The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-09-08
THE PRES s.
What ReasOna

al present q number OF the most conspicu-
Gus Democratic journals in this state, at ev-
cry issue, parade before the public garbled
statements of reports, detached portions Of
official records, and every low and malicious
innuendo against the character of their op-
p)nents. which their own scavengers and a
few new recruits from the Republican party
in this drag net business can collect. Long
years of practice in this kind of war
fare shad made them well nigh perfect.
They were old at it when, in the dark
Abraham Lincoln. They were adopts in this
black art when they did their utmost TO de-
stroy the faith of the people in the national
army and its credit. Indeed, some Of them
were well along in this work when they de-
Tended the Buchanan and Pierce administra-
sitions in custom houses.
Itseems to US that the experience of the
past twenty years ought to convince the av-
erage Democratic editor that the scavenger in
political journalism, if ever potent charac-
ter, has now long survived his usefulness. 1t
oSOAo, wv, theO III q uOLOh yOssio VA ASeiiS
ment the Democratic leaders might have
elaborated some attractive reform with which
to go before the country; or, while they are
de nouncing their opponents, that they would
try, from the past record of their own party,
to prove its higher intelligence, its more pat
riotic purpose and its more undertaking ten
dency TO true progress. Instead of telling us
year after year how sordid and corrupt Re-
publican officials are, why don't they dazzle
our eyes with few angels of light from the
Democratic party; and if Republican coun-
sells are divided and confusion reigns through
out the government, why don't the Democ-
racy, one and indivisible, rise up and give
the nation universal political creed which
will insure peace, security and prosperity for
all. Stop the garbage business. Bunyan's
man with the muckrake never lifted his eyes
to the beautiful things above him and the
So the reformer who is constantly canvass
ing the sins of his neighbors don't get a
chance to see the light himself. A good man,
to be sure, may once in while get into pet
and throw little mud or shy few brick
bats; but if be does it many times, he ceases
to he regarded as m odel. So, Democratic
editors, if you desire to secure the confidence
OF the people, you must come up out of the
cutters, forsake the loose paving stones, aban-
don your undertakes, put on your clean gar
ments, and, if you want to manage the ma
tional household, tell the country in decent
English, devoid of glaring typographical erup-
lions, just what those you represent can do
for the good of the country. Demonstrate, if
you can, their ability and disposition to full
fill their professions by recommendations from
their last employers, with clear explanations
as to the reason for their discharge from SER
vice, certificates of their good moral character
in the meantime and evidences of their faith
fitness in performing such temporary jobs as
have been entrusted to them since their gen.
eral discharge.
Tell us, for instance, why Pierce and Bu-
chanan were better Presidents than Lincoln
and Grant; why JEFF Davis and Floyd were
better Secretaries Of War than Stanton and
Belknap; what Isaac Toucey did. as Secreta-
ry of the Navy to entitle him to greater re-
spect of the nation than the Republican
heads of that department.; in what respect
was Howell Cobb, who, in year of peace
succeeded by years of peace, had a national
loan of $50, 100000 dshonored in Wall street.
abetter Secretary of the Treasury than Bout
well or Bristow. Or, if these old recollectons
are unpleasant, let them explain, not their
cnn6upt thrOIIuh ha Int
which they have done those minor tasks COM
mitted to them in New York city, under
Messrs. Hall, Tweed g. Co., or, more recent.
ly in the states of Connecticut and New
Hampshire. Tell us, moreover, about the
condition of Kentucky and Missouri, where
you have things all your own way. Next,
define for us your general plan for the future.
Have you given up the idea of paying tie ma
tional debt in greenbacks? In 1868, as a
party, you practically declared for most ex-
traordinary issue of paper money-enough to
redeem I p two billions of bonds. Have YOU
changed your minds on this subject perma.
nently, or are you drifting back again as is in
dictated by your party conventions just held
in Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee and
Alabama?
The other most prominent Question before
the country to-day is respecting the policy to
be pursued towards the South. We think
yoc are largely responsible for the unsettled
condition of that section. You have 6enounc-
ed and traduced the Republican plan of re-
construction and, with your choicest epithets,
berated the President for protecting the lives
of friendess race. What is your policy for
the accomplishment of real peace and harmo-
ny in that section of the Union? Your party
leaders claim to be statesmen; let them give
US reasonable policy, beyond mere denunci-
alton of bayonet rule and civil rights bill
which is not yet law. You have for two
years been telling the country about Republi-
can extravaganza and dilating upon, and too
often initiating, the number of office holders.
Ofcourse you propose to bring about econo-
my and set up Democratic guillotine for
sinecures ;'pease then, in advance announce
to the people a reasonable. plan for doing
this, for you must have one.
Again we say, cease this bushwacking and
come forward in manly way and inform
the nation just what policy the Democratic
party promises to adopt, just what reforms il
will inaug 1rate and what means it will take
TO bring them to fruition.
Carrent Notes.
Senator Patterson of South Carolina in a
letter to Washington Daner furnishes from,