The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-06-04
THE ANTI-MoNoPoLTsTs
And the Folly of their Effort to
Boom Butler.

/ To the Editor Of The Morristown Gazette: :
Before every national election
parties representing certain issues
supposed to be popular, appear in
the political field, and, with great
confidence as to results, parade their
strength, numerically, before the
people, claiming either a balance of
power or the cunning to form an al
lance with one of the two principal
parties, and by these force recogni-
ton. This year is no exception to
the rule, and the embodiment of
these issues is no less than General
Benjamin F. Butler. The third par
ty of 1884, representing several mil
lions Of voters, and having, as claim
ed by its partisans, the welfare of
the common country at heart, claims
to be an anti-monopOly party. This
party is first in the contest this year
with Gen. Butler as their presiden-
tial candidate. The anti
lists claim an organized strength in
New York, Wisconsin, Michigan,
Illinois, Nebraska and Kansas of / =
100000 votes, and to hold the bal
ance of power in four States. This
showing, if true, is a formidable one.
But there is some question as to the
truth of the statement. In the first
place, the anti-monopolists have no
organized strength in either Kansas
or Nebraska, with only weak force
in Iowa, kept in line through the
influence Of the Apostle Weaver,
with no possible hope of balance
of power. The organization in H.
ineis and Michigan is without To-
cal leader in either State; while in
New York there is a stronger or
Of WOrkIngmen, Knights
Of Labor and Trades Union than in
any other State. Even in that State
the anti-msnopolists cannot hope to
carry a balance of power. With
Butler they may and no doubt do
hope to form an alliance with one of
the great parties and by this means
gain recognition. Gen. Butler is
ar the strongest man that could
nave been selected, but he is not the
nan that is being saught by the re.
parties. Since 1860 he has
been prominently before the people
If this country in more guises per-
laps than any other man of his abil-
ty that has ever figured in Ameri-
,an politics. In 1860, at Charleston,
Is delegate to the National Dem
'cratic Convention he was largely
instrumental in creating the split in
he party, and is chargeable with
he defeat of Douglas. For this
Ict alone the Democrats must re-
member him with distrust. But this
5 not all. He entered the war and
the South wherever he
vent, returning 10 private life rab-
d Republican, and in a speech at
chicago, soon efter the close of the
var, denounced the Democratic par
y as traitors and appealed to the
to use their ballots as
hey had their bullets. After he h ad
his usefulness in the Re-
party, he next turns up as
|. Greenbacker of Massachusetts and
5 elected Governor of that State as
Refcrmer. Two years later he is
he acknowledged candidate of the [
Democracy of his State for re-elec- I
ion to the Office of Governor, and
fter one term of his reform meas .
res he is deserted by the element [
hat had so willingly supported him {
'efore. In defeat, he again seeks !
he anti-monopoly party and comes |
efore the people as the anti-mon- 1
poly candidate for President with !
he hope of capturing the Demo- ]