Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-10-29

AUG U = t A.
FRIDAY MORNING. Oct. 90, 1875.
As PEFORHERS.

The character Of Reformers which the
democratic party is attempting to carry
rests with poor grace upon its shoulders
In New York most notably this attempt
appears. There Governor Tilden, support
ed by Boss Kelley and the Tammany Or
panization. the instruments through ""ich
Tweed accomplished his enormous rascal
tiles. also supported by all the vicious eie-
mems that swarm in New York city and
State. is blowing his horn loudly as great
Reforner. What kind of a Retormer
man can he who has all his political life
been member of Tammany. consort of
Tweed until other parties exposed and
punished that unequaled robber, close
friend of the Canal Ring while it was
'plundering the State and the prominent
members of which are now The leading
members of the democratic party, let
every intelligent person decide for him
self. In eight years democratic rule in
creased the debt of New York city more
than ore hundred million dollars, and yet
the same party that fixed this gigantic
debt upon the city in that period, is claim
ing support as the friend of economy and
reform Let the record of its acts tell
how far it can be trusted.
As Reform party the democracy have
sent to Congress Bourbons of the worst
type in the North and unreconcilcd rebels
in the South. They pushed into the Sen
ate against the remonstrance of the Liber-
ais. Eaton, Herman and Wallace. all
Bourbons. turning out Schurz to make
room for Cockrell. a rebel brigadier:
while in the House they have seventy-four
members who drew their swords against
the national flag and were officers in the
Confederate army. Their reform so far
rs Congress is concerned has been to turn
men out of Congress who fought for The
flag and fill their places with those who
fought against the fag-a reform which
may be appreciated in the States that re-
belled, but should be regarded with indig-
nation in every State that was loyal and
true to the Union.
As Reform party the democrats have
followed their attempt to weaken conf
dence in the bonds of the United States
and break faith with the bondholders. by
raising the flag of Initiation in the West
the worst scheme that demagogues could
embark ina reform of like character to
the schemes of Communists, who would
lay in ruin the entire social fabric. This
reform the republican party is now en-
gagged in fighting in Pennsylvania. 1t has
appeared in Maine in some of the leading
democratic papers, which are just now in
tribulation over the defeat Of Bill Allen,
but comfort themselves with the hope that
Uncle William and his rag-babv friends
will control the democratic national con.
yention in favor OF imitation.
As Reformers also we find the democrats
enlisted in a movement started by the
Catholics to destroy the public schools
The ultramontane Catholic priests and the
more ignorant laity of the Catholic church
are demanding that the public schools
shall be made sectarian-that the money
raised for the support of public schools
shall be divided so that they may take
their portion and establish with it Catho-
lie Schools course which if adopted
would cause other religious sects to de-
mand their portion of the fund for the
support of schools of their own peculiar
denominations. and finally lead to the
complete overthrow of the common school
system, which is unsectarian and can ex-
list on no other foundation. All who de-
sire a reform of this character will enlist
under the democratic banner.
In the South the Reform character of
the democrats appears in their efforts to
keep the blacks in ignorance and serfdom,
and renew as near as possible the former
relations that existed between the slave
masters and the negroes. The bloody
Ku-Klux organization is one of their re-
form agencies, and abuse, persecution and
social ostracism of Northern men who re,
side in the South is another.
Now if these are the characteristics of
u AACioi LII panty vi vi patty tildt
men of intelligence and honest convictions
can place confidence in, we are greatly
mistaken. They seem however entirely
consistent with the party that opposed the
government in time of war, and show that
1t has met with no improvement by the
many and severe rebukes which it has re-
ceived at the hands OF the people.
The democrats believe that the people
have forgotten everything, or they never
would have the face to come forward and
declare that they will reduce the taxes if
placed in power. Why, all the robbery
which has thrown so many burdens upon
the people has been carried out by the
democrats. Why are we paying such
heavy taxes in this city now? TO make
good the losses occasioned by the rohberies
a.