Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-08-30
From the New York Tribune.
Suggestions for Maine Green.
hackers.

From the New York Tribune.
Suggestions for Maine Green
hackers.
To see ourselves as others see us-how
difficult it is, at times. If the honest green
back voters in Maine could only see them
selves, just now, precisely as they appear to
sensible men of both parties elsewhere, there
would be slender vote for the fusion ticket
next month. If they could realize the won
der of men who used to stand with them for
the Union cause in trying times, if they
could hear the chuckling of old-fashioned
Copperheads and unrepentant rebels-who
are still fighting, with Wade Hampton, for
''the cause for which Lee and Jackson fought
four years"-there would surely be fewer
votes IN Maine to please the Solid South
next month. Too few to please them there
doubtless will be. But not vote would be
cast this year, by any Union man in Maine,
against the republican ticket, if he could see
himself as others see him.
There was time when the greenback vot-
er in Maine could feel that he was fighting
on the skirmish line for new party, pos
sibly destined to be victorious. His beliefs,
we think, were mistaken. But there were
thousands of voters there who held their be-
liefs honestly, and strove for them hopefully.
How is it now? Democracy has completely
extinguishei that party at the South, not by
,vnnl1 trx-t 10
it, but by force and fraud. Alabama tells
the story. So long as there is only one par
ty tolerated at the South, there will never
be two parties opposing it at the North 10y
speech are not going to cut each others
throats, while the defenders of slavery
and rebellion look on and laugh,
and win. That thing will not happen.
Until new party can get a decent
hearing and an honest count at the Soath,
there can be no new party. Cannot the
greenback voter see, as everybody else sees.
that the false counting, which buries green
back arguments in the Solid South, also
warns the loyal, peace-loving and freedom
loving voters of the North to look out for
themselves?
There was time, too, when the greenback
voter in Maine might feel that hard times
needed some remedy, which new party only
could apply. We thought the republican
policy would bring relief and prosperity and
the result speaks for itself. But the sincere
believer in greenback ideas. who felt that he
must do what he could to set the country
right inadcially, no matter what else was
sacrificed. deserved respect for his devotion
to sincere belief What can he contend
for now? Greater prosperity is here than the
country has ever before seem The land
laughs with the grandest harvest ever
known. There are three places vacant and
waiting. with good wages, for every capable
man whe is willing to work. Said the agent
of a manufacturer not many days ago: "If
we had not hurried up the making of
''reapers this year. 30. DOC, 900 bushels of this
''wheat crop would never have been saved
On Saturday, capable writer publicly
urged that the cotton crop saved in 1880
would not reach 5000. 600 bales only because
it was physically impossible for the laborers
obtainable to gather it all. So it is all over
the country; barns are bursting with pros.
perity; factories are running full time and
the workman knows that, without any new
plans, or an, harsh Overturning of financial
methods and pledges. glorious prosperity
is here. Is it necessary for the greenback
voter to risk either that prosperity, or the
maintenance of the country in loval hands,
in order to push his new ideas this wear?
There vas dissatisfaction with the republi
can party. Men were told and believed. that
it was getting frightfully corrupt. Events
have shown that they were mistaken. After
democrats have gone about four years, armed
by Congressional committees with drag nets.
and shovels, and probes, and microscopes, to
hunt up every rotten thing discoverable the
net result is that democrats themselves ac-
knowledge that the present administration is
the cleanest the country has seen for many
years. But, as to the possibility of democrat
ic reform, let those official records answer
which set forth the infames and scoundrel-
isms. the big thefts and little thefts. of Gar.
celon's party in Maine.
The outside world cannot see ANYTHING he
rnic, or patriotic, or noble, in the adhesion of
the grecnback voter of Maine to the fag end
of the Garcelon swindle. No new party can
be built up by voters who begin BY being
swallowed. No financial revolution can be
promoted by putting democratic tricksters
into power. No reform can be helped by re.
warding and hOnoring swindlers. The green
back voter of Maine has been tricked into a
position hopeless, discreditable, and ridieu
lous. The democratic party, loaded with its
sins and shames. is bad enough, but to volun-
teer as the tail of the democratic party, That
is not the place for any man who ever cheered
for loyal victory.
The Argus Of yesterday devotes a half