The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
The Mugwump Bacillus in Political
Clubs.

The Mugwump Bacillus in Political
Clubs.
Mr.. CRoKER'S suggestion to Democrats
who are Democrats really and not in name
only, that they should fly from the contain
nation of the Mugwumpery of the Man
haitian Club and Join a genuine Democratic
club, touches a matter of somewhat curious
psychological interest at this time. 1t
applies to the actual Republicans in the
Union League Club not less than to the
Democrats in the Manhattan, for the
bacillus of the moral and mental disease of
Mugwumpery is working its ravages in
both those associations. Its special and /,
~favorite habitat seems to be the club,
whether political or otherwise, and it may
even be maintained that the malady is
scarcely known elsewhere. At any rate,
it is epidemic nowhere else.
The Union League Club, for instance,
was for many years a distinctively and en-.
phatically Republican association, but the
Mugwump disease broke out in 1t ten or
fifteen years ago, gradually becoming cpl
demic. 1t has spread with so much viru.
lence that now the majority of the members
are reported to be its victims, many of them
having caught 1t in it's most malignant
form, while symptoms Of a less violent
attack appear to be prevalent. Unfor-
tunately, too. the Mugwump disease has
resisted hitherto all curative agents.
1t has proved to be incurable by any
methods yet discovered by the psyche
logical doctors. So far, its peculiar bacillus
has not been differentiated and the par
ticular means for its destruction have not
been found Like hysteria and various
other forms of nervous disease, it is mani.
testify communicable to crowds through
sympathy and the instinct of imitation.
AS one hysterical woman may set a whole
hospital ward to shrieking, so a single
Mugwump introduced into q club may
eventually inoculate the whole body.
The club, too, offers a peculiarly fertile
field for the propagation of the Mugwump
bacillus, since it draws to itself the class
of te~mperaments most lab to furnish
nourishment for the destructive microbe.
This variety Of the social classification Is
known as the Better Element, and its sus-
ceptibility to the malady is so marked that
the disease may be called not improper
ly its special affection. 1t is never cpl
demic among the Inferior Element, or the
great mass of sensible humanity, and not
even a single true case of the disease has
ever been diagnosed there to the s~atisfac-
tion of experts. 1t Is peculiar to the
Better Element, and the Better Element
being all included in the clubs, 1t is pecu-
liar to the clubs.
The effects of the Mugwump disease are
especially discernible in the Union League
Club at this particular time. That club Is
about to proceed to the election of a Presi.
dent, and the infected Mugwumps are
clamorous in demanding that he shall be q
fellow sufferer from the malady, insisting
that they are in the majority, and accord
ingly should have the privilege Of in.
oculating the whole club with 1t. They de-
mand that by the election of an unmis.
taxable Mugwump, or at least some men,
her who has the incurable disease In its
initial stage, the Union League Club shall
put out the yellow flag of Mugwumpery as a
warning to all except Mugwumps to fly
from it or avoid entrance into it. I'm.
doubtedly, II the disease has seized upon
the majority of the Union League member
ship. the ends of general political health
would be served by having the club marked
and segregated.
Moreover, experience has proved that I'M
less ~Mugwumpery prevails universally in a
political club in which 1t has obtained
Judgment 1t Is fatal to social harmony
for a popularity of the disease Is that
Its victims lose the ability to engage
In reasonable political discussion. They
feel rather than think. Republicans and
Democrats can converse together about
} politics without a trace of acrimony, In
!, spite of their disagreements, but such
intercourse with a Mugwump is impos
/. sible, unless you be u Mugwump your,
, self. Hence, 1t Is obvious that simply fol
the sake of social peace, either the Re
publicans or the Mugwumps must eventu
3 ally take sole possession of the Union
League Club. The two. cannot dwell to
Rether In unity as brethren and probably
; the coming election will afford as good al
opportunity as could be had to decide thai
question of domination once for all. Their
r If a Mugwump In chosen, the Republican,
. can retire, leaving the club a distinctivelN
r Mugwump hospital.
8 Mr.. CROKER says that he resigned from
the Manhattan Club to escape from contac
3 with its Mugwumpery, and he suggests Il
G the Democrats who still emain in it tina
Q monition, for nothing has been demon
s strated more completely than that Mug
8 wumpery must either be expelled from
political club or the club given over to 1t
n indisputcd possession. If the germs of tn
. lamentable disease cannot be sxteEmInateI