New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-10
us THIS THE WILLIAM f. RUSSELL!"

How do the idols crumble. The Mugwump
will soon have no images to worship, but VIII
have to wander discOnsOlate through the lana,
unable to find any chosen spirit untainted with
some abhorrent doctrine First there was the
great chief of the Mugwump idols, who came
back from fishing trip trimming over with
patriotism, and wrote distinctly lingo mes
sage which no Mugwump can ever forget,
though he may forgive. Then there was George
Fred williams, the exquisite George Fred. about
whom the hopes of the truly refined and the
strictly honest were centred. The other day
George Fred came to the conclusion that posing
as the fine flower of a minority didn't pay. and
he asked to be prosecuted in Massachusetts
that he might have pull with the Democracy
Of the Nation, and from saddened hearts went
I'D the cry for the Lost Leader: "Just for
handful of silver he left u.s. And now, after
these, appears William e. Russell, going back
on the esoterc principles Of true Mugwumpery
and making his old worshlppers say at their
leisure what the Psamist said in his haste
1t could not be expected that the President
should be perfect George Fred WAS always
laughed Mt anyhow, but that William f. Rus
sell, who was himself a platform, should be
heretical Is too, too much
Mr. Russell has Just published In the July
number of 'Tha Forum n touching article on
Jefferson and His Party To-day" 1t is full
of humor, most Of 1t unconscious and due to
the march Of events But it also contains some
fearfully sad things. which should provoke
some new poet to write ''Ichabod." 1t
IS all very well for Mr. Russell to talk in gen.
eral terms about the principles Of Jefferson
and imagine that they have some resemblance
to the declarations Of insanity now being put
forth from Chicago but the Mugwump must
regard It as zone more devils triumph and
sorrow for angels that he should say that
Jeffcrson's pen might have written as no
doubt his teaching suggested" the Venezuelan
message Of last winter, which made the first
crack in the Mugwump Pantheon. Think Of
it. We Harvard professors. Think Of it, We Eng
lish Free Traders. The William L. Russell
who was Governor Of Massachusetts from
1890 to 1893" upholding lingo foreign pol
lev. Indeed, the world Is very evil
Then look at William making himself ridicu-
lous as we'll as heretical He indicts the Re
publican party for fostering "A faction that
would divide us OIL race and religious lines In
the face Of the NO Negro Domination.' cry
of the Democrats and the fact that the chief
objection to Bland at Chicago was based on his
self directly with Altgeld in talking about the
invasion Of the rights Of the States and he
makes spectacle Of himself by saying that
the Republican party ''is now considering the
union Of two special interests-silver and Pro-
.tecton' Then, bursting into fine frenzy, he
exclaims: LET Democrats leave compromise
and cxpcdiency to the Republican party, which
lis ever ready to trim and evade. to harmonic
Its warning factions.
That sounds extremely pretty. but 1t should
suggest to William the old saying: Don't
prOphesy unless you know" William evidently
wrote this some time ago. when he thought he
knew the Republican party better than it knew
itself His remarks fit the Chicago POpulo-
Democrat-Anarchist gathering much better
than he foresaw, and in the light Of things that
have happened this talk about the principles OF
jefferson and Democratic traditions and Re
publican drifting sounds uncOmmonly like the
rhetoric of the unregcnerate slangwlanger
rather than the philOsOphic writing Of Cam
bridge statesman. The reverbcralon of his
lingo eOQuence and misit denunciationS Is
cracking the last Of the temple images. That
great mind on which the hopes OF the better
element rested seems to have gone astrny 1t
is sad thing to contemplate. 1t Will be more
in anger than In expectation that the famous
question will be asked hereafter: rs this the
civilian f. Russell who was Governor OF
massachusetts from 1890 to 1897