The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-06

THAT the Democratic party does not love
the mugwump, and is not grateful to him for
what services he may have given it, is amply
attested by the repeated utterances of the
Democratic press. The New York Graphic
volunteers the following definition of mug
wump:
"Our conception of mugwump is that Of
holier-than-thou sort Of person, full of af
fectation and pharisaism, who believes him
self to be the salt Of the earth, who looks
upon every earnest party politician as blind
partisan and spokesman, and who is persuaded
that the Eatonian machine IS the most perfect
and beneficent invention ever known in the
political evolution of mankind. = AS
to the numerical strength Of the mugwumps,
it is grossly overrated. They are clamorous
| and arrogant bat the tail should not attempt
to wag the dog Finally, there is
no such thing in existence as democratic
mugwump' The real mugwump is an ex-
Republican who strives to kill every party
which will not accept him as boss"
The Graz hic is right-there is no such
thing as Democratic mugwump. The tradi
lions of the party forbid such an anomaly.
The spirit of that party will not tolerate such
an innovation, and it is impatient now at any
interference on the part Of its allies.
The New York Sun, speaking of the serious
charges brought against Postmaster jones'
says:
"Aquila Jones, of indianapolis, though his
weight is not known, is very good man to
have in a political household. Would there
were more like him.
There are many more like him in the party.
Thousands and tens of thousands who will
more than indorse everything he has done in
the way of discharging efficient officials to
make place for Democrats. They applaud his
nerve in defying the President and splitting
upon the civiservce rules.
In the same issue with the above the Sun
reveals the animus of the party relative to the
idea of any kind of reform that keeps the
hungry and thirsty from receiving their
several rewards. It says:
''After all, the national Democratic guillo-
tine seems to work with a great deal Of regu
larity and efficiency
We We, may nay b, be happy yet
The guillotine runs on oiled grooves, and
does its appointed work very satisfactorily
wherever tried It operates little slowly
thus far, but it is gradually accomplishing all
that its friends could ask, and Democrats of
the regulation pattern are correspondingly
happy in anticipation.
The World, joining the general De cratic
clamor against the mugwump, raps him over
the knuckes for daring to protest against such
scandalous appointments as Higgins and his
kind. The World says:
''Mugwumpism seems to delight in making
itself uncomfortable. 1t is now fretting and
Tuning because Mr. George W. Albright at
present in the Sixth Auditors office, and soon
to be appointed a chief of division
in the Second Auditors office, is de-
tailed to assist the wellknown Higgins, chief
of the appointment division. Mugwumpism
declares that this is an evasion of the civil
service rules. So Albright is added to Hig-
gins amongst its miseries. Yet Secretary
Manning declares that Higgins will not 60
and Albright will remain, and we don't see
what mugwumpism is going to do about it
If the Democratic press has ever had good
word for the mugwump we have not seen it,
That party, we insist, despises civil-service
reform, and, for the most part, does not hest
tate to say So A mugwump among them is
as lamb among wolves.