The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-03-11
From the Cincinnati Gazette.l
a Few Plain Words.

The Hon L. B. Gunckel, of Ohio, in a
Republican caucus at Washington, on
Saturday night, when some of the mem
bers defeated for reelection were scratch
ing their sores, is reported by the CORES
pondent of the Times as follows:
THAT gentleman said that the Cincin-
natl Gazette had done more to break up
and defeat the Republican party in Ohio,
in the few years past, than all other pa
pers in the State. Eleven months in the
year, said Mr.. Gunckel, the Gazette was
fighting the Administration and the Re-
publican party, and engaged in breaking
down good Republicans, and the other
month it is giving pretended support
to the party and its candidates. The
general policy pursued by the Gazette, in
the opinion of the speaker, was the cause
of his being defeated last fall, although
the paper had supported him."
We are led to take notice of this, first
by the following dispatch from Mr..
Gunckel;
"WAsH1NGroN, Feb. 25, 1878.
"Io the Editor of the Cincinnati Gazette;
81 beg to assure you 1 did not make
the speech imputed to me by the Times
correspondent or anything Ike 1t.
LEWIS B. GUNCKEL"
and next, by the dispatch from our
Washington correspondent, which is
published elsewhere.
This places Mr.. Eggleston, who was
present at the caucus, and who we pre-
sumo, dictated the dispatch to the Times,
in a somewhat awkward position, This,
however, is of little consequence, so far
as regards our present purpose, which is
to say few words on the general sub
ject suggested by Mr.: Eggleston's misrep.
resentation of what Mr. Gunckel did say
A great many defeated Republican can
didates talk as Mr.. Gunckel was reported
to have spoken, and there is feeling
among that class that the criticisms of
the Republican press contributed largely
to the defeat of the party in 1873 and
1874. This conclusion is not unnatural
1t is an exhibition of that human nature
which leads men, in case of adversely, to
look outside of themselves for the cause
of trouble. 1t rarely occurs to them that
the criticisms of which they complain
were but the effect of an existing cause
but the expression of public sentiment
produced by men intrusted with power,
who had abused that power, and thereby
brought disgrace upon the party. Yet
this is the fact The press did not Gre
ate public sentiment, but gave expression
to it. The press does not lead near so
much as it follows. The press, if honest,
is the embodiment of the truth as ao-
cepted by the people who make up the
party to which it belongs. Had the Ga
zette ipdorsed everything done by the
party, it not have carried the people with
it, but it would have disgraced itself and
destroyed its influence. This is not the
way to maintain the ascendency of the
Republican party. which is made up of
intelligent, thinking men. That policy
destroyed even the Democratic party,
which has always been remarkable for
suppressing honest criticism in its ranks
and, under the crack of the party whip,
enforcing obedience to partisan dictation
under all circumstances, and whether
right or wrong. That policy never did
succeed in the Republican party. nor can
it succeed in q party composed of such
material as make up the ranks of the
Republican organization.
The Republican party has been dam
aged because the fact was not recognized
by Congress and by the Administration
that the only way to secure continued
success was to deserve it. Had the adj
monitions of the Republican press been
needed; had the warning sounded
through the ballot-box for several years
past been interpreted by Congress and by
the President as they were interpreted
by the press, the party to-day would be
strong instead of being weak.
The press was in no way responsible
for the Credit Mobilier frauds, Men
high in the party were guilty of those
frauds. The press recorded and con-
demned the rasoalities. and demanded
that those who committed those frauds
should be retired to private life. Public
sentiment was thus fairly reflected, yet,
in the face of it, the President appointed
and the Senate confirmed one of the
principal parties to an important mission.
This hurt the party. Then there were
subsidies of all kinds recklessly passed,
in defiance of public sentiment, and
against the protest and in spite of the
warnings of the press. This action
weighed heavily upon the party. Next
! came that hare-faoed measure, the salary
grab. That measure was intended to put
money into the pockets of those who
voted for it, and did put $4,000 year