The Portland daily press., 1875-10-23
A Divided House,

The result in Ohio has not had the effect to
unite the Democratic press of Maine on the
currency qustion. During the pendency of
the canvass they were all supposed to be
hard money advocates. Directly after the
State Convention the Argus daily aired its
hard money notions and what the CONNER
ciat has been pleased to call the road to specie
payments by the road of the Ohio Democratic
platform, had no out-spoken champion. To
be sure Mr.. Scion Chase, the Chronicle max
er and writer of tracts, attempted to have the
Ohio Democratic currency creed inserted in
the place of the New York Democratic dogma,
but was jeered at by maudlin Tom Bartlett of
Augusta and the very red faced delegate from
Bridgton and subsequently walked out with
seven-eights of the Convention.
Since that time there has been a change.
The day after the state election the Commer-
cias printed the Ohio resolutions with the ad-
vice that the same were worthy of the consid-
GRAFTON of Democrats and from day to day it
has been drifting in that direction until to-
day it is a second edition of Wash. McLean's
OiuSilh&oi AIt1UGCf3 Oduy lCpuUilSaiLS do
editorial the expansion heresies and bitter de-
nunciations of the Ohio reputation champi-
on. The Biddeford Democrat is following in
the same path. The Anson Aduocate is
pleased to denounce The organ OF Mr.. Tilden
as Sc the subsidized World" and squints
toward the Ohio dogma. The Belfast Jour-
nal favors hard money, but is opposed to fix.
ing any time for the resumption of specie pay
ments. The Argus, once so eager in its
support of hard money is Of lale very silent
on the subject, but with the Augusta STAN
dard, the Lewiston Gazette and Auburn Re-
former may be considered to be in favor OF a
return to specie payments and opposed to an
expansion of the national currency. All of
last named papers-those who prefer the Til
den to the Pendleton currency dogma-are
disposed to regard the currency question as
one of secondary Importance. On the other
hand, the Commercial is aggressive and def
ant in its advocacy of the rag baby business.
Indeed, it really appears that the result of
the Ohie election has given the organs of the
initiation wing of the Democracy in Maine a
courage and persistency they have not shown
since 1S67-6, when Pendeton first announced
his disguise for reputation. So far from set
tling the financial policy Of the Democracy
of Maine, the result in Ohio has evidently
brought about, or at least, has been followed
by greater diversity of opinion and, so far
as the initiation wing is concerned, by the as
sumption of very hostile attitude toward the
hard money leaders for their course with
reference to the Ohio contest.
And what is true in this respect in Maine,
is even more conspicuous throughout the
settled nothing for the Democratic party.
More than that, it has been the means of
causing bitter hostility between the two
wings which is so beautifully illustrated by
the bitter taunts and fierce recriminations of
the New York World and the Cincinnati En-
qasirep.
Had Gov. Allen been defeated by a large
majority the initiation heresy would have been
crushed and the World and its followers could
afford to taunt the humbled followers of PEN
dleton. On the other hand, if Allen had been
elected by decided majority, the infationists
would have gained an unquestioned suprema-
cy in the party and the National Convention
would have adopted the Ohio financial plat
form even if it should not place Methusalah
Allen at The head of the centennial ticket.
But Gov. Allen being neither elected nor de-
feated by large majority and failing only by
a small majority on an immense vote, the in-
fationists are not only in strong force but are
exasperated by the action of the element rep
resented by the Subsidized World' to con-
tnue the fight for their financial hereses
with vim which is intensified by the mutual
chickering's and recriminations. The imitation.
lists, however start with the advantage, be-
cause they assume positive and threatening
attitude and are evidently bent in breaking up
the party housekeeping arrangements if they
cannot have their own way.
The fight so energetically begun between
the two wings Of the Democratic party is one
which fills the hearts of wiser party leaders
with dismay. They cannot stop it and in
this city the wiser ones hint at defeat through
the currency fight Gentlemen, 60 in; its
your own affair; your own crockery, you are
smashing and you have right to do so.
In its weekly business review the Nation
has this to say: The New York banks con-
-.