New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-16
TIE NEW. EnANCLPATION.

Lowell have undertaken a great work IN
American politics. II is essentially work OF
emancipation. Like the early Abolitionists,
who he SAYS were once "a forlon hope OF
Mugwumps," they are emancipators. If they
are Iiberators, whom do they hope TO benefit?
Certainly, not the black man, who is handed
over to the tender merccs of ballot-box cor
ruptionists and intimidators without protest on
their part No, it is the respectable white
man " who is to be emancipated by the hide
pendents. They know in their hearts that the
negroes in tho South arc not allowed to excr-
else those supreme privileges of citizenship
which were won for them in one of the bloodiest
wars of modern rimes. They cannot deny that
elections in those solidly Democratic States
have not been free, honest and impartial for
many years, but they do not choose to think
about these things. To do this, IN Mr.. Lowelrs
words, is {" to utilize passions by provoking into
virulence again the, happily quiescent ami
mosities of our civil war" The black man,
whose cause was so nobIy championed by the
early Abolitionists, is to be left in political
bondage by these new Alugwump liberators.
1t is "the respectable white man" alone who
can claim their sympathy and support. Theirs
is exclusively white mans party-a ire
Specialize white mans party.
What do these housekeeping patriots aim to
do for "thc respectable white man"2 What
is the thradom from which the poor fellow is
TO be emancipatcd by the Mugwumps out
stretched arm? Mr.. Lowell tries to tell us
what this promised dclivcrance will be like.
1t will involve immunity from the infection Of
machine politics and boss management. The
wire pulleIs whose tricks have superseded the
science Of government, are to be turned out,
and the sanitary engineers are to put The
houses in order The respectable white man"
is to be emancipated from bad smells and the
evils of defective sewerage. This is what the
Mugwumps hope to do. How have they gone
about the job? Have they remained in the
house where the plumbing is good and sought
to improve it? No. they have gone across the
street where the drainage is VIGOROUSLY bad
and the atmosphere foul. The Democratic
party in which they have taken refuge is the
haunt of bar-room politicians 1t is boss
ridden, machine party, that does not
want to have reformers inside. The hide
pendcnts know that the nim-sellers and wire
pullers exert far more influence in that organ-
zation than they can ever hope to command,
vet they are contented to remain where they
are if only they can stand on the doorstep and
fling stones and mud at the windows of the
Republican house opposite. This is their
practical method of political sanitation.
There is. however something else that the
Jndependents are seeking to do for the country.
They are trying to emancipate the respect
able white man" from the bondage Of the cor
rupt spoils system. How have they gone about
that lob? They have deserted the party which
placed the Civil Service law on the statute
hooks and from which the Civil Service Reform
associations have been almost wholly recruited.
They have gone over to the party which created
the snoils system and has never shown SYM
pathv with tho reform movement They have
continued TO admire the President who has
violated every pledge made to them in this
matter and with canting phrases on his lips
has turned over the Offices 10 the Democratic
marty like another Jackson. This is their
method of reforming the evils OF a political
allotment Of patronage and official free
handednessv in distributing among the
"bossesn loaves and fishes for the boys.n
| They insult on every occasion The party that
actually committed itself to the policy Of Civil
Service Reform. ard either ignore OF condone
the open merchandise which IS made under the
present Administration Of every office and
public trust
Then there Is one other thing which the In
! dependents are striving to acoomplish-revenue
reform They wish to cmancipate q the re-
spectacle white man" from The tyranny Of a
protective tariff. II is unnecessary % quote
Mr.. Lowell on this point since II has been an
open secret from the moment the Baine-haters
began their mendscious quibbline over the
Mulligan letters that they are Free Traders
They desired in 1884 the triumph CT the Demo
cratic party because they fcl, confident that 10
would be long step toward free trade. They
are hoping for the came result In 1888, be-
cause the President has shown himself TO be on
thei, side in ecoaomic questions This is the
| real emancipation which the independents have.