The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-16
THE PRESS.
MONDAY MORNING, NOV. 16. ,74.
The Senatorship Question.


caucus on the Senator question, OF sufficient
consequence to mention at all. To be sure
the Bangor Wing has repeatedly declared
that we opposed caucus, in its usual style of
sublimated rant, and possibly some of its
more credulous readers may have thought it
truthful. As Mr. Blaine has not been in the
state much this fall and has probably not
had an opportunity to read the PRESS regu-
larry, we will state for his benefit that there
has never been one editorial word in the PRESS
looking toward the support of such a PROPOSE
ton, wenever have entertained any such notion
and in all human probability never shall. We
believe in settling this question among our
selves without calling in the common enemy
as arbitrator. There has been no serious dis
cussion of the subject, SO far as we know,
except by the Wing, and we had not sup
posed that any sensible person was affected
by that. So much for this little sensation
which is about as absurd a roorback as was
ever conjured up by an inscriptions jour-
nalst for political effect, and which we have
regarded as worthy only disdainful derision.
The Republican members of the legislature
will settle this question, and to them we shall
have frequent occasion to address sugges-
tions on subjects gravely affecting the inter-
ests Of the party in this state.
In discussing those qualities of Mr.. Hamln
which should induce his return to the Senate
Mr.. Blaine entirely avoids the points at
issue. No one is more ready than we
to concede to our venerable Sena-
tor many admirable qualities and a
record of good service which is honorable
and worthy of grateful recognition by the
people of this state. No one alleges wrong
doing on his part. The objection to him is
81 not for what he has done but for what he has
q not done. He has sat in his place in the
Senate and seen the Credit Mobilier opera
tions, the back pay enormity and all the rest
of the bad legislative action, whose record is
breaking the back Of the Republican party
and running the good name of the nation,
pass unchallenged. With his vast experience
in public affairs, his high personal character
and his eminent ability, it was in his power
Ito make manly protest against all these
things which would have been effective and
! would have impaired infinitely more lustre to
his name than the passive virtue which Mr..
Blaine commends. The man who, good
himself, permits the bad, is not the man the
d times demand. The ideal Senator is of
more heroic mould and attempts to remedy
evils, not content with lazy abstinence from
participation in them. We may not be able
to attain the ideal, but should try for an APP
Proclamation, which Mr.. Hamln certainly is
2 not We would not pluck single sprig
from the laurels which he has won in public
life, but, in view of his candidacy for further
service, neglect to make fair discussion of
his points would be dereliction in journals
tic duty. Without favor and without preju-
dice the legislators should enquire what his
course in the Senate for the past six years in
dictates as to his probable action for the next
six.
The relations of his candidacy to the inter-
ests ofthe Republican party in this state are
also fair subject for serious inquisition.
When it happens that great political party,
endeared to the country by faithful service
and honorable record and guilty of no crime
nor mistake in which its opponent had not
participated, is overwhelmed by unexpected
and disastrous defeat, it behooves the mem
bers of that party who have its interest really
at heart and who believe that its continuance
and future success are of large Importance to
the welfare of the country, to ponder well the
causes Of the calamity which has overtaken
them and to consider what remedies are to
be applied. fit be apparent that public men
rrJ,a hox,a ,,e,,
longer-ifi it be manifest that familiar names
have ceased to inspire the people, we should
hold ourselves ready to say so and to act ac-
cordingly; and those whom the party has
honored with lis highest offices should be
equally ready to sacrifice themselves for the
good of the party which has helped to make
them famous. Otherwise they will be open
to the suspicion of being base servants who
work for hire only, and not for their country's
good. ia.
When the news came that Dix had failed
in New York and that Massachusetts, had, for
almost the first time in her history, carried re-
joicing to the camp of our enemies, people
made many wild conjectures as to the cause
of tie sudden misfortune. Some called it
salary grabbing-and yet Banks, who took
his back pay and never pretended to return
it, man of doubtful life and character, was
elected by an immense majority over Gooch,
man OF pure life and obnoxious to none of
the charges of corruption so RELY made in
these inconsiderate days. Others called it
corruption-and yet Tammany Hall with John
Morrissey as its guardian genius and tenn
poral guide-rules New York city and state,
and Sam Randall of Philadelphia will again
adorn the halls of legislation and address
Fernando Wood as ''Mr. Speaker" The
truth is all these charges of corruption, of
venality, of wrong-doing are effects, mot causes.
In the course Of time and after long posses
sion Of power the condition of the Republic
can party has come to resemble that of otter
parties in like case. The control has fallen into
the hands of few pen who, while they may
not be worse than other men, are yet the rep
resentatives of all the mistakes which have
been made-the visible embodiment of all
that is obnoxious in long continued rule.
While the country may or may not be in ia
vor of civil service Enthusiastically So
called-one thing is very certain, that as long
as men in the employ OF the government I'M
dertake to control and do control the per-
sonal politics of a state and nation, the people,
in time, get tired of seeing them around.
They want TO see new faces while they are
being harnessed and to feel new hands on the
reins. 1t may be the same slavery, but it is
a blessing to change masters once in while,
and if the party becomes hidebound, becomes
so thoroughly under the control of the few
that the change cannot take place inside the
party, then it will take place outside. The
fate of pitchers which go too often to the
fountain has passed into proverb. If we of
the Republican party desire to save any of
the crockery we now have we must carefully
lay il on the shelf and put under the nozzle
of the public pump some pitchers which have
seen little less service. Time and nature
are IMPLYING. WORKOUT things are better
cLn1, aI Ill =