Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-11-02
POLITICAL DISCUSSION.

tuCc LILO administration.
POLITICAL DISCUSSION.
The High. Toned Iowa Style.
burlington Hawkeye.l
There is one thing" said Mr.
Leatherby, as he was walking down
town yesterday morning, that dis
gusts me with politics. and that is
the violent and abusive tone in
which our daily papers conduct the
discussion Of every question which
they touch upon"
Indeed, you may well be disgust
ed at it, replied old Mr.. Bartholo-
new, who had just joined him. 1T
is as much as a man can do to lift a
newspaper of his doorstep with a
pair Of tongs. Time and again /
throw the paper down half read, and
/ have seriously thought Of stopping
1t altogether, for I consider its pres
ence in my family q contamination.
at is, in truth. replied Mr.. Leath-
erby. 1T is worse than a contami-
nation. 1t is eorrupting; it has de-
grading, brutalizing influence that is,
I am convinced, undermining the
foundations of our moral structure.
The daily press Of to-day is one
great engine OF abuse, defamation,
bad grammar, worse language, and
worse morals"
Il cannot see, for my part" said
Mr.. Bartholomew, why men cannot
discuss politics as freely, as earnest
ly. and as entirely free from acrimo-
nious expressions and feeling, as
purely free from abusive language OF
any kind, from any heat and anger,
in fact, as they could discuss the
grade Of a street or the style of a
coat"
And so think" said Mr.. Leather
by. Il cannot for my part conceive
of an intellect so warped ani narrow.
a mind so shallow, that it cannot
carry on a discussion, upon any
question in politics without falling
into the asperities, vulgarity, abusive
detraction, and shameful slander
that Is the reproach and disgrace Of
the newspaper press" 500 sm
at is a form of idiocy, believe"
replied Mr.. Bartholomew; ~it is an
indication of a feeble mind that looks
upon abuse as an argument and bull
lying as logic. am and always have
been a Republican, but 1 can express
my disapproval Of many Democratic
measures in gentlemanly manner,
and II had not mind enough to keep
my temper 1 would consider that 1
had no right to talk politics"
"You are perfectly correct re-
piled Mr.. Leatherby, earnestly; "and
We disagree on some points in politi-
cal controversy, I being a life long
Democrat, yet we can freely and
with mutual pleasure, and, trust,
profit, meet and discuss our differ
ences In friendly way, without Civ.
ing way to the insane and detestable
exhibition OF temper, ignorance, and
prejudice which marks the tone OF
the morning paper
II had not noticed It so much in
the Ha,okeye," replied Mr.. Bartholo-
new, with a show OF awakening in
Serest In the conversation, "but when
that trashy Democratic sheet that
pollutes the evening air Is brought to
me by my neighbor, an ignorant dolt
who can neither read nor write, but
takes the paper as a party duty, to
read for him, / am amazed that the
gods OF truth and decency do not an
nihilate the Infamous, puerile sheet
with their thunderbolts."
4Ou DChA III uOWSNCTy
rejoined Mr.. Leatherby, speaking a
trifie louder than was necessary in
addressing a companion whose hand
was resting on his arm. "the Gazette
has such a tide Of corruption, such
an avalanche OF political bigotry and
villainy to rebuke, that its voice must
be raised in order to be heard, and it
must speak boldly, defantly, and In
the thunder tones Of righteous de-
nunciation to startle the people into
realizing sense Of the peril which
threatens the country from Republi-
can misrule and tyranny"
~By Georgel" shouted Mr.. Bar
tholomew, "the Republican party is
the last, the only bulwark between
the republic and eternal ruin. 1 tell
you. sir, once let the Democratic
party obtain control OF this govern
ment, once let the Infamous organi-
zation OF political thieves, knucks,
outlaws, and castaways take charge
Of our political machinery, and we
will find ourselves in the hands OF a
horde of the most abandoned profit
gates, the most utterly unprincipled,
the most vicious, demoralized, un-
considerable, diabolical set of scoun-
drels that ever cheated the gallows."
"By the long horned spoonl"
roared Mr.. Leatherby, jerking his
arm away from Mr.. Bartholomew
hand, "if the satanic and Internal
plans Of the Republican party were