The New York herald., 1879-10-17
MASSACHUSETTS, POLITICS.

CHANCES OF THE VARIOUS CANDIDATES FOR
THE GovHRNoRsHIp-LoNa THE PROBABLE
vIcToR-v1Ews OF Ex-GovERNoR RICE.
Ex-Governor Alexander II. Rice, OF Massachusetts,,
was found at the Fifth Avenue Hotel last evening.
He declined to give his views on the political cam
paign in any other capacity than disinterested
citizen. The following is substantially what he
said:-
.'The campaign in Massachusetts, this year is .
very peculiar one, there four candidates the
field for Gubernatorial honors. Mr.. Long is
tho candidate Of the republican party, John
Quincy Adams represents the conservative de-
mocracy. DR.. Eddy is the candidate Of
the prohibition party. and the regular democrats
ter the campaign with General Butler at their head.
The prohibitionists have always been indepen-
dent faction. whose vote hardly influenced elections
at ALL This year think their vote will be less than
ever as they have nothing to stand upon but tenn
perance platform, which, although goodin ITSELF is
not sufficiently interviewer with public affairs to
make an issue upon. Mr.. John Quincy Adams is not
the candidate he is generally supposed to be. The
conservative democracy. ut time very strong, will
this year. under the leadership of republican, vote
largely for Mr. Long. This narrows the actual con-
test down to General Butler and Mr.. Long, the demo-
cratic and republican candidates General Butler is
o strong candidate for democrat His campaign
affairs we'll organized This is mainly due to the
fact that he is surrounded by q number Of able men,
ously prosecute his campaign But his following is
more personal following. He is possessed Of many
individual attractions which attach to him
the men with whom he comes In contact.
But 1t is rather because OF his brilliant
social and personal qualities that he is
popular than because he represents any well defined
principles Of public policy The system of ridicu-
ing General Buffers personal peculiariti.s .s rev-
ing him because OF anything in his past career will
not be employed in my opinion. to any extent this
year. It would fall to the ground far more quickly
than when it was new.
DEMocRATIc MISTAKES.
sHTheae the various elements OF success said
Governor Rice "in the democratic campaign. But
they have made q vital mistake in the policy upon
which they propose to conduct their campaign.
The democrats are fighting altogether upon State
issues. when there arc really no State issues
to be carried out. Massachusetts, has always
been q well governed State. Her affairs have
always been administered with a wise and economic
hand. To-day taxes upon property in Massachu-
setts amount only to about thirty cents 81 900.
Every question of State economy has been settled
by the revival of trade and return of good times
generally. believe that the present campaign will
be on national issues, and that almost every vote
will be cast with view OF influencing and shaping
the national campaign next year. MIR. Butler
cannot advance the greenback question, as
it has become thing. Of the past since
resumption set In. NO one dreams that
il has accomplished all the results that claimed
for 1t by its opponents. Tho republican party un-
questionaby have inaugurated and fostered all the
that have given life to trade and sent the
idle thousands to labor again. The party that
closed the war stuck to their principles
through all the gloom and depression that
followed in its wake, and now that
they have succeeded in bridging over the danger
tho people recognize their fidelity and will support
them in any event. Last year Mr.. Butler polled
10000 votes in his State He will poll large vote
this year, but considerably less than before, The
vote he will poll is insufficient to give any hope OF
success, and look upon the election of Mr.. Long
a ~orfatntv.'