New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-04
POLITICS OF THE PEOPLE.
ISSUES AND CANDIDATES.
OLIVER JOHNSON DISTINGUISHES BE-
TWEEN MUGWUMPERY AND REFORM.
TIE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE MUST BE ONE WIZ"
THE REPUBLICANS WANT, AID NOT ONE
WHOM ME-. BLAINE'S FOES

the contemplation OF public affairs, or 10 waive ny
concern for the rights, duties and privileges OF Cur
zenship am, let me say frankly at the OUTSET,
Republican; but at the same time one who nous
purity of administration In the affairs OF Government
above every party consideration have an honest
and hearty aversion TO the doctrine of the spoliS'
and an earnest desire to have the affairs OF the Gov
ernuent administered upon business principles 4o
be a little more specific, one Of those who sym
psfbzed very warmly with the general spirit and aim
of Mr. George william Curtis up TO the time when no
turned his back upon the Republican party and lent
his influence to bring into power another party o.
which he had Just said that It without single
definite princpie; party without any distinct Ma
,onal policy which II daes TO present to the country
a marty which fell from power q conspiracy against
human rights, and now attempts to sneak oacA :"
mower as a conspiracy for plumber and spous'' W h'
taking nc stock In tho accusations brought by MI
Curtis and others against Mr. Blaine, I yet hopeu
down 10 the last moment that our candidate for Fres
,dent would lie one for whom the former and MS
friends would not refuse TO vote. With the fee trahc
nations OF the protestans !, as disciple OF horaoo
Greeley upon that issue, could have no sympathy ou
their desire for Civil Service Reform and for purity Oh
administration was no whit more earnest than mine
And however largo have been the number OF moss
who upon this issue, strangely chose to ally them
selves with the Democracy, l believe the hulhoer "
etncere Civil Service Reiormers who vOed for blaio
was thousand times greater, and that the course I"
the latter Judged by its effect upon mat Issue GUY
was by far the wisest Indeed, 1t seems 10 NE thA
our Mugwump friends themselves, in view OF the pres
ant situation must In their secret hearts feel that such
is the fact.
From the time when my friend Jcncks, OF RHODE
Island first brought the subject to the attention oil
Congress- I have been Civil Service reiormer' anu
have lamented the slowness Of the Repnnicsh parry
in adopting the issue. But after long experience III
tho conduct of reforms, have learned to exercise
x-fau Of
suadng great political party, even one OF hgh prin
c,ples and aims, to accept promptly measure VIZ"
tnvolves a radical change of policy. lilo VINO looh'
for harvest on the same day that he sows MS seeu -
unreasonable However hungry he may 3D. ne fnu''
wait for the seed to terminate and the crop TO rpen
in Natures appointed way II th'ro WIS oau ,''.
announcement in the reluctance of tho Repuphcan
tv IN commit itself at once and unreservedly TO the
reforrn was 1t wise that account for the reornoIS
10 ally themselves to the party which MI CurI' ''
characterized as the party OF plumber ana Spun
II tho party that embraces by far the largest Uouy "
enlightened uprl ght and progressive citizens canh ~
denended upon to adopt and carry forward reasoa0
reform with sufficient rapidly, what can Dc eApoo'e'
of another party which, with all tho good oieou'' "
,hraces is vet dependent for It's maiortes IN
National election upon the votes OF the geA. oou1
saloon kee pers gamblers and criminals VINO hip7' inc
rreat citiesl That there are unscrupulou' mon ~
The Republlcan party who need watching Is no'
denied but this Is no aus "cI ~ elO HN'O'@N -
tho Republican party who need watching u Nv,
of eecng President II it should lose tbs support oi
the dangerous classes which ally themselves Win
Il as naturally as duck seeks the water
In forming an alliance with such party, our mig
,rump friends followed the example OF the aSoHor
road Sought to clear them by jumping INTO I pb
They had far better have waited ior the you Roted
for Cleveland and not for tho party was bay Se
"a do the without doing inc oI dna us,sn Their
im1yatIence made them blind They had long de-
noinced the Democratic party as tne psy Alter ali
there na Is little or deence morally between EAR re
next conclude that the Democratic party Wa S ne
little the better OF the two, ana that wo4u holm n
ssnnak hack into powers Their faith that Ceye,
land, with such party behind NM 5e sOoa as
mat of man who should assert rs i
power go safely hgsh the om of f sad sneR
faith in himself he knows better now Inc M d
admit ts, after a =. Struggling a gi ipE to SsST
and b oxen his promises, and II, after this he sh0u
oSmInisfrston viii be worse than the present But
In spite Of all this fine friends Win All thc, M
scruples Of conscience seem 10 % e % Tar stIt
fed themselves by their excuses for his treachely
that their power OF % 3vs po mercy but for
~ Democrat whom they helped 10 elect President,
and who has BETRAYED S eu 1s must Consider
thsy saw what bad party he has behind him. and i
thai # Is impossible for him that account to fulal
worse than it was when the Mugwumps SO braveS
II possible 70 imagine that the Of Civil Ser
vice reform has been advanced by the action OF us
vaunfed champonsl Is It not rather manifest tna MAJ
that the Mugwumps by their own actlon nave losl no
HE Republcans TO take up this with fresh zeal
and devotion and carry It forward 70 It's triumph ~
was their cause from the FIRST and must be theirs 10
end
of all the candidates named for the Republican
Presidential nomination, there IS NOT one FIR whom
would not gladly vote / only want 10 be sure that
vote for the best and strongest man who has any
chance TO DO elected The nomination and election
Of Mr. Blaine would have been, In my judgment; an
achievement Of poetic justice, OF which The Whoiq
believe utterly false that he the candidate OF
bad and INSCRIPTIONS element in the Republican
and who up to tho publication OF his Paris letter stil
sought 1t, among the best and purest In the land
They have weighed all the accusations brought against
him. and they believe them 10 have their root In per
sonal and political malgnity, and to be supported
only by pervers!on sometimes plausible and some,
times gross, Of private letters dishonorably forced
upon Pubic attention me P b tau ana
had produced reaction in his favor and 1t Is the be-
1 OF many d e b most 5 inc RRs s
ranks. II seems clear besides that the Democracy
erSaded n lar %oe na cag dd 9 D
now, but candidate must be whom Republic
cans want not ono who is wanted BY the enemies Of
No. Io4 West Forty nfth-st, New-York, June . 1888
HARRISON AND THE CHINESE QUESTION
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Now and then I hear Of some in the East
who does not understand General Harrison's position
on the Chinese question: least doubts HIS strength
the Pacific coast. The facts these When the
first Chinese bill before the Senate no opposed
certain features of IT, because he thought they were
in conflict with the provisions OF existing treaties
but he moved to amend those portions Of the bill
that they might DO In accord with his view of the
treaties mentiorei. Those who were in favor of the
bill steadily voted the amendments down and in order
to ma his consistency, General Harrison thus
obliged to vote against the bill, which finally passed
over the Presidents veto When the next Chinese
blu was before the Senate General Harrison was absent
and did not get chance to vote upon 1t. Whom the
next bill came before the Senate-the one commonly
called the Page bl-it referred the Committee