New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-23
BUTLERS PROGRESS BACKWARD.

The rival legislative reports on the Tewks-
bury AlmshOuse close an epoch in Buffers ca
reer. The Governors own request some time
ago that committee should Sit during the sum-
mer to hear from time to time any charges
against State institutions and State officers he
might have to make, was an intimatiOn that his
stock of sensations had run out. This is the
end, probably of the campaign for the Presi-
dency that began six months ago with the Gov
ernor's message. There we're vague rumblings
in that document of exposures to be made and
changes to be demanded, which Governor But
Ter evidently believed would identify him with
the issue of Reform.
He seems to be very much in the situation oil
the boy who tried to walk to school Oh slip
perry morning, and slid back two steps when
ever he went forward one. Six months trudg-
ing leaves the Governor further of from either
the Presidency or a reelection to the Cover
norship than he was before. 1t is perhaps I'M
fortunate for candid judgment of the matter
by the public outside of the State. that the
reports upon the Tewksbury case were made
upon party lines, but it must be remembered
that the charges were made as party charges in
the beginning, and that even when such
charges are unjust the only party that will say
so is usually the party that has been attacked.
The majority Of the Committee say that the
main charges of the Governor arc "groundless
and cruel" and certainly The investigation has
seemed to support this conclusion. Undoubtedly
there were abuses. There are in almost all such
institutions. Undoubtedly there were individ-
ual cases of cruelty, neglect, and immortality.
But the sensationalsm of the charges was as
.aIf NJ ia l.
garity of the Governors methods in conducting
the investigation. Throughout, the people OF
Massachusetts were "Iecklessly and needless
lyD subjected to the shame and humiliation
against which the majority of the Committee
protest. That this is true Is shown by the fact
that the minority of the Committee can only
sustain their assertions by citations from evil
dence much of which has been shown to be
false.
The people who voted for Butler because
they "wanted to see how the old man would
act must have had their fill by this time.
They must admit that his chief success has
been in making himself ridiculous. Ridicule is
fatal to a "smart" man like Butler. The
Tewksbury investigation has been failure.
He has been so manifestly pettfogging pros
ecutor, eager for sensations, and not judicial
investigator, anxious to do justice on all
sides, that all but partisan Democrats have lost
patience with him. His demagogue vetoes have
been subjected to mcrciless analysis by the Re-
publicans in the Legislature. They have con-
ylcted him Of legal inaccuracies and set the
country laughing at his blunders in history.
The episode of the stolen bills which he had
really left in his carriage will not lie forgotten He
has had number of contests with the Legisla-
ture and the Council, in almost all of which, if
not in all, he has been defeated, and has had
the laugh turned against him. Then, by way
of helping along his opponents, he, Reform
Governor has spent much of his time in travel
ling 20 Washington as the counsel of the de-
PENDANT in case of whskey fraud, and has
gone into neighboring State to make speeches
for a political adventurer who was candidate
for Governor. After six months of rough and
tumble effort, Governor Butler is in bad way.
His only political assets are piece of human
skin tanned by medical student and the bid
to the National Democracy contained in the
memorable sentence-"The Government be-
longs to its friends