What did Rabbi Israel Salanter really think about the Reformers?

Quote from M. Lipson, from Dor, A, C. Kaab.
Rabbi Israel Salanter:
If I were in Hatas’ generation, I would not have acted like him, boycotting the facilities and removing them from all of Israel.
I would deal with Geiger first, rolling with him and making him realize his mistake.
I would have won him over – better, I wouldn’t have won him over – I would have found myself agreeing with him.
Your desire, brother, is for a reformed synagogue. Come, let us build a reformed synagogue together. In the synagogue, I will seat ten scholars who will study Torah and the end of this synagogue will be to become a house of study.
I am very impressed by Rabbi Israel’s openness and ability to embrace the Reform movement to such an extent.
 
What does the rabbi think about that?
Is Rabbi Israel right, or is he exaggerating?
And if the Rabbi thinks that Rabbi Israel was right in his time, is it also appropriate today to think in more practical directions?
[What’s more, today it turns out that they are very useful in stopping and reducing the phenomenon of assimilation and separation from the Jewish people, and in the time of Rabbi Yisrael this was not even on the agenda…]