New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-13
A Question of Ability.

/ Wa rather think the REPUBLICAN is mig
taken i0 nronOuncing the Baton Rouge
Adcocate the ablest Democratic daily IN the
/ State. It is quite probable that in the en-
! thusiasm of rhe moment and under the
Immediate influence Of the Adrocote's stir.
! ring eioquence one might become infected
! with euch belief; but calmer thought AID
! would DO almost certain to modify this sen.
I timent. OF course We do not wish to be
l understood as saying that the Times Is q
more powerful paper ttaa the Adroca'e.
The utmost extent Of our proposition IS
that between the two it seems very
difficult to decide. II the Adcoeate
is bold and outspoken the Times is fearless
anc uncompromising. II the .fdeocatc is
positive and unterrified the Times is dog
matte and determined. We recall the elec.
! trifying burst with which the ddrocate &C.
kDowledged the receipt of forty six pound
| watermelon from friend in the suburbs.
and we are saturated with admiration TOO
intense to be envious. We revert 20 the
| ma iestic apostrOphe in which the editor of
the Times condensed his sentiments on re.
| ceiving soid-headed cane from one Of the
provincial female seminaries. and We feel rs
| though there can be no loftier flight tor
human patriotism to essay. Presenting points
| OF difference between which i; is quite
! impossible 10 discriminate. and blending
!
npmeasured contempt for dissenting opinion
| and immeasurable denuDciation OF dis.
! senters. the Baton Bouge .idtoeate and the
! Shreveport Tines are journals whose intel.
! iec.ual force is only to be estimated by as
! Economical formula. and wtose ability ac.
knowledges no limit save the base and
so1did confines of opportunity. We object
! to nasty decisions touching the merits OF
! these great moral and political engines. Let
their comparative virtues. like the conun.
drum 0. their respective existences, remain
among the inetfable mysteries which it is
not given to mortal man to penetrate.-Near
Orleans Pcoyune.
II the Pcuyuae will glance again at the
article which called forth the above. it will
be seen that we said the .1droccte lis cor.
side,'ed to 6e the ablest Democratic daily
in the State" We were thus guarded in
our praise. not from any desire to shlrk
responsibility. but rather through fear that
We might do injustice to other papers,
claiming ability. and claiming the honor Of
shaping the course and holding the tilles of
sths Democratic lugger. There are things
We fee! and known to be superior to all
others, and yet. if called upon 10 do 80, we
conlc not prove the fact, and you could not,
men and things are too much matter of
opinion. We sec excellencies. and yet can
not convince others that they exist. II IS
the same way.with experimental reli.
gion. which man knows that he has
as much az he knows he has been to
camp meeting. and it is the same
with the girls we love. a father said, II
don't know what my John can see in that |
girl to like; love makes him blind."' And
the boy said. "You are wrong, father; love |
gives me eyes. and see things to admire in |
Sarah Jane that you never can see." II a |
paper might be allowed to testify in its own |
behalf. We could take such testimony as |
would undoubtedly prove any proposition. |
We could prove honesty. ability. enterprise |
and superior intelligence for many journals, !
and we could also prove that the whole !
batch OF them had the largest circula. |
ton. each ono more than the other
Good natured people always utilize such |
evidence as they can get. The late Mr.. A.
Ward had good nature, and he tells of a
furious and beastly man he once saw in
California bar room. The man was using
the most terrible blasphemous and obscene
language, he was brandishing a bowie and
cleaning out tho place, he had knocked
down his father and was fresh from killing
his mother. "And yet," said Mr.. Ward.
say 80. In fact, he remarked several times
that he was a gentleman"
The ability of Democratic paper, then, |
is more matter of opinion than assured
fact. The Shreveport Times is certainly an !
able paper. but it is open to the. censure of
Democrats. it is tainted with Whigisrn. it
has dabbled in Fusion water. it headed the
White League movement in the Red river
country, and formed what known as the
white man's party, putting none but pale
faces on guard, and giving tolerance only
to deep dyedin.thewool Democrats who
happened to have been born on the glorious
,oil Of the Pelican State; after that it was
'ound advocating the Wheeler compromise,
and counseling moderation in killing colored
nen. We have heard since that it is con.
'ecvative. and is published as a religious
ou-nai. There has been none Of this waver.
ng with the .Adgoca'c. Its principles do
10: change. Men change. and grow. and
,e: new ;de"', but the Adroca'e goes On
orevec. 1t knows ;ntuitively. as it were,
What men are honest and who are thieves: ;
t decides musical and political contests;
. can cal, convention. make platform
nd name the winning men: it can krock ,
own the city press, and it knows all about =
ublic printing: it has nominated William
lien for President, and successfully de. !,
ends the Ohio platform against the World.
his shows ability enough for one paper,
nd if the Picayune. in its jealous conceit. !,
as any other mean or sneering remarks to !
,ake abou: q Democratic paper which :.
appens to be small in size. and happens to &
Q published in tho country-also die | q
race-we should like to hear them. H.
Riiine In England.
The correspondent Of tho New York Times
ives MS dreary letter of the doings at the