New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-10
MTG WTNPS IND DRAGOMANS.

Tn these DAYS many persons are asking what
are the plans and purposes of the Mugwumps.
Some of the inquirers, perhaps unmindful OF
recent political experiences, are listening for
an answer to their question with unnecessary
anxiety Others merely feel the natural curios-
ity as to what is coming next which is excited
in the minds of reasonable beings by the yaga-
ries of their fellow We suspect, however,
that it is among the Mugwumps themselves that
the question is oftencSt asked and the reply
most anxiously awaited. They have lately
seen one of their sponsors inglonously bowled
over in Rhode Island, and some of them have
even ventured to claim share in that righteous
enterprise. They hear that their fellow-per-
fectionists in Indiana have begun TO make in
convenient and disquietng charges against the
dispensation of Federal authority in that State.
They are not altogether satisfied with the con-
dition of affairs thus far developed by Con-
gressional investigation of the Philadelphia
post Office, and they look forward with con-
siderable degree of apprehension to the results
of similar process in the New York Custom
House. A large proportion of them may be
willing to assume definite situation with their
ewes omen. but the number is steadily incTeas-
ing of those who are convinced that it is neither
pleasant nor profitable TO be made fools Of.
They are more or less eager. il may be assumed,
TO march under a free-trade flag and they will
not scrutinize their leader too closely unless
they arc forced to; but they are fully aware
that this year of our Lord is not the millennium,
and that President Cleveland is not the sort of
a prophet. priest and king that it once seemed
desirable to proclaim that he would be. They
are turning to the men and the newspapers that
have assumed TO do their thinking and asking
with some temper and a little contempt what
the programme is.
We know perfectly well, they say, that Civil
Service Reform under this Administration is a
farce. and if you ask us what we think OF the
President, we tell you frankly, as mis- new-made
friends told the young Duke in the play. that
we think he is as commonplace man as we
ever met in the whole course of our lives. Why,
then. do Won keep on assuring him with the
most disgusting sycOphancy that he is the high
est TYNE of Americansm since Abraham Lin
coin? You contracted to escort us to the green
past1res and still waters Of Reform. You know
as well as we do that we are considerably fur
ther from that particular point than we were
when we started and though we may find
something that suits us Just as well, or even a
little better, we never commissioned you to
tell grotesaue and gigantic falsehoods on our
behalf
What response are the hicrophants of Mug
wumpery going to make to this reasonable re-
monstranceP Their position, alas is analogous
to that of the dragoman whose artful effrontery
Captain Erwin described to Mr.. Pepys. The
Captain had been travelling in SIAM and one OF
his experiences is thus preserved in the i'm
mortal Diary:
He told me what remember he hath once dono
heretofore; that everybody IS TO lie ha down al the
coming by of the King, and nobody to look upon IN
upon pain OF death. And that he aud his fellows
being strangers invited 20 soc the sport OF tai ing
OF a wild elephant and they did only kneel and look
toward the King. Their drusgerman did desire them
to fall down, for otherwise he should suffer for their
contempt OF the King The sport being ended mes
scnger from the King, which the dIusgerman
thought had teen 10 have taken away his life. But
II enquire how the ST. angors liked the 81 or
The druggerman answered that they did cry II to
be the best that they saw, and that they
heard OF any Prince great IN everything "a this
Eins Tha messenger being gone back. Erwin and