The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-06
MuGWUMPERY AND REFORM.

The aversion to the mugwumps so markedly
evinced in the New York election must not
be misinterpreted. The Republican party
has no faith IN mugwumpery, because mug
wumpery has proved itself insincere, incon-
sistent, Pharisaical and self-suficient. Dis
honoring principles that had stood the test of
a quarter of a century, and willfully ignoring
the real character of the Democratic party,
the mugwumps, with holier-than- thou proc
lamation, and witha great show Of superior
virtue, last year went to the aid of party
| that has been recreant to every trust for the
past twenty-five years Passing over Mr.
Cleveland's personal reputation and character,
and admitting, for the sake of argument, that
he is disposed to accomplish the reforms of
which meretricious parade of promises was
made in the party platform, it yet remains
that.he alone could not hope to make any
marked progress in this direction in opposi-
ton to his party; and the Democratic party,
as is well known, has only the heart
lest contempt for any civil-service reform
that in any way abridges their access to office.
There wasn't mugwump anywhere, with
! enough sense to eat when hungry, but knew
this when he hypocritically turned his back
upon his party and the millions Of faithful
and honest men in it, and went to the help of
the country's ancient enemy. Tuesdays re-
buke would not have been administered but
for the offensive and dishonest parade made
by the returning prodigals, who, not satisfied
with getting back, must argue that the man
for whom they had fed swine, and well-nigh
starved at it, was model citizen, and the old
folks at home must exert themselves to do
hon or to him, which was to be accomplished
| in some inexplicable way by voting for Re
publican instead of a Democrat. The palpa-
BILE dishonesty Of this position was soundly
and righteously condemned. There was
not one Republican in all the
State of New York but knew that
the mugwump plea for an Endorsement Of the
President was not only silly but contemptibly
dishonest. The hostility aroused by this feel
ing is sufficient explanation of the defeat of
Tuesday The men who have unfalteringly
stood by Republican principles for a gen
Grafton, had no mind to quietly submit to the
impudent dictation of handful of men with
the smirch of friendly contact with the enemy
still on their garments
But there is little likelihood of any mistake
being made in this thing. The mugwumps
| have been rebuked not for protesting desire
| for reform, but for betraying the only party
| of genuine, wholesome reform that the country
ever had, and giving aid and comfort to an
| organizatio which has never, outside of its
| dis honest platforms, made any pretense but
of the heartiest contempt for any and all re-
| forms that curb or restrain Democratic greed
for spells. The Republican party has ever
| been prompt to respond to every de-
in the government, and review of the his
| tory of the party and of the country will
show that every reform accomplished and
| adopted as part of the permanent polity of
| the eminent has been the work of the Re-
! publican party. From 1860 to the present
day there is no exception to this, so it is need
less to particularize. And in each and every
one of these advances the Republican party has
had to fight the Democratic, in Congress and
hat IL
| lican party is as progressive to-day as it ever
was growing with the growth of public intel
| lgence, and keeping pace with the demands of
the best people. No practical step in the
direction of progress has been pointed out
| that it has not taken, and in the matter of
civil-service reform-now more than doubt
full experiment, because of the hostility of the
Democratic party, which is at war with the
President at every point where the principles
of civil-service reform are attempted to be
put into practice-the Republican party was
and is its only practical hope. If there ever
was any doubt about the attitude of the Dem
ocratic party on this question, and the
depth of the prejudice against it, it is now
removed. Democratic journals all over the
country, unbalanced by the success of their
party in New York under the leadership of
spoils candidate, do not hesitate to spit upon
the idea of civil-service reform, and sgnifi-
cantly warn the President that he must 90 no
| further in defiance of the wishes and interests
of the Democratic party. If the Republican
defeat in New York accomplished nothing
else it did we'll in tearing the thin mask of
hypocrisy from the Democratic party, which
now, in an unguarded moment of exultation,
reveals the hearty contempt it has ever enter.