Daily Kennebec journal., 1875-08-18
pT AIED OTI.

party are begining to harp upon the loea
of the desrableness of change OF gov
ernment from the republican to the demo
cratic side. This has been part of their
electioneering programme regularly for
the last decade. Let us see how it has
worked where changes have taken place.
In New Hampshire there was change
which put the power in that State into
democratic hands. The result was that
the State was disgracefully gerrymandered
to secure continued democratic ascendcn
cy, and even the Judiciary was rcorgan!zed
on partisan basis, while the material in
terests OF the State were sadly neglected.
Last Spring the people OF New Hampshire
concluded they had suffered enough by
changing the government into democratic
hands, and so returned it again into re-
publican hands.
In Massachusetts n democratic Cover
nor was elected last Fall. Even this
small change has proved unsatisfactory to
the people of that Commonwealth. and
Governor Castor will step down next
January and give place to a republican in
the Executive chair.
Connecticut also has tried change,
from which the State has suffered in va
rious ways. The financial affairs have
been badly conducted open bribery has
been practised in the legislature, and the
most shameless partizan measures have
been carried in the interest of the demo-
cratic parry. The most conspicuous act
of partizanship and disregard of profess
sions of political liberality, was the cleo
ton of Mr.. Eaton, q Bourbon and Copper
head, TO the United States Senate. The
election OF jeff Davis to the Senate from
Tennessee would cause no greater shock
to the loyal sentiment of the country than
did the election of Eaton from Connecticut
His speech in favor of State Rights on the
Calhoun basis, made last winter in the
Senate, was the fruit of the political
change effected by turning Connecticut
into democratic hands.
| WV
the result has been deplorable. The State
has been violently agitated over demo-
cratic measure in which the Catholics
were promised concessions in the schools
of sectarian character. Charges of mis-
management of affairs generally are loud.
And, finally, to crown the disgraceful ef-
fects of the change, we find Gov. Allen
now stumping the State on rag money
platform striving to secure his election by
deluding the poor and ignorant with his
soft money speeches.
Another example of the delusion that a
change of power from one party to another
is necessarily benefit is furnished by the
State of New York. Last Fall the govern
ment of the State passed under the control
of the democracy, with Gov. Tilden, one
of their ablest men. at the head. What
the consequence has been is briefly stated
in the following article from the Albany
journal:
"The records of this State show that the repub-
lican party is The best and truest custodian of it:
interests. Under republican rule the average Of
expenditures and taxes has been far less than un
der democratic. Under republican rule the funds
of the State have been more faithfully applied tc
the legitimate and proper objects Had republi
can rule continued unbroken, the entire canal
debt would have been paid before this time, and
the State would have been freed from the dangers
which now threaten its public works. Nay, moro
had republican management been uninterrupted,
the means would bave been provided before this
time, without any increase of taxation, for the
full extinguishment OF the bounty and general
debts, so that the State would prac ctically have
been relieved from all Indebtedness. AS the in
evitable sequence of the facts, if republican man
agement had prevailed without change, the State
tax this year would not have been more than one
half what it actually is.
These are no random assertions. We have not
made them without carefully weighing their full
force and we stand fully prepared to demonstrate
every one of them. For their general truthfulness
we appeal to the history of the State for the last
fifteen years, as it is known to every citizen.
Without entering into minute details, all the peo-
pie who have felt any interest in the matter well
understand that under republican rule there were
no large deficiencies, the funds of the State were
prudently administered and the various debts were
steadily reduced. Doubtless there were abuses in
the canal and other departments under II publican
administration, as there have been in far more
flagrant measure under democratic adminisra-
ton. We do not pretend there were not. We
make no claim to perfection for party or its
representation. But we do say that, making all
allowances for these things, if republican manage
ment had continued just it was, the canal oebt,
with its yearly burdens, would have been entirely
wiped out; the means would have been provided
for the full payment of other debts; and the an
nual tax would have been reduced to about one
half its present proportions"
If the democrats have no better reasons
to present for change than the practical
working of change where it has taken
place in favor of the democracy, they
might as well stop their plea for change.
Our own county of Somerset tried a
change in some of its county officers, but
instead of the improvement which was