New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-24

RUTLER MUST GO.

1be Roston TyarelIer has been making n can
yass of Massachusetts to discover what change.
If any, has taken place 10 the sentiment Oh
voters toward Butler since Re became Cover
nor. The letters. to which the printed replies
were made, were sent mostly to Republican
citizens of known standing in their respective
localities, many of them delegates to the last
R.publican Convention. Leading politicians,
however. were avoided as rule. The men
selected were clergymen, manufacturers, store
terpers. mechanics, and indeed, men in all
occnnations. Their reports are, Of course,
omen to question on the ground that they came
from Republicans and are naturally unfnendIy
n Butler and all such canvasses, where the
person. reporting speak merely As individuals
and not in any representative capacity, are oil
value only when they show general anu I'M
,,i.takabe tendency. Tho responses seem,
bowever. in this ms canoe, to be to n large ex-
tent fair-minded attempts to make an accurate
estimate of public opinion. In a number of
cases. they admit frankly that Butler has held
his ground, or has even made gains. IN their
localit,eS these are exceptional, however,
and appear mostly in Essex County, Governor
Buffers old Congressional District, and in
few other spots in Eastern Massachusetts.
The general concurrence of all these observers
that the Governors course has aroused indig-
nation and disgust among the respectable class
of voters is striking and must be accepted as a
sim of change which will make itself felt IN
November.
careful reading Of these various opinions
seems to show, however. that the Governor is
as strong, or even stronger, with the unedu
Gated grade of voters than he was last year.
Thus is not surprising To certain class of
Ininds tire wi gar swagger and reckless smart
nesa which have always been Buffers chat
acteristics in politics, are highly attractive.
Even blackauardism and indeecncy, such as
he was guilty OF during the Tewksbury invest
igaiion, rather increas the charm of his person.
atty than diminish il. The men who take
pleasure in seeing in fash newspapers the
Tewksbury exhibits which the Governor al
lowed TO I've taken out and photographed for
their benefit, will not think any the less of him
because be insulted women and violated de-
crncy during that investigation. Ii is not sur
rlsng, therefore, TO read warnings that by
this Glars Butler will probably be supported
this year with seven greater clamor' than be
FORE ii is 10 be expected too TIA It II he is NOM
I mated by the Democratic Convention he will
get the bulk Of the Democratic vote. Tue can
didate has vet 10 be discovered whose moral
character is so bad, or whose uDftBess ior Office
is 40 apparent, that the Democratic party viii
not support him.
| Where Butler has lost siren gth-and this is
confirmed by every indication that comes from
Massachusetts-is with those Republicans and
| independents who voted for hinI last year.
! Some OF tbrm did so because they wanted Ia
| sec how the old man would act" Others
| thou ht he would try. for his own sake. 10 make
creditable administration. They had some
sympathy with him "a a man VINO had had n
good many hard knocks in politics. 1t VAS AN
off " ear, and the loss sf the State would do
| the Republicans little harm. There was dis
| positIon also in Massachusetts, rs well as else-
| where to give the Republican leaders u warn
| ING IND on the knuckles. TIE change OF sonti-
meut among these classes ~ pronounced.
Too much Tewkst ury did il - is the general
| verdict recorded IN these letters against the
scandalzer of Massachusetts" as one Of them
calls him. Another sums it all up in saying
When he was elected tire general feeling was
that he could do little HARM and might froul
motives of self-interest make one at our best
| Governors. All this has changed and the
@people are sick of seeing buioonery aud
ablack guardism in teir chief magistrate
The stay-at home vote OF last year Is aroused
and will come out this year. Ii is interestin ~
to observe that the only ground Of sympathy
with Butler recorded in these letters IL tine
peevish refusal of Harvard University TO give
him the degree TO which custom, based only
upon n majority vote of the people aud not
surely, apon the learning OF the recipient, en-
titles the Governor. But this IS not a sentiment
that will affect votes. ani it will need, on the
basis of the vote of last year, only the reversal
of 7, 600 votes to send Butler back to private
life.