The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-09-12
Voting tho Tickat

Voting the Ticket.
OF all human action, the exercise of the
right of suffrage should be most distincLively
matter of conscience. 1t marks the tone of
the public thought and is the only definite
and authoritative standard of public morals
1t is the only form in which community, as
whole, can express its opinions, and the
conscientious exercise of this right by each
Individual will ensure just representation Of
the average of intelligence aud virtue. No
man is justified by any reason in sanctioning
by his vote thing abstractly bad or immor-
al; but, subject to this limitation, every man
should vote the regularly nominated ticket of
his party.
1t would not be civil to an intelligent read
er to urge upon him the necessity for the ex-
istence of party organizations to effect any
good result. 1t is obvious to everybody not
utterly impractical that chaos would come
again were every man to consult simply his
individual predictions, views and fancies at
the polls. The men who advertise them
selves as "above party'' are too good for this
world, and should be translated to some more
congenial sphere where each could disport
himself without reference to. or interference
from, his transcendental brethren. But real
people who live in real world must consider
each other, must combine for purposes in
which they concur, and must be pre- oared to
subordinate the will of each to the will of all.
The Republican party is made up of men
who believe that, on the whole, the tendency
of the party is good, that it comprises the
highest average of intelligence and virtue
which the country can afford, and that its
continued ascendency would be for the gener-
al advantage of the nation. The acquisition
of power by the opposition would be bad, and
wholly bad-a thing to be deplored by every
man who loves his country and is interested
in human progress. So when the Republican
party has presented ticket to the electors it
is duty on general principles, subject only
to the m oral limitation, to vote that ticket
Our ticket this year, is, in the main,
good one. GOVERNOR DINGLEY has demon
strated to the satisfaction Of everybody that
he is a faithful, conscientious, painstaking
official with an entire devotion to the inter-
~SsS
shall suffer no harm while under his care.
His close attention to business and his
steady adherence to system of rigid econ
omy in all expenditures which he can con-
troll, have been the distinguishing features
OF his administration, and people with dis
position to acquire money from the state
treasury by any indirec.ion, have found hina
very troublesome. He is prominent also in
all measures for moral and educational ad-
vancement and all the industrial interests
OF the state receive cordial encouragement
from him. His name makes a good head
to the ticket.
Hon. j. FL. BURLEIGH, the candidate for
Congress from this district, is also a man for
whom we can vote with hear!iness. His
conduct during his congressional career thus
far commends him to the favor and esteem
OF his constituency. He is business man
of high character and wide experience, and
brings to the discharge of his public duties
a business-like directness and practical
good sense which are of great value in Con-
gress. He is also very efficient in looking
after the interests of the district and his in
dividual constituents. Those who have had
business to transact in Washington are
strong in praise of his care and attention to
their affairs He has been right on all the
great questions on which he has been called
to act, and has been steadily opposed to all
improper schemes. He deserves all the Re-
publican votes. 1t is noteworthy fact that
in all the throwing of mud which has char
acterized the campaign on the part of our
adversaries not even an attempt has been
made to smooch either Governor Dingley
or Mr.. Burleigh.
Our county ticket has been made up and is
before the people. Of the men who appear
in denomination no question is made. Upon
some of the new men attacks of unusual fury
and virulence have been made by the enemy,
and charges of former official misconduct
have been preferred in detail. In regard to
the allegations against Mr.. Dow, it appears
by the certificate of the Secretary of State
elsewhere published that his compensation
has been in strict accordance with the rules
and usages which have prevailed in the exec
utive department under this and all previous
administrations.
The attack on Mr.. Parker is not substan-
tial enough to afford ground for any reply.
There does not seem, in the whole matter, to
be enough irregularity, if it were all true, to
raise question of morals A disposition ap.
pears in some quarters to vote against these
candidates for reasons of personal dislike; but
gentlemen who are tempted to humor this
feeling should put it to themselves whether it
is fair to refuse that allegiance to the action
of the convention, which ttey would have
demanded of their opponents had the result
been reversed. The city representatives are
to be nominated to-day, and it is fair to as
sumo that the convention will be sufficiently
discreet to name satisfactory and competent
men, and SO help to make it the pleasure as
it certainly is the duty of all good Republi-
cans to VOTE THE TICKET.