The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-02-18
The Befs3 Prigs Of the Democracy.

~ 49, ~ 10y ih6 10, "LlCu ioS uCS idli
out, etc, the people find out the truth
about the democratic party. The Madi-
son Jounal, commenting on this subject
has the following: "When a patient
complained to THAT faithful and concien-
tio1s nurse, Betsy Prig, that IN making
his toilet she rubbed soapin his eyes and
drew the hair brush through them, she
Indignantly demanded if he expected her
to do all kinds O fine work washing one
place and missing another, for half a
crown day. IF you want to be tltti-
vated, exclaimed the outraged Betsy,
you must pay accordin' !"
With some such emotions as laccrated
the bosom of the faithful Prig, must the
leaders of the Democratic partyein this
State read the comments upon their man
agement that have recently appeared in
some of the Democratic papers. The
Oshkosh Tn,ies uttered the first howl, ,and
now has quite a pack following its lead
in full cry. The GAINESVILLE Democrat, the
Darlington Democrat, and other sheets
have endorsed its complaint, while the
Madison Democrat comes forward as the
champion Of the present managers OF the
party. The Times characterized certain
leaders as incubi on the party; corrupt,
unprincipled, and reckless of all consid-
erations except their own personal ad-
vancement and attributed the misfor-
tunes of the party in the State to their
disregard of principle, and their over
weening vanity which caused them to
prefer the leadership of a minority party
rather than stand and permit capable men
to conduct the party to victory. The
Madison Democrat obligingly published
a list of eight leading Democrats and
asked the Times if they were the men it
referred to. The Darlington Democrat
says four of the men named are "a posi-
tive damage to the party, and adds:
The four alluded to have more to do in
our conventions than any fifty delegates
attending. Their action Is always the
same; and defeat always follows. They
are ,cork:ing for themselves, and not for the
party in the State. They hve an Demo-.
cratic districts and are satisfied to lead
the successful there, but defeated evely-
where else.
Upon this statement. the Madison
Democrat, with it's laudable propensity to
go to the bottom of things, and make a
thorough calculation of all topics of
which it treats, Informs the public, aS far
as it is able, who are 'the four" alluded
to that "work for themselves, but not for
the party" Of the identity Of three it
feels altogether certain. These, it says,
are IT. /. Palmer, of Milwaukee, Sat.
Clark, Of Dodge, land Emil Rothe, Of JEFF
ferson The identity of tho fourth man
is in doubt. But our neighoor has car
rIed his investigations so far as to render
it certain that either Geo. B. Smith, Levi
B. Villas or Chas. A. Eldredge is meant.
This is equivalent to an admission that
the six names mentioned are those of men
liable to be suspected as the men deserib-
ed by the Oshkosh Times.
The latter paper follows up its original
attack with vigor. 1t strikes right and
left, and deals crushing blows. Its sec
ond article is more pungent, if anything,
than its first. We give some extracts.
Speaking of the Democratic party, it
says: --- --- r.l
\ few years ago, its principles were
open, broad and unmistakable-they ex
pressed the free, progressive purposes of
the party; the Democratic party was the
peoples party-it led in all forward move
ments; it protected labor; it restricted
monopolies. and recognized the voice and
espoused the cause of the people. How
is it now? Who talk of reforming abuses
c- Of restricting mcnopolies? Are demo
cratic legislators, or democratic lobbies
standing between the people and the spe-
cial legislation that is so grievously op-
pressing them? Has the Madison Demo
cyot heard of a movement, on the part of
its injured friends, to check abuses. or
prevent the extraordinary legislation that
is slowly but surely making labor and
trade subservient to capital and monopo-
lies No, nor soiU It, Has that paper,
the great central light OF the party, said
ought against special legis a lion, or ex-
posed in any manner the abuses Of the
State government? No. The truth is,
and the Democrat cannot deny it, no
matter how sensitive It's editor may be,
when its leaders are touched with the
whip, the party offers no check to o6fcial
abuse and corruption; nor tciU 1t. so long
as 1t is headed by men and presses az the
pan Of corporations The people are los
ing confidence, not in principles, but in
the party, and unless it is restored to its
integrity and that speedily, it will cease
to be. Why the evident Indifference of
old and tried democrats to party conven-
tions and party nominations? and why is
the foreign vote drawn to the party be
cause of its farmer liberahty aud progress
sive spirit. now divided, and that achich
| aoas once oar strength made. oar rreatest
tedr2 Is 1t not because the Democratic
party has ceased to be the progressice par
to-; and instead af 2orotecting the people
simply gices position to a .fel0 scheming
mdtriduals aoho use the good name Of the
party to c0rer ard make respectable the
pzuaderfng operations Of the Republican
party, IN the fat da3ppiags from aohich the
Democrat injured leaders are so deeply
interested? ?
Our article may have touched some
tender spot. but # you scoutd see aoiaciag
and sq,tiInsing among o,a 'partg leaders
Introduce a biW to lint or restrict the
po,oer of nonopo1ies-let u iosch the
ts,,esfod ,,05lsi'~ of n 7osl,0aI or diEerf n
land grant tron, the control q specala-
tors. do this, and what class of men does
it gather about the portals of the state
house, and what support does it receive
in the Legislature? Are the Democratic