New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-27
THE MASSACHUSETTS, ClNTlSS.


opennc under much the same conditions rs
that O.. last year, does not promise 10 be as
entertaining spectacle To the country at
large. On the one hand, the respectable pco-
ule Of the Bay state have grown accustomed
TO the annual raids of General Butler upon
tie State House, ard are not as badly
frightened as they used 20 Ice; and
Oh the other, Butler himself is roal ng
very gently, and las abandoned the
DMylIooh Fair tactics Of hitting head
wherever ne sees il. lie wants 10 be looked
UPON rs the conservative reiomucr of few
errors and abuses in the State Government
n man who talks wisely about commissions,
charitable institutions, corpCalous, mortgages,
taxation and the like, wants to save few
dollars here and a few there, and seeks to
give the people chance 20 vote for certain
officials who are now chosen by the Lcglsla-
tlr.. lie is no LONGER a dangerous 1dic'l,
with designs on the currency and commuuis.ic
views in regard to other peoples prop
ertv. In fact he has undergone such "a
change OF heart that It is doubtful
whether lie recollects that hc j. tine slmc
person who invited one Denis karncy, ~
san Francisco, to take the stamp ter him q
wear ago. lie has AN eye sin -le to thn inter-
osts OF the Commonwealth now. and cares
nothing FOR questions that cannot be settled
under Tie golden dome that looks down Oh
Boston Common, and those questions he only
PROPOSES to present to thc people IL few dis
passionate speeches.
While General Butler Is thus cndeayoiing
10 play with dignity the role Of n
party leader, the Republican press shows
a disposition to refrain from repeat
inc he hard things and the funny things it
was SO fond OF saying at his expense last year.
I'm this it is WISE \ man OF Buffers stamp
thrivcs upon abuse and rdicule. Al the per-
sonal assaults upon him in the newspapers
have not hurt his feelings a particle nor cost
him n single vote. The argument against
Buffers election is stronger now than it was
in 1878, but it will not be strengthened by
illusions to his sQuint eye or bald head. Nor
is il necessary that people should believe, in
order to see their duty 10 vote against him.
that he would Ovcrturn society if elected
Governor Two considerations ought to
be sufficient TO determine every Re
publican in Massachusetts to oppose him.
In the first place il would be impossible
for him to make a good Chief Magistrate for
the Commonwealth, even though he had the
best intentions in that regard, with the party
he has at his back-a party made UP of the
worst elements of the old Democratic party
Joined to the adventurcrs and camp-fOllOwers
who left the Republican organization when it
ceased to afford them opportunities to secure
place and profit. These men will have to be
taken care of. They will be needed anOthcryear;
and whatever may be General Buffers private
opinion of their character, he will be bound to
give them positions and shut his eyes TO their
performances when important public interests
ale coniided to their management. 1t is folly
to expect reform in State Affairs from an
administration made up as his would neces-
sarily be. The homogeneous element, welded
together by Buffers great personal influence.
representing as they do all the ignorance. dis
content, fanaticism, cOmmun.isr, greed for
Office and disappointed ambition in the Com
monwealth do not furnish the sort of founda-
ton upon which good government can reposc.
The other consideration which should be
fatal to Buffers hopes for enticing Republi-
cans from their allegiance is the fact that the
mischief of victory won by him would not
stop this year, be limited by the State
lines If successful this year the Butler CO.
alition will be held together and used TO carry
Massachusetts in 1850 against the Republican
candidate for President With all its profess
,ions of conforming itself to State issues
issues which it has manufactured to humbug
the pcople-Butlerism is Anti Republican In
everything and its victory would be hailed
with just AS much delight by the political
assassins in the South and the enemies of
honest money in the North as though it
bore on its variegated banner no other
device than Democracy. The intelligent Re
publcans of Massachusetts know very well
that their State cannot be detached from the
fight being made throughout the North in
defence of the results of the war. They I'M