The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-10-08
HI the Union was worth fighting for il is
worth paying for.
Getting off the Fence.


nary capacity for making blunders, capacity
which long indulgence in that expensive
amusement has abnormally developed. Dur
ing the war and for some years after, they
committed mistakes that would kill anything
with less vitality than that possessed by the
Democratic party and cats. In fact in 1861
the brains of the leadership went either into
the Rebellion or over to the Union party.
There was left small knot of incapables who
"reigned-but did not govern"-by virtue of
their position. They stoodin the line of promo
ton, but would have grown grey-haired as
subalterns had their leaders remained in the
service. As it was they were left in the front
they would never have stepped there-be.
cause the front line had disappeared. An
Arab proVerb says SIN the land of the blind
the one-eyed is king"
These men who were neither born to nor
achieved leadership but had it thrust upon
them, developed no capacity except capaci.
ty for blundering. They led the party to de-
feat after defeat. 1t was not until the South
erners, who carried the brains of the organi.
zation about on their shoulders, returned, and
new men, energetic, ambitious, and unbur-
dened with the load of old mistakes, began to
push to the front, that wiser methods were
adopted. Then, fortunately for the Democ-
racy, the Republican leaders, made careless
by long lease Of power or entertaining hon.
est differences Of opinion as to the course the
party should adopt, began to quarrel. The
result was the Democrats came near carrying
the country, for they were united and their
opponents divided.
But 1t would appear now that the old bad
policy is once more in favor, for the leaders
are committing another hlunder. They are
endeavo:ing to avoid taking a position upon
the most important issue before the country,
the issue of which all people except them
selves-are talking. They have done all in
their power to put the Democratic party "on
the fence' as regards the financial question,
to put that question by as of little moment
in comparison with many others. The re-
suits of the attempt are already seen. A
fence is altogether too narrow platform for
political organization of any considerable
magnitude. Trimmers, like some other ig-
noble things, serve useful purpose. But they
never constitute great party. The majori-
ty Of men have strong convictions, right or
wrong, and act upon them. There is no
political power, not even the mighty and
cohesive power of public plunder", that can
prevent the majority of Democrats from TAX
ing decided position upon the question that
engrosses the attention of the entire country.
They will not stay upon the fence. They
are continually dropping off on one side or the
other most of them on the Greenback side
we regret to say. Soon none bat the leaders
will be left straddling that top-rail. They
can stay there as long as they please, and
call themselves straight Democrats" or
whatever else they like, but the name will
not make the position easier or more digni-
fed. Some of them already see the inevita.
BILE and, like Mr.. Tarbox of Mass achusetts,
try to drop on both sides at once-and as a
consequence are cleft from haunch-bone to
skull. Bat for the most part the leaders
cling to their perch and comfort themselves
down will soon be climbing up again.
There they mistake. There is going to be
great deal Of dropping and mighty little
climbing for the next year or two. Most of
the Democrats will shortly be found either
in the hard or the soft money camp. They
will not be found standing out in the rain.
Those who believe that the Democrats, for
example, who voted the Greenback ticket
in Maine this fall, will return to the Demo
Gratis next year, are deceived. The Demo-
cratic voters who acted with the Nationals
will, for the most part, remain with that Or
ganization. And by-and-by we shall see
many of the leaders, firing of their uncom-
Portable perch, get down and meander to the
newp party. They will not take straight line.
They are not used to direct way of doing
things.
For those Democrats who detest the
Greenback heresy there is but one course to
pursue. They must go into the hard.money
party whatever its name. They must be
guided by the spirit of the maxim that the
soft-money men have adopted as rallying
cry:-Let those who think alike act together.
And the sooner they do this the better-for
their hesitation will but give strength to the
hosts of dishonor and repudlation, and per-
haps make their support of a sound financial
system of but little use because too late.