National Republican., 1883-03-30

agree with me that the future of MassaChu-
sctts politics is enveoped in doubt, and the
result Of the next election must from the
very nature of things, bo largely matter of
conjecture. While there are some men who
are saving that Butler will have larger
majority than he had last year, there are
others who say that il will not be as large.
Both are confident, and neither knows any
thing positive about the matter at all, and
such talk may be safely put down as the
childish gabblc Of
MEN WHOSE WISH Is FATHER TO THE
THOUGHT,
In the meantime the republican press of
the state. following the cue given by the leg
islaturc, is employing itself in carrying on
mosquito warfare against Butler who long
became impcrvious to such attacks. Dhey
have criticised his vetoes which amount to
very little IN themselves, and are only made
important by the action of the newspapers,
and have commented upon his frequent trips
TO Washington, where he now is, in order to
continue his law practice. 1t has been the
custom Of the governors of this state to re-
linquish their private business upon accept
ing the Office of chief executive, but this Gov.
Ben has not chosen to do, and the silver tops
are greatly agitated at what they consider
the want of " good FORM" aud due regard
for precedent, for both of which the governor
entcrtains the most supreme contempt 1t is
true, that while he was ON the stump, Gen.
Butler said that in case he was elected he
would have to rclinquish very large and
lucrative law practice, and II is equally true
that up to this present time he has shown no
great anxiety to throw up his practice But,
on the whole, is not this rather al oint
TO make? Such points will have no influence
with the average voter and should be dis
missed rs altogether too trivial to be con-
idercd at all. In looking at these minor
matters the republican press seems to me, to
have lost sight of the larger considerations,
which, as the year develops, will unquestion-
ably initiate most woightily against Buffers
reelection. First among these considerations
should be inclined to put down the fact that
when the fall arrives We shall be within one
year of the next presidential election, which
will give the canvass more the character of
an affair of outposts, between tho two great
national parties. 1t will be the time when
the party slogan will begin to he heard on
every hillside, and in every valley through
out the length and breadth of the state, the
time when republicans
WILL RALLY ENTHUSIASTICALLY AROUND
THEIR CoLORs.
and close up their ranks for the approaching
fray. That line being drawn, il is quite cor-
tain that thousands of the men who voted
last year, just to give the old man n
chance" will assume their affiliations with
the national republican party, and with il,
will keep step to the music of the union, as
they deploy on the skirmish line of 1884. In
considering this matter, ii should be borne in
mind, that last year was the otlcst Of off years
in Massachusetts, politics, and that the boys
were out for "a bit of lark" and saw an op-
portunity to administer u shock to the bet
ter clement which they improved by elect
ing Butler. Massachusetts, cannot be counted
upon ASA democratic state, and those shall
low patcd politicians, who are confident that
she is to be
HANDED OVER TO THE NATIONAL DEMoC-
RACY,
bound hand and foot, are reckoning consid-
eubly without their host Under the proper
conditions, even with Butler as n candidate,
Massachusetts may safely he depended upon
as n sure republican state, and this year it is
the avOwcd determination of the republican
leaders to insure the proper conditions. The
presidential election will be the pivot upon
which the next election here will turn. In
any case it would bo so to some extent, but
with Butler rs Il candidate il would be in
cvtably and cmphatcallY so. His renomi-
nation would bc-indeed it has already been
accepted III advance rs q formal declaration
oi his intention to be Il presidential candi-
date in 1891. This is current talk here to-
day, wherever politics are discussed. This
brings into the case another consideration
which is adverse to Buffers reelection. Last
year the democrats Of this state We're in a po-
sition similar to that of the old woman who
Is said to have wanted husband so much
that she went out into the woods and prayed
for ono, While she was engaged in her de-
votiOns an owl, perched in neghborng tree
began its dolciul cry Of "To whootW "To
whoot!" The old lady,in her excitement,
presumed that it was the voice of the Lord
asking her who she wanted, and
FERvENTLY RESPONDED, "oH LORD, ANY
BODY"
Last fall the democrats who were hungry
for office were much in the position of the old
woman in the woods and were ready to take
up with Butler or in fact anybody" and 50
were practically unit in Buffers favor, but
1t would be piece of stupcndOus folly to as
sumo that they would be anything like n
unit upon the question of his reelection,
with the added condition that his success
then would mean his nomination for the
presidency in the following year. This would
be a straw that the hide bound bourbons would
refuse point blank TO bear. In 1878 they
voted for Thomas Talbot in preference to
Butler, because they were shrewd enough to
sec that his election as governor at that time
would make him prominent man in the
councils of the national democracy; al
together too prominent for their peace of
lnind. Next fall, in case Butler Is renOmi-
mated these same men in large numbers will
almost certainly vote for Thomas Talbot or
for any other equally acceptable republican
in preference to Butler and for the same reason
us in 1873. There are other causes that will
act against Butler in his canvass for II re-elcc-
tion, prominent among which is n growing
feeling of antagonism to the solid Irish vote
which is massed behind his cOlors. In pam
dering to this class, Butler has gone to the
cxtrcme limit, and the native element is al
ready beginning TO show signs Of discomfort.
The record which the present city government
in Boston, which is democratic by large ma
j0rity, and the offensive dictation of the Irish
ward bosses, have done, and are doing, much to
make this feeling apotent factor in our poll
tics, aud in native circles there is already an
audible muttering, which clearly fOretels q
storm that may at almost any time break out
into
A CRY OF HOME RULE FOR MASSACHUSETTS.
Tho governors action in granting the request
of the Emmett Guard, an Irish military or
gani2ation, to parade with arms on st.
Patrick's day in violation of the customary
usage and III direct opposition to the decision
Of eX-GOv. William CASTOR, himself demo-
crat, is commented upon n great deal, and the
fact Is recalled that on st. PatricI's day the
generals portrait was displayed upon the
front Of one of the largest gin mills at the
north end, fGstooned with the American and
Irish flags, and bearing the inscription, Our
Governor" 1t will he understood that this
was not particularly pleasing spectacle to
the temperance people, nor indeed to many of
those republicans who voted for Butler, but
do not make a practice of frequenting the
North End gin mills Butler himself did not