New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-16
Reform. OF SEVERAL SORTS.

rbere are several kinds of Reform. as people
ore discovering There is Reform for the sake
If better government which is the genuine aru-
Gle There is also Reform for revenue only, ne
form for spite and Reform for office. REFORM
for personal notoriety and Reform as Il iiasN'
All these have their peculiar ways OF WoIh'ns'
which are being illustrated with freedom ana
cleaIness in current events. For instance Nv
form as a mask puts up McGill III NeW-'erSe'
bv The votes Of the old gang, ana SETS McDei-
mott and the rest Of the plundering ring 10 40
the heavy work for him. 1t goes through shaih
reorganization of Tammany, fetching OUT Tue
very same men TO do the practical WORK. Whlie
the same old Boss pulls all the wires III the Dack-
ground though he is less visible than De1ore 10
the naked eye Reform for the sake OF once
seen,s 70 be finely illustrated by the Kidder
crowd Being Jealous Reformers, they must III
WAYS have fat places from one party or the
otbor and are willing TO take them from Tam
many as readily as from any other body OF party
This shabbiest of all Reforms puts IN person
like Tamsen for Sheriff, and then bargains WIFI
Tammanv 10 secure his immunity from prosec'l-
ton for neglect Of duty. There Is also II lin'
variety of Reform for revenue visible ABOUT elc'-
ton time when funds are 10 be distributed ne
zeal of some men 10 have share IN the ais
tributing Of expense funds causes their relorii'
ing temperature to rise in exact proportion ~
their participation in that part of the business.
The Reformer for personal notoriey dinerS
from the genuine article in one eSsentia respect
He is fond Of position which makes MIN TIE
Spokesman Of a distinct and separate orsaniza-
ton. and enables him TO address the world daiiy'
or at the worst tr-weekly, manifesting the eA-
! allied purity Of his sentiments and his ihhoih'!
| to cet down 10 the low level OF the other REFORM
| ers II will be noticed that the men VINO are
| directly seeking good government, ana tnat Sole
| IL do not invade the ears OF the pubic all the
time with vaccinations Of their virtue nor make
| much boast of their motives but hope to accom-
| nlsh n practical work which shall speak for
Them. Being chiefly anxious to get some prac-
tical thing accomplished, they are not above
striving with all their might TO ill some inpor'
| tant places with the best kind OF men, even
though it may not be possible to I'LL all places
| equally TO their own satisfaction
| In general the real refOrmer is man VINO i
| NOT unwilling to work with the material that can
be obtained, and does not knock of REFORM anu
use his influence to perpetuate bad government
because he cannot get everything he would ike
| Tho difference is not so much in his possession
| Of a little American commOn-sens as IN Ills
definite and answering determination 10 gel
the best thing done for the welfare OF the people
| that can in fact be done. While other people
are frssing about their mental and moral anu
| tnde before the world he Is anxious only TO over
throw evil. wherever he can and as much as ne
can. As necessary consequence he does mo-
attempt at any given time what he finds ooVi
ouslv impossible Neither does he feel called
upon to proclaim to mankind whether he depore'
the blindness of voting majority which VII
not rise to lofty heights Of virtue. His business
is to get the voting majority TO rise as high al
it will or can.
The real Reformer is the only one who deserves
the name, because he Is the only one who actual
" wants Reform more than he wants something
else, and he is the only one who ever gets any
actual Reform accomplished. The other mer
sometimes get profit. sometimes money, some
times prominent places in party councils, an'
| sometimes reputation for virtue and purity
| quite too elevated for contact with their fellow
| men But he, the genuine Reformer. IS the Only
one who gets actual Reform, and finds IN ina
his exceeding great reward.