Morning journal and courier., 1880-09-21
FOR Yf1TERs WHa THINR

It is @ fact of weighty significance that in the present campaign the independent voters and the independent press are almost unani- mously in favor of the success of the Repub- Hean party. These voters and these papers are seeking and advocating that which is best in politics and government They have care fully looked the field over and find nothing to encourage them in the principles and practice of the Democratic party. They find that that party has not changed, notwithstanding all it's fine talk, and that it is still revolutionary and reactionary. The Republican party, on the other hand, is not just what they would have it, or just what it ought to be; but when they compare it with the Democratic party it's immeasurable superiority is at once apparent. They therefore turn to the Republican party as the party from which they have most to hope, and they are now heartily at work for Republican success. Such support speaks we'll for the party that has it, for it is intelli- gent and conscientious support.
 We have been moved to these remarks by the notable address issued by the executive committee of the Independent Republican Association of New York. This address gives the reasons why the Independents will vote for Garfield and Arthur, and it is, at the same time, one of the most effective cam paign documents that has been published. The important part of it is as follows:
 The attitude of the Democratic party is wholly negative. Its utterances, together with the use of it's majority power in Con- gress, prove it's incapacity to interest itself in any political or economic question Its can dldates letter of acceptance deals only with propositions which are universally accepted and IS, therefore, meaningless and irrelevant 1t urges change, merely for the sake of change. But while the government is re- specially administered, it is a prerequisite for change that the opposition should have an honest, positive, and intelligible policy.
 The Democratic party has no such policy The abuses upon which it dwells occurred many years ago, and have for the most part ceased to exist
 There is no hope that Democrats would recommend and undertake the legislation needed to reform the civil service The spoils system is 8 Democratic invention, and the hope of spoil is the stimulus of the Dem- ocratic campaign. On the other hand, the present Administration has begun wholesome reforms in the civil service. General Garfield has repeatedly advocated such reforms, and the Chicago platform marks a long step for ward in this direction, and is for the first time so explicit as either to insure legislation or to justify the defeat of Republican Con- gressmen opposing it.
 Under Republican auspices specie payments were resumed and a large reduction of the principal and interest of the public debt eff fected. Most of the opposition to these measures and most of the dishonest financial schemes in Congress have emanated from the Democracy. Even it's hereditary doctrine of free trade has so little hold upon that party that, after five years of congressional power, hoo1 oEk %u,~Tff raF@ e,%s Tx has only half accepted the constitutional amendments, and has refused legislation de- manded ythem. Within year some of it's leaders proposed to nulify a law which the Supreme Court had upheld because it con- ficted with their ante-bellum notions of the Consultation There is, moreover, danger lest the election of Gen. Hancock should be so interpreted as to obscure the fact that the war ended in 8 conquest, not compromise
 We recognize the dilemma in which the South is placed by the introduction of a new political element, composed mainly of the ignorant and the indigent, but we find, in the manner in which that dilemma has been met, evidences of the survival, in those communi- ties which still control the Democratic party, of the ideas and habits nourished by slavery, in the just abhorrence of which the Republi- can party had it's birth, and finds necessity for it's continued existence.
 General Hancock is gallant soldier and ans uouSSI, IOytA but III utH6SS IOT tI0 Presidency of the United States he cannot be compared to his competitor He possesses neither civil training nor experience. His character and purposes are no purer than those of General Grant, his capacity is less, and neither the experience of the country, nor his own history or surroundings, afford any reason for supposing that his admins tration would be even as successful as that of General Grant.
 < We have examined all the charges against Gen. Garfield, and we find in, the language applied by Senator Thurman to one of them, that there is mot sufficient evidence to fasten corruption at his door," and that none of them are so substantiated as to offset long, honorable, faithful, and conspicuo1sly useful public career, during which he has command ed the respect and confidence of his political opponents who know him best, and has occu- pied positions where dishonest might have made fortunes, while it is notorious that Gen. Garfield is and always has been compar- atiyely poor man.
 In conclusion, we believe the friends of good government have more to hope for from the Republicans than from the Demo- crats; that General Garfield would make better President than General Hancock and that it would be unwise in any case to trust a party while 1t is still uncertain of it's own policy or convictions.
 This address should be given as wide circu- lation as possible It is able calm, conscien- tious and convincing-a credit to it's writer or writers, and credit to the party in whose