New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-02
TOO NICE FOR POLITICS.


Fastidious persons who do not like to be
disturbed by the hustle and battle OF a Presl-
Dental campaign, and neutral newspapers
which either have no opinions OF their own,
or are without the courage to express them,
are CONCENTRATING themselves upon our ARRIVAL
at the beginning Of the end. Here is an editor
ND the river who is glad that we are nearly
through what he is pleased to consider "
" ferocous political campaign" 1t seems to be
the opinion of this sort that Presidents can be
elected without noise enough to disturb SICK
and slumbering infant-that the Government
is perpetual self-motor, which never really
needs winding up-that in politics there are
no such things as principles or pollcies-that
one candidate differeth not from another can
didate in honor or in glory-that elections are
merely scrambles for the spOils, and that both
wind and ink are wasted in discussing the
relative merits Of parties and their platforms.
When we find man pressing after this fashion
of tepd indifference we are always sure that
he intends to vote for Grant. 1t is true that
he NAV not do it. There is an excellent chance
that he may not vote at all. There is still
better chance that he may be collared at the
eleventh hour by some energetic canvasser and
ciples, if he had any.
All politics look inevitably to measures and
men. Parties which give their minds solely
to measures, with no regard to men, do not
know what an election means, and have no
business to vote until they have better in
formed themselves. Election signifies choice,
and q choice of candidates. 1t is not strange,
therefore, that in the heat of political can
vass we should so often find ourselves dis
cussing the personal character of candidates.
People wonder that we should charge this
leader with CORRUPTION or the other with
rihing treasury committed to his care. Wen,
is it best that a bribe-taker or thief should
receive the confidence or the votes of the cit
izensf 1t is not thought by some to be in
good taste to say anything about the Presi-
dents public care of his own private family;
but his doing so shows something worse, GER
tainly, than bad taste. Is it good thing to
do Is it good thing again, for the Fed
eral servants to neglect the duties of their
places, for the performance of which the peo-
pie amply pay them, and to run about the
country electioneering for their masterf Is
it good thing for Members of Congress to
sell their votes TO railway corporationsf Is
it a good thing for the locust swarm of car
pet-baggers to take possession of the Southern
States, eat out their substance, and grow fat
upon public bankruptcy If we say anything
about these matters, using simply language
appropriate to the occasion, wise peo-
pie wag their heads in doubt, and
wonder why THE TRIBUNE should be so
personal All the Grant organs howl and hiss,
grunt and groan, below and bite at us; while
the Mawwoms of the weekly press, literary
and religious, are wonderfully troubled about
our want of the fastidiOus polteness to which
they lay claim. To be sure, we have not at
any time found them reluctant to call Names
to indulge in personal criticism, and to speak
with such sharpness as they could muster OF
their opponents; but then they are OF the salt
of the earth, and chartered to do such things.
This lbelous newspaper is pious, and therefore
has right TO rail in good set terms; that
discriminating magazine is literary, and Is
therefore FREQ to sneer at mems motives and
character. so Tray. Blanche, and Sweetheart
bark ut us and at ON candidate; 50 all these