Daily Kennebec journal., 1876-09-30
From Harper's Weekly
Distrust of Democracy.

The elections in Vermont and Maine
show how slowly public opinion changes
upon matters of vital importance. They
show, also, that in time and country
where there is multitude of newspapers
constantly discussing public affairs. there
is often general newspaper opinion which
is very different from the public sentiment
which it seems to represent. The writers
for the press generalize, theorize, dilate
upon single and Objectionable points.
''touch the raw" Of the adversary, and
prove by an appearance Of logic that he
ought to be discountenanced and defeated
When these writer's tell us what the issues
are, they announce what they think they
should be. But the great popular mind,
tae mass of voters who do not read all the
papers from every part of the country
every day. but who read, generally. each
individual. one or two papers only. do not
dispose of questions and feelings and con-
victlons and associations quite so readily.
1t is probable that the editorial habit OF
necessarily writing upon all subjects gives
even the most important kind of unreal
ity, as the physician constantly confronted
with disease and death can not regard the
sufferer with that acute sympathy which
his friends and kindred feel
Maine and Vermont remind US that the
editors who have persistenily asserted that
the war and IFS issues have been out grown
by the public mind, and that nothing but
reform is now demanded, have been mis-
taken. The grave mind of great nation
can not pass SO easily from contest so
tremendous and prolonged. |: has its to-
kens still in too many homes and hearts.
And the dead boy in Georgia, or the wreck
Of a brother in New England is a more
powerful argument than all the orators
can urge. The effort of those who would
see with complaceucy the return of the
democratic party to deride this feeling as
a bloody shirt sentiment, recoils upon
those who make it. The bloody shit is
the symbol Of the survival of the spirit Of
Andersonyile. FOR who made it bloody ?
We are far from arguing that the cam
paign should be rested upon that appeal
and remembrance, and, as we say else
where, we have no sympathy with any
wanton revival of bitterness of feeling.
Every honest and wise and patriotic Amer
lean will heartily despise the spirit which
would send Butler 10 Congress "to stir
up the rebels" 1t is impossible to imag-
inc a decent Englishman voting for a
member Of Parliament to stir up the Irish.
And we hope that it is not necessary to
admit that on such a point Englishmen
are our superiors.
But the existence OF this deep and natu-
RAJ feeling can not be wisely neglected.
To infame il and to denounce it are equal
ly foolish. 1t is to he recognized and
turned TO good account. Contemned often
in the best newspapers, it is one of the
strong forces of our politics. The dis
trust OF the democratic party, of which so
much is said. is but another form of the
feeling that those who sought to destroy
the government. ought not to control it.
This is the explanation of the Maine and
Vermont elections. 1t is not that plausi-
BILE arguments can not be presented in the
newspapers and on the stump for the dem.
ocratic side, nor that republicans can APP
prove or justify everything that has been
done In their name, but that there is moth
Ing in the present conduct or position OF
the democratic party which authorizes a
reasonable expectation that it could or
would deal with the exigencies Of the time
So wisely and atrictically as the republi-
cans under Hayes.