New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-23
BUTLERISM.
wn1.Ir WIN THIS YEAR,

WORCESTER Mass. Sept. 20.-A word was needed
In Massachusetts, 20 designate the insioh Oh oil'"
elements seeking the overthrow OF the hepuuhV"n
marty in the state and no better one could be touhu
than that adopted" ButleriSm' The movement i
inspired by the personality OF General bGller.
without him it could not hold together Hay'
With him il is a formidable power. Loyalty to his
leadership is its first principle. IT, platform Is
made up of such issues as he thinks can nc
eFectually used TO ovc1turn Republican supremacy.
Buterism is a catch-all for every rayclled r,mnant
of political organizations and every dirty rag III
cornlnuuistic agitation. Ii ~ grab-bag from
which every disappointed politician hopes to draw
n Prize The movement cannot he eaH'u
Democratic for the old chiefs Of the Democracy
denouncc IT, and its leader does not profess the least
evmpathy with the National aims Of the Democratic
partv II is not a Grcenback affair. for General
Butler refuses 10 let the money question be brought
into the canvass. With bloated capitalist
fond of luxurious living at lis head. 1t cannot be
said 10 represent the Labor Reiormers. Nor can
the ProhibitionistS find much TO admire IN man
who makes no pretcnce of total abstinence. Ger
tainly il is not Republican, for it stands in direct
antagonism TO the Republican party. And yet
Democrats Greenbackers. Labor Reformers' Pro-
hibitionists aud even some Republicans are gath
cred together within its field. In short. Buiierism
seems 10 be sort of devii-sh whose long arms have
crushed the Democratic ship. drawn in ali the fot-
sam and ietsam of Massachusetts, politics and swept
nf q considerable number Of men from the Repub-
lican decks.
| find 40 conflicting opinions among Republicans
as to the strength of Butlersm this wear. On one
aide il is feared that the movement Is more danger
Gus than ever. Its organization rs certainly much
more efficient than il was in 1875. Then few
attaches If General Buters Office undertook TO run
his canvass and made many blunder-; now he has
put everything in the way of management INTO the
hands of "A clique of experienced politicians, who
know all about the workings Of party machinery.
Then IL was claimed that the bulk OF the Democ-
racy would not support him and the apparent hope
lcssness OF his attempt kept away from him consid-
cradle drit-wood that always c0ntrvcs TO get INTO
the current running toward success The election
showed that only petty faction of Democrats OPP
posed HIM. He got about 10000 votes ana
the Abbott regular Democrats mustered only
10000 Now il is feared that the show
ing Of strength he made at that time will
have the effect of keeping his followers to-
eether for another effort and of attracting new
recruits Another thing may work in his favor.
Last gear be struck out wildly on great variety of
questions and az "a great number of interests, and
thus aroused potent antagoni,ms. TINS Fail he Is
going to be- exceedingly discreet lie viii not open
MS mo .th on any National ISSUE nor allow his sup
poftors 10 talk about them. Ile has shrewdiy
selected lew Sttle questions ol aiiiilhlNtldtlo4
and legislation, aud has had his conventions mag
nifty them with great popular grievances. 10 these
he will closely conine his canvass. and by SO doing
he hopes To- lnll INTO sense OF security the elements
Of intense opposition he aroused year ago.
ON the other hald. il is believed By many Repuo-
licans that iiul'eusn one OF those phenomena III
politics which come butt cad foremost, and develop
their greatest strength at the first onset. They
think Buffers followers are Ike tnc French intan-
try good tor dash. hut not 10 hc relied on 10 stand
a steady fire. Then they LOOK t0 the improved con-
diiion ol the ahoriug classes, Who are almost with
out exception earning living wages, 10 lessen the
feeling OF communistic discomfort which worked
powerfully in his favor last year. As to ms new
habit of holding hs tongue, and lS refusal 10 DIS
6uss National issues the, argue that tins VIII not
add to MI, following, bat viii rather have tie con
uary effect. The respectable classes, they say, will
not be dcluded by is retlcence. ana me lower ele-
Iuents viii miss the excitement Of bis siashing
speeches and Will not he enthusiastic Tor cahdi-
date VINO ia,Fs oi nothing bli state commissions
and the tax ON mortgages. BESIDES, they believe
that tho prominence Of sOrc-hcdded fcpnnhcanS IN
the mauuseil. M ol buffers campaign Will pt INTO
lie head, of The Democratic WING of hs followers
the fear that m case of success the lions share OF
the spo- vail be- secured hy tine men VINO have fol-
lowed simmons aud jshcr out al the kepubAcau
Probably the real situation should be sought for
somewhere between that pictured 10y the fears oi
Iugid Republicans and the one imagined ~ the nope
iul Ncit DO not for the lessons of the Maine elec-
ton should say that the improvement IN the
times aud ,le great fact of succ,s,Iul resumption
would have the effect of dctaciug large share oi
tln NNtHU
But Maine showed us that Che Green ack vote was
not perccptihly affected by resumption or by he
powerful agulnentauvc canvass made ~ the he
puhlcans. 1ha' canvass had tic elect OF bringing
ont NH The Republican reserve vote, but 1t did not
wear away the Gieenback strength. The result
there should lead us 10 expect that Butler VIII hOld
The great bu OF tbe voters be converted last year
There l. all the more reason for thus conc uslDn
when We remember that the Maine Green
baohers had a nominal leader man
who had 10 personal influence anu iuI whom thcy
could feel lftl, respect, while the Massachusetts
Malcontcuts have la their chief "a man whose re-
marhahe personality - exceedingly potent IN con-
trolling the elements supporting hmm. II the un-
distinguished Smlth, VINO never once showed hiin-
ftlim the canvass, could increase ms year 'he
Gfeeuhack vote in Maine over THAI of 1875, there Is
certainly ground tor believing that General Butter.
with ms thorough knowledge of politics and ms az
grossyc Individuality. VIII be able 10 Keep together
the forces already once mustered unoti MS stdhu-
ards But can he increase their numbersf Not
LARGELY | think ii the Republicans put great deal
of spin; aud work into The canvass; certainly not
enough L. overcome their majOri v II they do Their
duty. Butlcl's Independent Republican COnvei-
tion was deceptive. The eleven or twelve hundred
smart active, intelligent fellows who hurrahed aud
stamped for HIM 80 Justify IN Mechanics nan
Thursday do NO. represent any cOnslleia-
able following. some Of them are eN-Jnce-
holders whose aulmus is TOO apparent lOl lhem 10
exert much influence. The rest are young men ~
extraVagant ambition and deficient mental balance,
rvLose capcily for public careers has not been ap
preriatcd hy the Republican party. sui the eager
ness OF both these classes OF boer- 10 JUSTIFY theI
posltiou hV success makes them exceedingly active,
and their persistent efforts 10 entce Republcans To
then support VIII not De without some eject. lheS
can be best cOuuteracted not by personal denuil-
cIatlons OF Butler. this was OVordOne last year,
but by meeting Squarely the arguments he makes
for changes in State affairs and most of all by
showing the prominent Importance OF NATIONAL Is
sues and by exposing the scheme To lake Messachu-
sefts ont OF the column Of Republican states IN
1850. II looks To If Butler would ada
about 10 900 votes his strength Of last year hut
Long If the Republicans do well a. they did then.
aud 10000 behind n hall 81 his new siicnglh Is