The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-09
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 9. 1920.
The Mugwump Survival In 1890.

We note with interest the announce
ment that Professor IRVING fishes
travelling organization Of Independent
Pro-League orators, just back from
seven thousand mile tour in Il special
train--and producing political results
4 which were conspicuously displayed
on every bulletin board in the coun-
try last Wednesday morning intends
to resume Its campaign for the ratiti-
cation Of the Versailles treaty and the
Wilson Covenant.
1t was to be expected. The verdict
of the great and solemn referendum,
so recently invoked as a finality and
so overwhelmingly rendered, weighs
not two centigrams with certain type
of mind that is always with US.
More than a generation ago, more
than third of a century ago, after
an excited discussion around table ut
one of the most intellectual of the
clubs In this town, an eminent Mug
wump Of that period arose from his
chair with pale but determined face
upon which the light of self-consecra-
ton and self-sacrifice was almost Wis
ible.c He brought his fist down and
the dishes rang. Gentlemen" he
said, II would 60 to the stake for
Tariff Reform We distinctly recall
the character Of the Cause this excel
lent citizen was prepared to serve
even ut the cost of personal extinc-
ton. The talk leading up TO his i'm
pressivc declaration had been about
the customs duty on jute.
Men are willing to go to the stake
for the eternal verities, for GoD. for
faith. for country. for loyalty TO the
loved, but it seemed to be an eXces-
siye expression of devotion when APP
piled to the Encouragement of custom
house schedules
Yet there always has been and is
and probably always will be certain
or uncertain percentage Of earnest.
honest. ardent and often highly in
telligent minds whose readiness to 20
to the stake for this, that or the other
Cause then temporarily in vogue is
equalled only by their contempt for
the great and solemn referendums Of
our democratic system Of government
Although they have always existed,
they first gained distinct place in
political and social nomenclature and
first became the subjects of psyche
logical inquiry about the year 1884,
when the Mugwump was recognized,
classified and labelled.
Two or three of the chief charac-
teristlcs of the Mugwump type. be-
sides what the Hon. BAINnRIDGE Colby
would describe as their "hlgh con-
cept Of duty" are perhaps worth
word or two in relation to their pres
ent temperance in new Cause.
First, there IL an abnormally defective
sense Of proportion or perspective in
their estimate of the relative value or
importance of public questions. Next.
when the Cause has been adopted,
there Is invariably an inversion of
common sense by which the impor-
lance Of the mechanism of their sup
port and their mental processes i'm re-
iation 20 the Cause transcend the inn
portnnce Of the cause itself or the
Importance Of the practical results to
be attained by the Causes success. In
the third place. there Is always a total
eclipse of the significance Of the Amer
ican words majority and minority.
Not to become too metaphysical. IL
shall merely be added that while the
Cause may vary according to the
vicissitudes OF intellectual or moral
fashions, the Mugwump himself re-
mains the same. Whether II Is the
duty on jute or wool for which he is
willing TO go to the stake, or the life
tenure Of fourth class postmasters, or
some other special feature Of tariff
reform. or Of civil service reform. or
Of hygienIc reform. or Of weather re-
form, or OF international reform or
OF world reform. the attitude and the
methods OF the Mugwump who Is will
Ing to go 10 the stake are invariable. !
Having established by long observa-
ton the continuity OF his processes
and the InfexlbIlity of his reasonings
we know exactly what to expect of
him in his relation to League of Ma
lions reform.
what Is particularly 20 he noticed
10 the present concentration Of Mug
wump genius upon the attempted res
urrectlon Of Mr.. WILSON'S Covenant,
buried only n week ago under popu-
lar majority Of from six to eight
milton votes. is that Democrats gen
orally are holding aloof from partlci-
cafion. Our esteemed contemporary
the Epenino Post, for example, and