, 1874-12-03
The Partisan Press. The prevailing

The PARTISAN Press. The prevailing
idea of the partisan press is, that all
political effort has but one end and aim: !:
the patronage Of ofice-the spoils of
victory. To this end all other purposes
are subordinated; by this standard all
individual political action is judged and
every public measure weighed. All
Is fair in politics. is the heathen motto
OF that class of politicians. and "to the
victors belong the spoils," their con~
trolling motive. The question never
occurs to them as to which candidate
for public position will best promote the
public interests; but who are their
friends, and how will they dispose of
their official patronage? And these par
tisan editors cannot Imagine that any
one who takes an active part in politics
can be influenced by any other than
selfish motives. Hence it is that the
partisan press of the country has be-
come q by-word and a reproaeh to the
people. and the independent press has
become power in the land. 1t was
the independent press that broke up
the Tammany Ring" and sent " Boss
Tweed" to the peni.entiary. 1t was
the independent press which unioaded
the Administration of such dead weights
as Butler and Poland. iu strong Repub'
lican districts. It was the Independent
press that elected Judge McFadden two
years ago and gave Judge Jacobs an
unparalleled majority at the late cleo
ton; and the independent press will
determine the character OF the next
General Administration To no one of
the results above mentioned did or can
the party or subsidized press contribute
a vote to tie side it espou.ed, the inter
ested character of its advice is too well
known to carry with 1t any weight.
% The following from the Standard, the
only newspaper organ of the Democrat
ic party in Washington Territory, Illus
trates the view above indicated:
Judge Brown, of the DISPATCH. says
that it was his son who Illuminated the
family mansion, in Seattle, during the
recent celebration of Democratic victo-
ries in the Atlantic States, and disclaims
any responsibility for the act or sympa-
thy with the object. Well, we don't
know but what we must commend the
Judges foresight bird in the hand
may be worth more than two in the
bush," and then it will be handy to
have some one of the family who can
come in for share of the spoils under
the new dispensation. Let US kiss him
for his fatherr'
3 1t will be seen that the idea of spoils
being the sole incentive to political ac-
lion, that no amount of facts to the
contrary has anv weight with the parts
san editor. We distinctly said that our
residence was not illuminated at all,
and that the house illuminated by our
son was not occupied by us, and we
had no part or lot in the matter. But
that makes no difference to partisan
editor, who like shyster lawyer, thinks
forgery and perjury legitimate practice,
whsn it wins. Ho ignores the fact that
our whole political life has been pro-
test against official patronage as means
to promote party measures; and also,
that in renouncing allegiance to every
political party organization we necessa-
rily resigned all claims to any share in
the spoils of party victory; and makes
an exhibition of his own political mo-
tives, by com plimenting us for suppos-
ed duplicity in our public professions,
which has ever been our special ayer-
sion, as cowardly, hypocritical and ab
horrent to our nature.
Actuated by the same sentiments,
and in view of ga share of the spoils
under the new dispensation, - the editor
of the Standard devotes column to as
sailing the management of a public
meeting held in Olympia, to consider
the question of the mail service on Pu-
get Sound. The ostensible cause Of
is, that a proposition was
favorably passed upon by the meeting
to employ Judge Jacobs to proceed to
Immediately to lay the
matter before the Department. This is
a matter of great importance to all the
people of Puget Sound. and to none
more than to the people of Olympia,
and any measure which rill promote
the object sought should have the sup
port of every citizen. Ofall the men in
who could be sent to- the
capital to reprent the wants and wishes
Of the people with better prestige or
arger influence than the man VINO has
lust received the largest popular er-
1orsement ever given to Delegate to
Congress from this Territory? What to
syery unprejudiced man, intent only on
he public interests. seems eminently
it and proper to be done, through the
aundiced eyes of the partisan editor,
intent only on party spoils, seems only
4 trick to promote some party or per-
sonal ends: conclusion based solely
upon imaginary facts which have no
but in the brain of the in
ventor. A party press is barely tolera-
BILE in the States, where political prin-
ciples are in issue; in Territory, where
only measures of policy are involved, it
is on unmittigated nuisance.
GREAT MEN.--An Oregon editor Illus
trates the local idea of great men, by
stating. under the head of "Great men
coming to the 'front.'" that the proba-
bilities are that Henry Clay Dean, of
Missouri, and Oar. w. Voorhees,, of In
liana, will be elected Senators. Dean
can discount :" Beast Butler" as a
,yo oL lonard and Voorhees, can beat