The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-06-24
A PARTY IN MASK.

The News had an attack of lndlscreet
condor in q recent issue, which was ex-
pressed IN these words:
And we approve that idea that the call might
have been made Il little more Democratic, with
out hurting il any. But the candidates nOmiIla-
ted by that Convention will be elected by the
biggest majority ever given for any political
party in Wisconsin,
The candor will be found. lurking in
the first sentence of the above, and in
the conjunction. ''but." We will am
plify this language to bring its signifi-
canoe out little more clearly.
The Democratic party, having disgust
ed the intelligence, honesty and patriot
ism Of the State, was driven reluctantly
to the conviction about two years ago,
that it had no chance to win a victory
Hungry and desperate, it resolved to see
if success could be achieved by a mas
querade. So 1t put on mask which 1T
called Reform, a well enough looking
mask, but one very difficult to adjust to
the Democratic countenance and vastly
repugnant to the wearer. The plan work
cd well; some supplemented souls
were deceived the Republican party
suffered a stroke of apathy, and the ere
form ticket was elected. The returns
We're scarcely counted before the mask
was thrown off, and at a Notification
meeting IN Madison one or more of the
orators boldly proclaimed that it was
Democratic victory that had been won.
Now another State election is ap-
preaching, and the Democratic sachems
met at Madison the other day, to call q
convention. The question at once arose
how much of the Democratic countenance
should be exposed and how much of it
concealed behind the Reform mask, for
the purposes of the fall campaign. Pru-
dent counsels prevailed, and it was deter
mined that as much as possible of the
hungry look, the brazen cheek and the
contracted brow of the Democracy should
be hidden behind smooth and express
sionless face of fragile pasteboard. But
some of the Wisconsin Bourbons are be-
coming FESTIVE, occupying this cramped
and unnatural position. They see that
their comrades in two or three of the
other States have been successful with
out resorting to this masquerading trick,
and they argue that t is no longer neces-
sary in Wisconsin. Amid this division
of the idea that the call might have been
made a little more Democratic without
hurting it any, that is, that more of the
Democratic features might have been left
uncovered "but' 'themasquerading policy
will all in catching more votes. In 9TH
er words, we want to lay aside this mask
rs soon rs we are afraid it wouldn't be
safe Just yet. 1t we eau carry the State
this fall, we will dispense with it finally
''the Reform party" Will never be heard
of again the Democratic party Will come
to the front everything that Mr.. Jeffer-
son Davis could possibly object to will
be carefully omitted from future plat
forms, and we will do the bidding of our
co-laborers in the South, just as We used
to III the glorious days of Pierce and
buchanan, whose names be exalted for
ever. Amen.
The candor of the News is confined en-
tirely to the disclosure of the anxiety and
the purpose of the Democratic party to
doff its mask. There is a deplorable
want of candor i'll the confidence which
1t affects that the party will carr the
State. In fact it feels no such confidence
and neither do the leaders of the party
throughout the State. Allare sufficient
ly familiar with H1sop toremember that
when the ass was detected beneath the
hon. skin he got most unmerciful
drubbing. So they feel that the people
have caught glimpse behind their false
face, and there is despondency and dis
may in the secret conclaves of the saeh-
ems. In their Governor they have an
elephant which it is about eqally dan
gerous to keep or TO turn loose in their
platform are pretentions whice their
acts have uniformly contradicted, and
nowhere have they any encouragement
save in the feeble hope that the Repub-
hean party will not be able to unite again
the elements of strength that changed
the defeat of 1878 to the victory of 1874.
1t is the duty of all Republicans, and
especially of those to whom the interests
of the party are now especially commit
ed, to see that this hope shall not be just
Niltcaukee Sentinel