The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-04-15
PARTISAN PORRIDGE.


The political cauldron is now simmer
ing at lively rate, and in a short time
will be boiling furiously. At this writ
ing, the fires are burning briskly, with
a fair prospect Of a yet iercer heat in
the near future. The Democratic party,
which is chiefly famous for never hav-
ing a new idea OF its own and always
being ready to oppose new issues
in other parties, has followed the time
honored precedent established by its
founders, and led of in the business Of
bellows-blowing and heated its furnaces
in advance Of the esloWer-burning Repub-
lican fires. The broth it has prepared
as a political stew for the sustenance Of
certain regulars" is a hotch-poich Of
irreconcilable incongruities. Various
members Of the party have already
tasted the simmering mixture and con-
signed it in advance to-Salt River
Poor P. P. Prim, whose nomination for
Supreme Judge is regarded as a cruel
sarcasm by those who know him best,
was placed in the kettle to attract the
floating scum from other Ingredients.
It is the intention of the cooks to skim
him of as froth after he has boiled a.
while. Jas. X. Kelly was added as a
weight to hold the mess down. Nobody
expects him to be cooked to tenderness
any more than any other old bone that
has lost its substance by repeated boil
ing. Quite a number Of iirst-class men
have been added as body to the broth ;
but they were only chosen to give the
stew q certain relish, which viii be
counteracted by the fetid odOr OF other
politicians who have been dead so long
that the prospect Of their Tesuscitation
is dolefully doubtful. The Democracy
has mixed its broth with some culinary
acumen. But the "now yeu taste it aud
now you don'ri is an especial and con-
spicuous Ingredient in the fiavoriug.
How many Of the members Of the aris-
tOcracy Of sex there may be in the party
who will eat the compound whole, and
without protest, remains to be seen; but
that they will eat it, protest or no pro-
test, no matter how prepared or by
whom, is as certain as that they have
always done so on similar occasions IN
the past; and we opine they always viii
until they progress far enough as a
party to accept a new issue before they
are whipped into It by bullets and bay
onets.
The Greenbackers are too few in NUM-
Der, as yet, to make much Of a stir over
their political broth, though, from the
advance taste some OF our friends have
had Of it, We think they like the mix
ture pretty well-as far as it has got
But we fear that it is destined TO re.
main uuderdone for yet another season
The Republicans are hard at WORK
with their bellows, and the furnace viii
soon be in full blast. What sort o.
broth Will be eventually mixed by
those who have voluntarily assumed
charge Of the cuisine, it is hardly posi-
bic to guess at present. There is already
some complaint among the would-b'
engineers that they have not had Z
hand at the bellows. which gives u.
some alarm lest they viii not agree a.
to the contents Of the stew; but th,
cooks profess TO know their business
and we leave the hotch-potch in thei
hands for yet another week, and com
placenuy watch the simmeriug caul
dron TO see whether or not the wOmel
may be allowed 10 smell the brotl
which they are not permitted to eat