New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-27

the privilege of further regulating, or restrict
ing, or even prohibiting the traffic ii it sees lit
1t is estimated that the tax will bring into tho
county treasures of the State no less than
So, OO0, 900 yearly, and that its immediate
effect will be to close permanently large
number of low groggeries which Will not DO
able to nav tho tax. These are effects which
cannot fail to make the law popular, and
hence to bring votes to the Republican ticket.
MISTAKEN METHODS AGAINST BUTLER.
1t may we'll be doubted if the Butlerphohists
of Massachusetts, are always entirely wise and
prudent in their methods OF opposing the pres
ent Governor of the Commonwealth They are
of course animated by the purest and MODEST
motives. They believe him to be bold bad
man, which he undoubtedly is, and IN that ne
lief they conceive it to be their duty to en-
brace every opportunity to let him know What
they think OF him. That may not always be
wise OF prudent, or promotive of good results.
When the Harvard Overseers, with perhaps
little more enusiveness and fuss tban was alb
soutely necessary, refused TO follow lmmemo-
orial custom, and after dangling an LII. ID.
little time in front of the Governor abruptly
pulled 1t away, it was fair question whether
they meant merely to snub and humillate him,
or really to elevate the standard OF qualliica-
ton for university honOrs. The looseness
with which these degrees, which ought to mean
something but actually mean nothing. are con-
ferred even by the older universities. Harvard
and Yale, has become proverbial. The custom
of conferrlng the degree of Doctor of Laws
upon a military man who happens to be- Presi-
80, = q
he bappens to be Governor of Massachusetts,
has in it neither reason nor sense, aud would
be always better .honOred in the breach than
in the observance. Rightly viewed the con-
ferring of the degree carries no honor what
ever. The degree Of Doctor of Laws added
nothing to the honors of .ex-President Grant,
and we might name several worthy Governors
of Massachus, It's to whom it brought no addi-
tiona dignity for the simple reason that 1t had
no significance whatever.
The Overseers of Harvard University in
granting these degrees heretofore have not
made the pretence that the recipients OF them
were actually learned in the law, although they
affirmed, upon the solemnity OF parchment ana
in the obscurty of tongue which the persons
decorated could not read or understand, that
because of that circumstance and that only they
had been chosen for this honor. In other anu
possibly palmer words, the Overseers OF Har-
ward have been in the habit of telling lies in
Latin and on parchment, and calling them
| shonors.n Does it need pointing out that
college officers who annually indulge In this
sort of humbuGSery and sham, who profess TO
| hayo found out that certain persons are learned
| in the law and sOlemnly make certification
| thereto, when they have found out no such
thing, but know the contrary-is it necessary to
| say that such officers should not be sqneamlsh
| about the moral character or Responsibility OF
| those whom they are asked to decorate The
manner in which these honorary degrees have
| been conferred by all our American colleges,
| and by Harvard with the rest, prevents their
having any meaning or significance or being
| properly considered an honor And if il be so,
| that the granting of them means nothing, it
must be equally true that the Withholding of
them conveys no humiliation or disgrace.
| Another mistake in the case of Governor But
| Ter was this, that while the comforting of the
| degree could do him no harm, the Withholding
of it did no good since it only gave him more
| Of the nOtoriety upon which lie lives and
thriyes and directed attention to the loose prac-
| tees of former years. A better way would DO
| TO adopt as a general rule that parchments
! hearing the seal of the university and the cer-
tification of its officers should invariably tell
the truth. Under that rule no such cOmplica-
| ton could arise.
| Another effort to snub the Governor appears
| in the refusal Of Senator Hoar to preside at
the dinner of the Harvard Alumni because
| Governor Butler is to be present as the guest
1 Il - nth yi,,fY fnp
| the Governor, and with cordial admir-
alton on the other hand for the sturdy
| honesty, the courage, sincerity and manliness of
Senator Hoar, we must confess that this sort of
| thing seems to us rather childish and petty. 1t
is well to recognize patent facts, and, when 1t
| can he done without sacrifice of principle or
| self-respect adapt ourselves to them. Gen.
| eral Butler was the choice of a majority Of the
voters of Massachusetts, for the Office he holds.
| He is the Governor; and considerable respect
| is due the office as we'll as to the principle of
| majority rule which he represents, whatever
NAV be said Of the individual. Senator Hoar
| accomplisbes nothing by his demonstration
except to invite criticism of his own temper
| and contribute to the dissatisfaction of his
opponent. The intelligent people of Massa-
| chusetts ought to have found out by this time
that the grotesque and mischievous politician
who is after all their Governor cannot be
| fought successfully with small tactics and
childish weapons. The pettiness of their meth
DDS, though intended to exhibit their contempt
for him, serves him an altogether different pur-
pose, since the only effect is to dignity his
| demagogy and ~niarge his opportunities for