to undo
all he has done, yet he can do much by help
ing the Democrats of New England through
his Greenback organization to break the
power of the capital which has ruled and
with the Hayes administration, with John
Sherman for financial administrator, is trying
to-day to finish what it so well begun.
Butler is again on the right road. There il
no room for him in the Democratic party.
He can do more good by working, as he is
doing, to break the solid column of Radical
ism which in New England has been so po-
tent. According to the Springfield RepmJ-
licam, he will have large following from the
capital-ridden organization. That paper says
that the 'old guard" CT Butterflies, who have
been waiting for the direct word from General
Butler, have now got it. No plan of local
work has been laid out, but there is 'fun
ahead" The Butler party may now be
expected to materlalize. The ends aimed
at will be taking with the masses.
1t is intended to make the campaign
entirely on the issue of State reform,
leaving out, so far as can be, national uues-
tons. The 'boys" want to break up the
old Boston aristocracy management of the
party, to give the poor men chance, to
abolish commissions" and other expensive
and membranes that attend the
present State government, thus greatly re-
ducing expenses and taxes. These champions
of the people object to the present habit of
liking things" beforehand. They do not
approve OF announcing the President and
candidate of the coming Republican conVen-
ton so far in advance. They banker for
convention which shall not be ''cut and
dried" Leading Butterflies say they shall
not run with the Republican party and the
new movement at the same time, but make
the departure openly. They want to break
up the old organization, which is no longer,
they say, the servant of the people, and will
welcome men of any political faith to the Ma
tional standard