The Portland daily press., 1872-01-16
THE PRESS.
TUESDAY MORNING, JAN. is, 1872.
Maine Still a Democratic state.

crease it beyond that amount for war pur-
poses" We plead guilty to that charge.
Are our gentle critics SO daft as to believe sim
cerely that the Democratic party held almost
uninterrupted possession of the government
of this country for half century by reason of
principles wholly bad? Could a party exer-
else absolute sway over the millions of intell-
gent voters from the time of Jefferson till that
of Buchanan if its only prominent doctrines
were slavery and free rum? How could it
happen that Hunton and Kent were the only
Governors of this State elected by the oppo-
nents of the Democratic party from 1920 till
1853, if the successful organization did not
cherish certain political doctrines that are es-
sential to the perpetuity of republican govern
ment? Was the country for half century
wholly given over to false doctrine and vic
ious administration? Was Maine for third
of century cropping in heather darkness?
Were the early palmy days of the Republic so
cursed by unmingled error, then?
The Democratic party took the lead at the
beginning of the century simply because it
'oas democratic. 1t kept the lead for many
years because it continued to be democratic
1t favored the elimination from our institu-
chical government 1t would tolerate no
aristocracy. 1t contended against monopo-
lies, and was justly apprehensive of the dan
gers arising from great aggregations of capt.
tai lodged in the hands of individuals, or cor
porations. 1t opposed the lavish use ofthe pub
lie money. 1t was the advocate ofthe rights of
the masses, and not ofthe favored few. 1t was
the popular party. The laboring men were at
tached to it by the closest ties. Progressive
men loved it. And being the successful par
ty it ofcourse attracted large proportion of
the demagogues and professional politicians
of the country, who fattened on popular zeal
for pure democratic government, leaving to
to the opposition leaders whose eminence in
ability, learning and virtue amply compens-
ated them for their want of success in gaining
official preferment. But it was the true peo-
pies party so far as the great body of its
membership was concerned. And the mo-
mentum it acquired in its early days by means
of its popular principles was SO tremendous
that it was carried through triumph after tri-
principles by selling itself to territorial arts
tocracy which claimed the privilege of owning
labor. Nay, it obtained for it one national
victory over party to which all those liberal
democratic, humane and progressive doctrines
that formerly distinguished the Democracy
had been transferred. And even to-day, there
are hundreds of members of the pseudo Dem
ocratic party that cling to it still on account
OF the pleasant traditions of the past, when
title was not such palpable minosmer. 1t is
not our purpose to attempt to decide the rela-
tive merits OF the Federalist, Wing and Dem
ocratic parties, but the anti-monopolH ten
dency of the latter covered a multitude of sins.
The Republican party is the true successor of
the old Democratic party. 1t has taken large
share OF its membership as well as assimilat-
ed its more valuable principles. In fact
but one party has ever been dominant in
Maine, and that is the party which watches
with jealous eye the interests of the toiling
many. 1t is the party that detests irresponsi-
BILE power, whether it springs from aristocrat-
&c institutions or from unlimited wealth. 1t
is unfavorable to monopolies, and regards
with suspicion all appropriations of public
money for private uses, even if there is pre-
tense that the public good will be indirectly
promoted. Formerly this party was called
Democratic; now it is called Republican.
Maine has never changed its policy. Here,
as elsewhere, the slavery question and the
war diverted attention for the time from the
never ending struggle against the ambitious
schemes of capitalists and monopolists. TAX
ing advantage of the opportune moment, cap
ital is just now putting forth extraordinary
Affnrts to break down the old safeguards
its encroachments which have so far
cd every assault. They desire to have
>sple forget that if the State debt is in
-9vd 4or the purpose of aiding private en-
terprises, it will only be transferring so much
money from laborers to capitalists. Those
Republicans who cry down the old Democrat
ic prudence that would save our lambs from
these vultures need elementary instruction in
the doctrines of their own platform. But
Maine, thank Heaven, has never ceased to be
sufficiently democratic to keep true to the
good old course. Gentlemen of the Legisla-
ture, you will change that course at your own
great peril.
WE should think better of the Adcertiser,s
correspondent SIX" than we now do, if he
had not exhibited table on Friday even
ing, showing, as he said, that the passenger
fares on the Maine Central have been changed
since consolidation ''by uniform reduction
OF rates. and on Saturday evening shifted
his ground, saying that 'there has been no
change at all in the rates of fare since consol-
ldatlon, as the changes that were made went
into effect May 1, 1S70v' Now both these
statements can't be true, and gentleman
who has such peculiar facilities as exp for
knowing the exact dates, could not have fall
len into error through inadvertence. The
Maine Central cannot expect to have the pub
lie believe for one purpose that change for
the better has been made, and for another
that there has been no change at all. AS for
X" the square contradiction in which he
succeeded in involving himself in the short |
space of single day leads us to regard with |
great suspicion the grounds of his refusal to |
comply with the request for fuller table of
fares. How much confidence can be placed
on the statements of man who one day pub |
fishes table in due form, with all the dates /
and figures, protesting to show reduction of
fares, and the next day says that he knows
that there has been no change whatever? 1t !
is to be observed, too, that all this discussion
about fares, convenience, profit and loss, is
entirely irrelevant to the main question, and |
has been entered upon by the agents of the
monopolsts for the purpose of obscuring it,
The main question is whether the State shall
permit its own creatures to become greater
than itself-whether we shall receive such
conveniences and blessing as we have from
the hands of an overgrown monopoly
whether, in short, Maine shall cease to be a
State and become the property of railroad
corporation. Most men can obtain food. raj
ment and kind master, if they are willing to
put on livery.
The Massachusetts legislators propose to
be relieved of the suspicion that they can be
bribed by railroads, by demanding of such
corporations free passes or denying to anv
members the right to receive them. That
must be the cheapest kind of ''critter,"
VINO, for the sake of saving few dollars in
railroad fares, sells his manhood, violates his
oath and trades away the votes of his constit-