Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-18

house politician, and the same spirit ap-
pears in the press and in local rat'1cation
meetings of other cities. In view OF these
manifestations, the democrats are some
what disposed to sheer at the sincerity OF
Reform Republicans. The democratic
record supplies the sufficient answer.
For three years the democratic party
has taken pains to make it understood that
Liberal or Independent aid was not want
ed. In Ohio. Pennsylvania, and other
large States, it became the party OF iniia-
lion and reputation. For time, hard
money democrats in other States protest
ed and opposed. But more than two-thifos
of the members of the democratic party
in the House have repeatedly committed
themselves to these false and dangerous
notions during the present session. Inc
opposition of hard-money men has stead
lily weakened Mr.. Cox of this State
consents to offer a bill for the repeal OF the
Resumption act. Even Belmont, accord
ing to recent utterances, counsels mar
monv and Cancellation" through an aban-
donment of the pledge of resumption. In
every quarter the obvious tendency IN
that party is to surrender the most treas
ured traditions of the party, and to repu-
date the most solemn pledges of the
public faith, in order to keep the party
whole. To liberals and Independents this
disposition is far more offensive than any
personal affront. They were patriotic
enough to support party OF sound prln-
ciples. caring little whether it treated
them well or i'll. They are much too pa
trotic to support party OF reputation.
When the democrats gained power, 1t
was by pledges of practical reform. But
no sooner had the party offices to give
than the dismissal of tried and valuable
public servants began. to make room Tor
incompetent hacks. We all know how
the offices about the House of Represen-
tatives have been filed. Even democrats
have looked upon the spectacle with NOR
titication. In legislation there has been
great delay. persistent sacrifice OF public
interest to partisanship. gross incompe-
ttnce, and most dscreditable indifference
to pledges. Retrenchment was promised
and weeks have been spent in capacious
wrangling about contemplate triiies while
millions were thrown away by the River
and Harbor bill, passed without examina-
ton or debate, and a sum variously esti-
mated from fifty to three hundred mil
lions was voted away, so far as the House
has the power, in the Bounty bill. These
things contrast sharply with the pretend
ed zeal for economy which leads the
House to cripple important branches of
the public service by inadequate appro-
priations. Empty professions do not sat
isfy intelligent Independents. They have
been led to conclude that there is quite as
much of insincerity and demagogism,
quite as much readiness to sacrifice pub
lie service for the reward Of party hacks
and the promotion Of party success, in
the democratic as in the republican or
ganization,
Once for all, let it be understood that
the profound distrust of the democratic
party, which now prompts liberals and
independents TO embrace with pleasure
the opportunity of supporting good re-
publican ticket, is the result of democrat
ic misconduct. Men feel that it is not
possible to trust party which, placed on
trial during the winter preceding Pres
idential campaign, has behaved SO badly
Its promises of retrenchment and reform,
tested by its acts, seem nsincere. Its
professed readiness to 'let bygones
be by-sones" is disproved by the per-
sistent selection, in place of the
ab,est and purest independents. OF
men whose chief virtue is that they
did not oppose rebellion. Its ten
dency toward Reputation is such as to
alarm every man who cares for the pub
lie honor.