The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-12
Shall the Lesson he Handad 2

Shall the Lesson be Needed?
The Republicans of New Hampshire did
better Tuesday than there was any reason to
expect. Compared with last year the party
vote has increased but even in that close
state with full vote, the Republicans have
heretofore had in sharp contests majority OF
two or three thousand. What has become oil
it? Certainly the Democrats have not gained
it while the Prohbtionists have diverted out
part of it. The falling OIL must
therefore be accounted for solely on
the ground that large number OF
intelligent Republicans did not go to the polls
at all. We cannot learn that there was any
dissatisfaction with the sturdy Gen. Nc
Cutchns, the Republican candidate for Gov
ernor or any of The other candidates; indeed,
It'll said that the party candidates were gen.
orally of very worthy character. What,
then. is the cause of the falling off? 1t is not
reasonable to believe that this falling off
il the result of lack of interest in
political affairs, particularly in a
State where parties are SO nearly
equal in numbers. The fact is-and it is
useless to attempt to disguise it-there is
widespread dissatisfaction among the best
Republicans at the present condition of af-
fairs. In New Hampshire as in Maine and all
other states, there is no falling off in the num-
bers of those who believe in and heartily en-
dorse the declarations Of the party conven-
tions; but there is a feeling that the party as
represented in official positions, does not car
ry out its cherished principles. There is a loss
Of faith, not in the party principles but in
many of the meu who assume leadership
and the use they made of important official
positions.
Doubtless the eliminating offense was the
Butler-Simmons affair which has produced
widespread disgust. The prominence that
Gen. Butler has been allowed to assume in
the Republican party, the horde Of fortune
seekers whom he has put in places of honor
and trust, his connection with the Sanborns
and Jaynes, his championship of every bad
cause, the ruffianism that he so frequently
displays, and above all the impression that he
has large following in Congress and the
ear Of the Executive to a greater extent than
any Congressman from New England, has
and distrust, and this falling off in New
Hampshire is natural consequence of too
much Butlerism in Republican leadership.
But we should not learn all the lessons of
the New Hampshire election, if we stopped
with Gen. Butler There are other causes
of dissatisfaction and distrust. Too many
men beyond the influence of Gen. Butler
have been appointed to Office, not because
they were efficient, but because they could
do nothing for themselves and must have
support. In other cases men have been ap-
pointed because they were useful in helping
the men who secure their appointments
There is also growing feeling of jealousy
because federal ofice-holders in some States
have devoted their time to thwarting free
expression of the mass of the party by the APP
plication OF chicanery in caucuses and con-
veniions which has a notable instance in the
late Butler contest in Massachusetts,. The
recent rush of federal office-holders to Wash
ington to help Simmons and the continued
and unblushing employment of prominent
csp aa Sessions 5 5f
questionable if not corrupt purposes, are
causes of almost universal complaint.
The friends of temperance, too, may learn
a lesson from the New Hampshire election.
Gen. McCutchins, the Republican candidate
for Governor, is a prohbtionist, nominated
on a prohibition platform. Mr.. Weston was
practically nominated on platform of free
rum. Nevertheless the ultra prohibitionists
insisted on candidates of their own and have
defeated the election of quite number OF
Republicans to the Legislature. If, there
fore, that body is opposed to the present laws
and their repeal is secured, these foolish lead
ers have only themselves to censure.
1t is not enough to say that the affairs of
the Government are as carefully conducted,
that its officials are as efficient, and that it
has no more barnacles than under Demo-
cratic rule This is doubtless true; but the
masses OF the Republican party are more in
telligent and patriotic than those of the Dem
ocratic patty under Pierce and buchanan,
and they will not countenance the bad prac-
tses of that subservient organization.
Such are a few of the lessons of the New
Hampshire election. They are pertinent and
should not fail to convince our leaders at
Washington that they must apply prompt
and effestual remedies to every symptom of
the Butler disease, that all pledges must be
sacredly observed and the interests of the ma
ton must not be lost sight of in the struggle
for personal preferment. Will the lesson be
heeded?.