The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-16
UNHAPPY MUGwUMPs.
The Organs Compelled 10 Admit Their Hy-
pocrisy-LOcaI Option Reform.

The Organs Compelled TO Admit Their Hy-
pocrisy-LocaI Option Reform.
Philadelphia American.
The miscellaneous and accidental association
OF voters called mugwumps are sorting them
selves out between the two parties. as the presi-
Dental canvass approaches. Mr.. Curtis has
given the country notice that he and his friends
are for Mr.. Cleveland in preference 10 any pos
sibe Republican candidate, although he admits
that Mr.. Cleveland has been failure IN the very
matter which was put for ward reason for
preferring him. The Times of New York fol-
lows Mr.. Curtis's example. 1t is also for Mr.
Cleveland in preference 20 any possible Repub-
lican candidate, on the ground that the
throw OF the protective tariff, (which move
ment IL declines to call free trade,is of greater
Importance than any reform of the civil service.
1t hints an admission that Mr.. Cleveland has
been failure in regard to the latter reform by
saying that although The undoubtedly was more
generally acceptable as a civil-servce reform
candidate than in any other specific cnaract.r,
and more votes were definitely won by
him on that score than any other" yet
''since his election he has found himself forced
TO give more prominence TO the question OF rev.
enue than of administrative REFORM and would
go before the country more distinctly
revenue reform tariff Isicl than as candidate
of civil-service reform" For this reason 1t ex-
poets that those of the mugwumps who did not
hail with joy his tariff message will go back to
the Republican party. There were thirty such,
1t ia said. at one Republican primary meeting in
Hartford last week. But the Times continues
with Mr.. Cleveland. although it would be
farcical to run him as civil-servics-reform can
General Hawley were nominated it would make
very little difference. We do not know any
thing Mr. Hawley has done. except his unhappy
vote against the Blair bill, TO justify the men
ton of his name one welcome TO the Times
but that it speaks Of Judge Gresham sympathet-
ically is natural
AS for the Evening Post. it deals less in hy-
pocrisy than either of its associates. It of
course Is for any candidate who favors free
trade, and it treats Mr. Cleveland's pretenses to
rank as civil-service reformer Jest 1t
says he has been applying the reform on the To-
cal-option principle. Massachusetts wants it
and so it gets 1t. Indiana does not want it,
and so it is treated to the spoils policy. Even
this is to elevate the Presidents policy to
higher level than it deserves. The Democracy
of Massachusetts hate the reform as heartily
do the Democracy OF Indiana or Maryland. But
ment to which the President ascribes 80 much OF
local narrowness as to suppose that the enforce
ment of the reform in their neiRhborhood
will satisfy them. And he seems 10 have taken
their measure very fairly. People to whom
New England. if not the whole United States
lies within a hundred mil es Of the Boston State
house. living in a condition of lofty satisfac-
ton with the President for whom thev deserted
their forEer party. And so long as Mr.. Cleve-
land thinks they have the smallest chance of
overcoming the Republican majority in that
State he will continue to crafty them. For
the same reason there has been some attention
10 the reform in Connecticut, and in New York
and Brookiyn, where the mugwump vote is
worth regarding. But wherever this considara-
ton did not avail. the slocal option in the mat
ter was left to the Democratic workers, just as
far the law would allow-and in some cases
even further-