The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-08-27
At Issue with Mr.. Morton,

We are compelled to take issue with Sena-
tor Morton on one point made in his speech
in this city, the Importance of the currency
issue. We believe, and it is the belief OF
large majority of the Republican party to-.
day, that the currency ques is one of
prime and almost overshadowing Importance.
While the Republican party is unit as re-
CARDS the obligatory nature of the act provid.
ing for the resumption of specie payments in
1879, majority OF its members hold that re-
sumption must, if possible, be brought about
even earlier, and that that system of finance
should be vigorously prosecuted which will
constantly and steadily appreciate the value
OF the paper dollar. The party by its plat
forms in every state is committed to resump-
ton in 1879, and it is its duty to bend all its
energies to the task of making that resump-
tion practicable. This is the position taken
by 'he Republicans of Maine, the position
which will be taken by the national conven-
ton next year.
The gravity of this currency question can
not be oVerestimated. The wild projects of
the Western infatonists are menace to the
honor, the credit, the prosp Gritty of the ma
ton. The country has not been in greater
danger than now since Rebel army pitched
its tents in sight of the capitol. The dotarj
and the bandit who are bearing the stand
ards OF the Democracy of Ohio to-day, aud
whose election the Democracy of Maine are
ardently advocating, are making their fight
upon the currency question alone. Their
campaign speeches are wild appeals to work
ingmen out of employment, and savage de-
nunciations of those who have saved and
invested their earnings. The man who by
self-denial and industry has accumulated two
or three hundred dollars and has invested
them in bonds, is furiously denounced as
robber and an oppressor OF the people. The
fact that some people are better off than
Others is represented as an intolerable injust-
ice. The basest passions of people are ap-
pealed to, and the consequence is that the
dissatisfied, the dishonest, the impoverished,
the debtors who wish to cheat their credit
ors, the gamblers who hope to profit by dis
turbance of values, the communists who
work for anarchy, have Joined themselves
With the bitter partisans who are ever ready
to sacrifice country to party, and the motley
host is marching under banner which bears
the legend of reputation. The success of
the combination means widespread distress
and national bankruptcy.
The currency issue is all-important. Upon
the event of the Ohio conflict may depend the
question of national solvency. Let the mad
men of Ohio win, and flushed with success,
drunken with victory, they will appear be-
fore the House of Representatives next winter
and demand the repeal of the act of resump-
ton. How long could that House, infiation-
infected as it is, Withstand the appeal? How
long will it hesitate to give its sanction to
doctrine which has received the support of
the majority of the voters of great state at
the close of the hardest-fought political cam
paign in its annals? What reason has one to
hope that the hard-money Democrats like
Thurman and Mcdonald, who have weaken
ed already and bowed to the storm, would
long or successfully oppose the infationists?
If resumption proves to be unpopular in the
West, the demagogue, the trucker, the man
of expediency, will oppose 1t. There are 9TH
er and important issues which will come up
in the course of the presidential campaign;
but the issue to-day is the currencv. five
can crush the infationists and remove this
dangerous question from politics it is our du-
ty to do so. The only way to make it unm-
portant is to defeat the advocates of dishon-
est money wherever they appear.
With purpose to condemn reputation and
imitation and all trucking upon the cur
rency question, the Republicans of Maine
make their fight. They believe that the sue
cess of the Ohio Democracy would be seri-
GUS and threatening evil. They believe that
every Democratic gain in Maine is an encour-
agement to the Democrats of Ohio With
that belief they are working to roll up a Re-
publican majority in this state so great that
it will be substantial aid to their brethren
in Ohio; and they call upon all the honest
advocates of honest money to assist them.
1t is folly and wickedness for the people of
Maine to give encouragement direct or indi-
rect to the Ohio madmen, and it must be
borne in mind that Democratic gain, no
matter how triding, will infuse new vigor in
to the Democratic party everywhere. The
Democratic successes in Maine lead to Dem
ocratic successes in Ohio, and Democratic
successes in Ohio lead to national bankrupt.
~ and dishonOr