New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-31
THE CHOICE or TIE GREENBACKERS.


The Grccnbackers have nominated General
Butler for the Presidency after sore struggle.
Having made the nomination, good many OF
them appear to be looking at one another III
frightened way, like small boys who realize
their own naughtiness, and as who should say:
4" Well Now we have gone and done It y For
the nomination is not pleasing to many mem
beers of the organization, who, singularly enough,
do not repose implicit confidence i'll the sim
cerity of General Butler. But if the nominal
tiOn is not all that fancy painted 1t, no one can
deny that the platform is just perfectly lovely.
1t is a popularity of ifth-wheel parties like the
Grcenbackers that they always insist on having
the largest sized platforms that can be pro-
cured They will never deny themselves cheap
Injuries of that kind, and they take almost as
much pleasure in gloating over the long reso-
utions as though the platform possessed political
significance. Another popularity OF this kind
of party consists in the tremendous altitude OF
their moral and intellectual superiority to the
real parties. They look down upon the latter
with a fine scOrn, and from their dizzy heights
they calmly determine all the moot questions of
the day. and map out the future with pre-
oision which leaves nothing to be desired.
OF course the Greenbackers have avaed
themselves of the recent decision of the Su
preme Court on the lcgal-tender question: and
that august tribunal must feel not little un-
comfortable on being applauded for having
rendered in the decision referred to " a full vim
dication of the theory which the Grecnbackers
shave always advocated" Certainly the Su-
preme Court has done more than ever was done
before to give Fictitious vitality to the financial
I. Al. n L. 81. 4.
opponents, and it is To be regretted. But the
significance of the party is not increased by the
circumstance and the chief harm done by it
consists in the reinforcement of strong de-
lusiOns which it presents.
The platform, of course, has something to say
about everything but principally it Is occupied
in enforcing the belief i'll cheap money" If
ONLY the Government presses were occupied in
printing greenbacks perennially, it is minated,
the tariff question would be of no consequence
This is true, though not in the way the
GrcenbackerS imagine; for If they had their
WAY money would soon become as cheap as
if was down South during the latter days of the
Confederacy and when people had to take a
wheclbalrow load of money to buy a bushel of
potatoes. the tariff question would naturally
fall into the background.
The Greenbacl,ers want all manner of govern
mental interference and supervision. They
think the country cannot get on unless it is put
in leading strings, and though they are the most
progressive people in the world, they think it
necessary To coerce the rest of the Nation into
enlightenment. SO there must be graduated
income taxes, and regulation of industry and
suneryision of Interstate commerce, and en-
forcement and inspection and reduction and
abolition here there and everywhere until the
moor country would be so swaddled and band
aged and handcufcd and backboarded and
gagged and fettercd that its own mother
wouldn't be able to recognize 1t.
Nevertheless, il is well that there should be n
Greenback party and that General Butler
sbculd be its nominee. For the cranks must
have a meansof expression and General Butler
must be accommodated with party which in
ours no particular responsibility i'll nominating
him. The Greenbackcrs are the natIral come
outers,n and neither of the regular parties can
contain them. They are not capable OF work
ing in ordinary political harness. They require
an organization of their own, and they have got
it. Many worthy but futile persons are thus en-
abled to blow of steam harmlessly, and to
make believe powerfully that all sorts of OBJ
solete Illusions are living issues. If some few
thousands of votes are thus wasted every four
years, it is q consolatory reflection that III all