The daily gazette., 1883-10-29
BUTLER'S GREAT FIGHT.
A DlSGRAcEFUL CAMPAIGN IN
MASSACHUSETTS.
BOTH SIDES CLAIMING THE STATE
Butler and Robinson Making Two ana
Three Speeches u Day-The Outlook
Rather Favorable for Butler.
rPhiladelphia Times Special !

BOSTON, OcCoDer Sf.-InlS campaign i6
remarkable one for just about four things.
First OF all 1t is q very queer sort of cam
paign, for nobody, apparently, knows any
thing about how it is going, unless 1t be
Governor Benjamin F. Butler, who claims
to know pretty nearly everything. Then 1t
Is q very scandalous campaign, for nothing
seems 10 be too indecent for discussion on
the stump. Again, It Is most disgracefuI
campaign, so far, at least, as far as the Re-
publicAns are concerned, for their only issue
is Butler and they gather up the filth OF
Tewksbury and revel in it and pelt 1t thick
and fast wherever Butler head appears.
Finally, 1t is an awfully funny campaign,
and an impartial onlooker can get lust
| about all the amusement lie wants out Of IL.
But it is anything but amusing to the peo-
pie hereabouts. Everybody is wildly
excited over the canvass, and pretty
nearly everybody seems to have lost
his head. Even the newspapers have got an
idea that the whole world Is revolving about
Massachusetts,. This morning l took up a
Journal. The first page was devoted to q
solid mass Of dry political speeches, which
have been rehearsed time and time again
by expectant Governor Robinson. took
up GLOBE. There was nothing but politics.
fell hack on the Herald. There were po-
llticsl speeches by the page. By this time
the thing got to be SO amusing that went
CNCll ObuOI paper III JOhA Jubb W
see If by any mistake an item of news that
did not relate to the campaign had crept in.
The search resulted In an almost dead fail
ule to find anything. This would get to be
unbeaTable if it were not for the fact that
some of General Buffers speeches are
mighty interesting reading.
POOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE STATE.
That eminent statesman, Matthew Stan
ley Quay, has been heard TO remark that
with the exception OF Tilden nobody outside
of Pennsylvania knows anything about pol
itics anyway. 1t would be better than a
comic opera for Matthew Stanley Quay or
Chairman Tom Cooper If they could Just
get an insight into tho way this campaign
has bden run. Massachusetts, ought TO be
| an easy State to poll in advance, but no
| body here knows anything about polling In
| advance. II you can get the confidential
ear of the chairman Of the Republican State
Central Committee he will whisper in under
tones and with great mystery that every
thing is "all right" If you can get the
confidential ears of the Democratic leaders
they will whisper in undertones and with
great mystery that everything is "an
right"
The campaign is a very noisy one. 1t is q
square stand UP fight between the Butler and
anti Hutler forces. Both parties are fighting
| the battle on Buffers record. The Cover
nor points with pride to what lie has done.
| The Republicans point with scorn. They
have but one plank in their platform, and
that is anything to beat Butler OF course
1t is a mistake. All the speeches that could
be made from now until the crack of doom
ON Buffers record wouldn't change dozen
votes Buffers record is known to every
body, and the people who vote for him know
just exactly what they are doing. There
| are signs that the Robinson followers are
I 1~s. E,.
something spiteful they frequently overreach
themselves, and the result is that people who
have minds Of their own and can do their
own thinking naturally become dsgusted.
Both candidates are working like beavers.
Both make two speeches, and sometimes
three, a day. Butler has always been noted
for his wonderful campaigns and he has not
shown the slightest sign of failing vigor.
He will attend TO the duties OF his office In
the morning, lunch at his headquarters-th
Revere House, which is just back of Beacon
Hill and the State House-and in the after
noon he is miles away, speaking in packed
hall. After the meeting there is a rapid
drive to the railroad station, a ride of q few
| miles further and another speech, entirely
different, in the evening. Frequently after
this comes a carriage drive to a neighboring
| town, followed by third speech. Then the
Governor must make night ride back TO
bright and early to attend to his regular
duties.
1t ii difficult to tell how this campaign Is
going to result. If enthusiasm is any crite-
rIon Butler will be elected, for his meetings
are certainly the largest and most enthusi-
astlc. Both sides are claiming as high as
| 10000 majority. Butler is said to have no
| fears whatever of the result and is only
anxious for Legislature which will back
him in his reforms and give him a chance.
On the other hand the Robinson people are
already raising the fraud cry, which Is
| usually an indication of weakness.
The principal hope for Butler is in the Inn
menae registration in the cities. Butler
men have been naturalized by the hundreds
and there are 5000 more voters in Boston
to-day than last year. Buffers chances de-
pend in great measure upon the way these
new voters divide themselves. Last year
Butler and Bishop ran almost neck-and-
neck In the State and Butler was elected by
about II 900 majority obtained here in the
city. The Republicans have got this IA, 900
TO overcome to begin with. The Republican
leaders are cutting Buffers majority in Bos-
| ton as low as 5000, while the Governor fig
ures out 10000 majority. II he can get this
it is pretty safe to say that it cannot be
wiped out in the State. In the absence Of
any accurate knowledge by the State COM
| mitteemen IL is useles to make calculations,
aud This fight will not be over until the ball
lots Are counted.