The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-07-20
As q Reform Party,

A few days since Democratic orator de-
clared that "the Democratic party is logically
the party of reform it has prestige behind it
and possibilities before it.' 1t would be
hardly fair to 60 very far back to question the
character of the "prestige" the Democratic
party has "behind'' Or in the past. Perhaps
the leaders would object to going back to the
times of Pierce and Buchanan. Let us be
fair and consider the immediate prestige of
that party.
In 1874 the Democratic party obtained as
tendency in several states. New Hampshire
was one OF the states. What sort of "pres-
tige did the Democratic party achieve there?
What reforms did it bring about or even at
tempt? II simply overthrew the judiciary
of the state and set up another simply to Sc
cure court having majority of its political
associates. Il set the precedent of making
the judiciary the creature of the legislature
rather than an independent non-partisian
body. 1t did more than this; against the
protest of majority of the voters, it so
changed the ward lines of cities as to enable
AiihOlity W COubIOl Iu6 luG Cu6Ck
lists andelect majority of the members of the
House of Representatives therefrom. 1t
made no attempt to reform the public insti-
tutions or reduce the amount of taxation.
Indiana was another state where for the
fisrt time in many years and there was Demo-
cratic Legislature with Democratic Cover
nor. Here was fine opportunity for the
exercises of "reform." What did that body
do for "retrenchment and reform?" What
is the result? A large increase in all the
expenditures of the state, large increase in
taxation and such an exhibition of incompe-
tency, extravaganza and ignorence that the
Legislature has been derisively entitled the
"Fools' Legislature. That is the "prestige"
under which the Indiana Democracy go be-
fore the people asking that the affairs of the
whole country and the business of reform, of
"retrenchment and economy" be placed in
their hands.
In Illinois where the Democrats swallowed
a handful of independents and made the Leg
islature Democratic, the Chicago Tribune
says that SIN the history of this state, there
is no record of so contemplate and worth
less Legislature as that of last winter.
There is not a respectable Democrat in Ille-
nois who was not ashamed of the uses to
which the party applied the power temporarily
in their hands," The Democratic Legisla-
ture of Ohio pursued so vicious a course that
the leading independent journals which helped
the party into power denounced the blunder-
ing and reckless tendency of the majority.
Its only ''reform" measure was the en-
acting of a law demanded by tie ene-
mics of the free school system which created
widespread alarm among the friends of pop
ular education. The Democratic Legisla-
ture OF Pennsylvania passed by all the ablest
men in the party and selected the Vice Presi-
dent of Tom SCOTS railroad subsidy schemes
tor United States Senator. The first Demo-
cratic Legislature of Connecticut signalized
itself by electing William Eaton TO the
United States Senate, man who was not
only a violent secession partisan and advo-
cate during the war, but now declares on
every occasion-even in his first speech in
the Senate-that his allegiance is due only
to the sovereign state" of Connecticut. The
most prominent politician in the strongest
Democratic state in the Union, Mr.. Beck,
of Kentucky, now the leading candidate of
his party for United States Senator, is not
only an infatiOnist, but took occasion in che
House, during the last Congress, to denounce
the idea that the United States is nation or
country in the common acceptance of that
term. The Democratic Legislature of Mis-
souri, gave a third-rate Confederate general
the seat of Carl Schurz in the United States
Senate, and the rag money Bogy is the ideal
of the Democracy in the state that once de-
lighted to call Thomas Benton "Old Bullion"
In Ohio the Pendletons and McLeans are
more potent than the Thurmans. In In
diana Mr. Voorhees, has more weight
than Gov. Hendricks. In Maine the Emerys,
the Pillsburys and the Monroe Youngs
have louder voices in the party councils than
the Hainses, the Madigans and the Cifords.
Such is the prestige of the Democracy
which sis logically the party of REFORM" If
this prestige" shows anything it is that
the Democratic party at the present time, is
unfit to govern any thing. 1t has no leaders
who can control the incongruous mass which
makes up the party. As national party
it has no single principle upon which it can
unite except to get into office there to quar-
rel over the spoils. Its claim that party
which furnishes such examples of misrule as
above cited, led, as it is, by sectional dema-
gogues, is logically the party of reform" is
too absurd statement except for a Demo
cratic orator Or the late Estate papers, Mr..
JEFF. DAVIS in Maine.