Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-05
The Fusion Ticket and National
Issues.

The Fusion Ticket and National
Issues.
This year there are national as well as
State issues involved in our September
election. Last year the fusionists claimed
that only State issues were involved and
therefore there was no inconsistency in
the fusion of hard money democrats and
simon pure greenbackers in support OF the
same ticket. Now that national issues are
coming into the State election, what are
hard money democrats and soft money
democrats going to do about it when they
come to cast their votes in September
For example, the national greenback
platform puts forward as the supreme is
sue in the campaign the greenback doc
trine OF an unlimited supply of paper
promises to pay without convertibility ip
to coin; the democratic national platform,
on the contrary, declares for ''honest
money, consisting of gold and silver
''and paper, convertible into coin on de-
"demand." Here are principles diametri
cally opposed. And they are not princi-
pies Of minor importance, but such as
parties have divided upon ever since the
government was formed.
Now how are conscientious democrats,
whose creed is honest money, going to
justify themselves in voting for Fogg,
Murch, or Ladd, or any other greenback-
er that may be nominated for Congress,
when il such greenback candidates are
elected they will exercise direct in
fuence in Congress in favor of their soft
money theories3 If there were no Con-
gressmen to be elected the argument of
last year-that national principles were
not involved in the election-might.
though fallacious, have some weight.
But whoever votes to send Fogg or Ladd
or Murch to Congress votes to send green
back principles there and to support them
for at least two years from the fourth OF
March next. so far as the votes and
ability of such men can sustain them.
The hard money democrat who votes to
do this will vote squarely against the dem
ocratic national platform adopted at Gin
cinnati. He will vote for creenback
platform just as much rs the widest dis
ciple of greenbackism. So, on the other
hand, II greenbackers support democrats
for Congress, they just as much sustain
the principles of. the democratic party as
do the shotgun assassins of the South
We have no admiration for Scion Chase.
but on this matter of fusion he is among
the most level headed men in his party.
Fusion between parties of like. principles
mag be intrinsically right and judicious.
Fusion attempted between parties of OPP
posite principles is a lie and cheat. is i'm
polite always, even in off-year elections,
for we have no elections whatever in
which national politics are not involved;
fusion in an off-year is sure to bring con-
fusion to the party that tries it when con-
gressional elections are on hand. No
intelligent man is deceived when soft
money men and hard money men cast
aside their principles and rush into one
another's arms on convention day just for
the sake of securing a few offices, and if
he is honest he will manifest his disgust
at such unprincipled proceedings and stay
ut home or vote against the unholy coali-
ton, as many democrats and greenbaek
ers did last year in this State. Better for
. party to stand by its principles if they
are sound. at the expense of temporary
defeat, and thus preserve its own respect
and the confidence of the people than to
seek present success by the sacrifice of
principle. The history of the democratic
party has been one of contemplate tricks,
subterfnges and cheats to get into power
See it now. after its long and bitter oppo-
sition to the men who fought to save the
Union. taking one of those men for its
candidate for President and trying to
elect him by hurrah for his military
proves! The party has lost the conf
dence of the voters by its miserably dis
honest course and until it reforms itself it
will never be trusted with power in this
country.
There are rumors and signs of formida-
BILE revolt among the members of both the
greenback and democratic parties against
running fusion tickets this year. but that is
their own concern. The republicans will
70 into the fight with their own platform.
without entangling alliances, with candi-