Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-11-03
deserved tribute to the principles ii
aDplauded
The High-Toned Style Of Political Dis
cuRSion.

deserved tribute to the principles j
;. applauded.
The High-Toned Style Of Political Dis
Burlington Hawkeye.
"There is one thing," said Nj
Leatherby, as he was walking dow
town yesterday morning, "that dis
gusts me with politics, and that is tn
violent and abusive tone in whicl
our daily papers conduct the discus
sion of every issue and question up
on which they touch.''
"Indeed, you may be well disgust
ed at it," replied old Mr.. Bartholo
new, who had just joined him. 81
is as much as man can do to lift
newspaper off his doorstep with :
pair of tongs. Time and again
throw the paper down half read, ant
have seriously thought of stopEi ing
1T altogether, for consider its pres
ence In my family contamination.
st is, in truth" replied Mr.. Leath
erby. "It is worse than a contami
nation. 1t is corrupting; it has :
degrading, brutalizing influence tha
is, | am convinced, undermining the
foundations of our moral structure
The daily press of today is one great
engine of abuse, defamation, bad
grammar, worse language, and worse
morals"
II cannot see, for my part" said
Mr.. Bartholomew, "why men cannot
discuss politics as freely, as earnestly
and as entirely free from acrimoni-
Gus expressions and feeling, as pure
ly free from abusive language of any
kind, from any heat and anger, in
fact, as they could discuss the grade
Of street or the style of a coat"
"And so think H. said Mr.. Leath
erby. 81 cannot, for my part, con
ceive of an intellect so warped and
narrow, a mind so shallow, that ii
cannot carry on a discussion upon
any question in politics without fall
ing into the asperilies, vulgarity, abu.
sive detraction, and shameful slander
that is the reproach and disgrace of
the newspaper press"
cit is form of ldiocy, / believe
replied old Mr.. Bartholomew; sit is
an indication of feeble mind that
looks upon abuse as an argument and
bullying as logic. lam and always
have been a Republican, but l can
express my disapproval of many
Democratic measures in gentleman
ly manner, and If l had not mind
enough to keep my temper, would
consider that l had no right to talk
politics"
"You are perfectly correct" re-
piled Mr.. Leatherby, earnestly; and
while we disagree on some points in
political controversy, being 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"
81 had not noticed it so much in
the Ha'oheye," replied Mr.. Bartholo-
new, with show of awakening in
terest in the conversation, "but when
that trashy Democratic sheet that
pollutes the evening air is brought
to me by my neighbor, an ignorant
dolt wha can neither read nor write,
but takes the paper as party duty,
to read for him, l am amazed that the
gods of truth and decency do not an
initiate the Infamous, puerile sheet
with their thunderbolts.
"You must bear in mind, howev-
er," rejoined Mr.. Leatherby, speaking
trife louder than was necessary in
addressing companion whose hand
was resting on his arm, "the Ga
zette has such a tide of corruption,
such an avalanche of political bigot-
ry and villainy to rebuke, that its
voice must be raised in order to be
heard, and it must speak boldly, def
antly, and in the thunder tones of
righteous denunciation to startle the
people into a realizing sense of the
peril which threatens the country
from Republican misrule and tyran-
N.Y.
"By George ~ shouted Mr.. Barthol-
omew, "the Republican party is the
last, the only bulwark between the
Republic and eternal ruin. tell
you, sir, once let the Democratic
party obtain control of this Govern
mcnt, once let the infamous organiza-
ton of political thieves, knucks, out
laws and castaways take charge of
our political machinery, and we will
find ourselves in the hands of a horde
of the most abandoned profigates,
the most utterly unprinciplcd, the
most vicious, delnoralized, uncon-
scionabIe, diabolical set OF scoundrels
that ever cheated the gallows!'
"By the long horned spoon! !" roar
ed Mr.. Leatherby, jerking his arm
away from Mr.. Bartholomew's hand,
eft the satanic and internal plans of
the Republican party were carried
out, with all their attendant knavcry
and debauchery, this Government
would be rule of branded malefac-
tors and convicts, a Government of
felons, a penal colony in which the
most hopelessly irreclaimable, grace
less villains would administer the
law. The bad faith of the Republi-
can party, its ignominious record, its
vicious tendencies, have shocked the
Christian world, and"
"You're liar!" yelled Mr.. Bar
tholomew," and you're just like the
rest of your besotted, ignorant, low
lived class low, mean, pititul,
beggarly, unscrupulous and treacher-
GUS set, whose impudence in asking
for the votes of honorable men is on
ly equaled by your rapacious and un-
bridled greed for office, your"
"You are an old tool!" howled Mr..
Leatherby, ga censorious, scurrilous,
toul tongucd old reprobate, and |
disgrace my name when l talk with