New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-20
THE FALLEN IDOL.

We had begun to feel deep sympathy with the
Mugwump press over the sudden topping over
Of its idol We say topping over, because as
q matter OF fact it was not shattered by anybody.
II lust came back from duck-huntng. distributed
the contents Of its game bag, and then calmly
and deliberately went off its base and fell 10
pieces. No lconoclast did it. The idol turned a
sudden and unexpected sOmersault, and did 1t
all itself: turned IT, too. as we have said, with
calmncss and deliberations as the experienced
tric, rider achieves his most successful and
most startling surprises The performance con-
fused and bewildered the Mugwump press,
which was AZ the moment absorbed in devotion
10 the object of lis worship. never dreaming that
q wooden image whose stolidity and inactivity
in the presence of stirring affairs were the
sources Of their inspiration. would suddenly be-
come animate and throw a double somerSauit
on account of something that had happened in
South America. II really was startling sur
prise and discouraging disappointment We
had begun. as we say, to sympathize with them.
They were so numerous, lonesome so ut
terly bereayed and disconsoae their lights had
so fed. their garlands were so dead. and every
thing they dotted on had so utterly disappeared
that we could not help feeling sorry for them
But now that they have taken TO abusing their
late idol. and are saving that he is wicked and
selfish and treacherOus. and that he has Hoped
from AntJingoiSm TO Jingosm from selfish
motives solely TO secure third term for him
self; and what is still worse are trying to make
light OF their own discontinue by enforced mirth
at the spectacle afforded by the ,ingocs falling
I'm behind the leadership Of the late great Anti
lingo. we feel moved to say that the Mugwump
press laws itself open to the charge of incOn-
sisency. Suppose Mr.. Cleveland has Topped
from Anti-Jing0ism to Jngoism, 10 the bcwilder-
men. of the Mugwun,ps who worshpped him
as their own Clvil-Servicc Reform. Frcc-Trade,
Anti-Iingc idol. Hasn't h. done the same thing
before? And didn't they forgive him for It:
Didn't he flop on Civil Service Reform in his
last Administration? And didn't the Civil Ser
vice Reformers condone it: Didn't he flop on
the tariff question during the last Congress and
permit the bill of 'perfdy and dshonor" TO be-
come law when he could bave prevented it
with a stroke Of his pen? And didn't the Mug
wump press praise him for it. notwithstanding
1t had been bowling itself red in the face for
years for tariff for revenue only and com
PEELED the Democratic party to adopt its dogma
in their National Convention:
Why kick, then. because in presence of the ext
gences of an approaching National Convention
he Topped from Anti-.Jingo to lingo! Why twt
him with Topping because he wanted third
term: Wasn't denomination in 1888 worth II
flop on the Civil Service question? The Mug
wump press admitted that II was when IL clam
ored for his third nomination and election In
1902. And was not that admission clinched
when at the beginning of his present term he
put Josiah Quincy into the State Department
TO sweep out and kick out every vestige that
had been left Of Civil Service Reform while the
Mugwump press looked on and gigsled? Why
shouldn't he flop for fourth nomination and a
third term, then? And why-if flop Is neces-
sary, as he seems to think II is-why shouldn't
he flop in the most startling and unexpected
way: The Mugwumps are foolish. They expect
too much. They are only balance of power
at best They have been playing in uncommon
ly good luck with Mr.. Cleveland They forced
him on the Democratic party in 1884. and he
generously stood by them to the great dlsgruntle-
ment Of his own party for three years of his first
Administration. They forced him on the party