New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-11
MAINE.

The Greenback party in Maine mas made
peace with the Democratic party as the lion
made peace with the lamb. They lie down
together, the lamb inside the lion. II is hardly
possible to believe that, after such demOraliza-
ton and dsintegratiOn as the loss of more
than half its entire vote eyinces, the Dem
ocratic party can be reconstructed and re-
stored to its old strength. The Greenback
fever is as real as the pestilence at the South.
The Democratic party, after fostering all sorts
of dishonest heresies, has the fever in its
worst form. Even in Maine, the most Eastern
New-England State, majority of all the Dem
ocratic voters have so fully adopted the repu-
dating and Communistic notions of the West
that they vote against their own party in order
to create one which shall definitely represent
their IDEAS Their course is not surprising.
The Democratic party Las palteTed with them
and cheated them on every financial issue,
pretending to be soft at the West and
"hard" at the East, until it has sacrificed
entirely the respect of sincere men
of either opinion. The Greenback party
is mainly a revolt against this double-dealing
and impudent insincerity. 1t reduces DemOc-
racy to the level of a third party in Maine,
and thus a retribution begins of which we
shall see very much more before long. East
ern leaders of the Democracy, who have in
suited public intelligence by pretending to be
jealous for honest money, while fostering and
trying to profit by every form of financial ras-
cality OF folly, will deserve no pity when they
are deserted with contempt, alike by sincere
regulators or Communists, who go to new
party, and by sincere believers in hard money
who must gather under the Republican stand
ard. Left as stranded wrecks upon the shore,
they will serve to remind men in the future
that naked and shameless hypocrisy does not
long succeed in gaming the support OF honest
or sensible voters.
The new party has not only virtually de-
stroyed the Democratic party in Maine; it has
caused the Republican party a serious reverse
For twenty-five years that party has not been
unable to elect its candidate for Governor of
Maine by a majority vote. Whatever may
prove to be the precise results this year. after the
smoke of the conflict has cleared away, it
is plain already that the unexpected strength
drawn by the Greenback party from Demo
cratic ranks has shaken the Republican hold
upon Maine more severely than it has been
shaken for many years by the Democracy.
1t does not yet appear that very consider
able number of voters were drawn froa Re-
publican ranks to the support of the Green
back ticket. Except in a Presidential year,
the Republican vote has hardly ever exceeded
about 10000, and it is estimated that 1t may
reach $1,000 this year. But the floating vote
which went largely with the new party, the
few thousand Republicans who have been
stricken by the Greenback fever, the Demo-
Gratis who promoted hard money defeat by
throwing away votes on candidates who could
not possibly be elected, and the COmmunistic
and repudiating Democrats, together outnum-
Der the Republican force, and defeat an cleo
ton of Governor by the people.
1t is q graver misfortune that the Re-
publicans lose a member Of Congress. At
a time when consequences of incalculable
importance may flow from a Demo
cratic success in the Congressional elections,
the loss Of even a single district in Maine is
to be greatly regretted. If it should prove
that Mr. Hale has been defeated also, the re-
greet would be the more keen because of his