Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-23
The So Called Liberal" Movement
LIN GanrRia

The So Called Liberal" Movement
In Georgia.
Il seems, according TO information
furnished by our special Washington
correspondent, that Mr. Arthur is by no
means so well satisfied as he was some.
time ago, that he can use the patronage
Of the Federal Government with the
same success in building up strong op-
position to the Democracy in Georgia,
as he did in Virginia during the last cam
paign. This disappointment of our
party building administration is not sur
prising, for the difficulties in Mr..
Arthur's way are numerous and obvious.
In the first place there is no founda-
ton in this State upon which such an
opposition can, at this time, rest. Under
Democratic rule the State has steadily
prospered and is prOsperlng. Our peo-
pie, of every class and race, are gusran-
teed in their political rights, and enjoy
to the utmost the blessings of liberty.
The affairs of the commonwealth have
been, and are, administered with the
stnctest regard to economy and justice,
and, in consequence, the State debt is
nominal, State taxes are light, and,
altogether, there is no commonwealth in
the Union whose condition is more salts
factory, in every respect, than is that of
Georgia. 1t is, then, certainly very
unreasonable to expect that the voters OF
the State will be willing to revoluuOnize
the government, take it from stewards
who have proven faithful to their trusts,
and turn it over to new hands merely
that certain dissatisfied persons may
hold Office. The interests of the com
munIty are too vitality interested in good
government to expect the public to give
up tried and true policy for a hazard
Gus experiment, for the benefit of few
individuals.
In the next place, it is simply hope
less experiment for Mr.. Arthur, or any
one else, to attempt to restore confidence
in the Republican party in Georgia so
long as he relies for 50 doing upon the
old Republican hacks, who have been
figuring as leaders of the party ever
since reconstruction. They are all too
intimately mixed UP with the horrors Of
those unhappy times ever to be again
received with favor by our people. In
the time Of our adversely they were
either active on the side of
our enemies, or they stood by and
consented to our spoliation and humili
alton with utter indifference and
complacency, and it is perfectly well
understood that, if it were in their pow
er, they would gladly remand the State
to the same condition to morrow. Here
again, 1t is the height of unreason
TO imagine that the voters of the State
could ever, under any circumstance, be
willing to fOrsake a party which has
shown itself to be personally interested
in the welfare of Georgia, and that it re
CARDS the prosperity of the State and the
happiness Of her people as its highest
aim and object, for party which, when
IN power, proved that it looked upol
the State only as subject of spoliation
and her people as their legitimate prey.
Again very serious obstacle in the
way of the successful contamination of
AIr. Arthur's plans in Georgia is the dis
sessions which at present exist in the
ranks of his own party. Just now it
seems that there are two factions of
Federal spoil hunters in our State, each
Of which is endeavoring to make itself
solid" with the administration in Wash
IngtOn at the expense of the other, while
the leaders and benefciaries of both are
evincing much more anxiety to rush of
10 the Federal capital and Fix things"
with the President than for proper dis
Charge'of their respective duties. Mr..
Arthur will. in all probability, therefore,
have to bestow more time and efforts in
future upon harmonizing his own pollti-
I S1t AAANAAS tAaA al tAAuS CASCs
For each and ali of these reasons-in
the soundness of which we are confident
every one must concur-it is evident
that Mr.. Arthur will have an up hill
/ task before him in endeavoring to build
up an administration party in Georgia in
opposition to the Democracy. The only
issue which can possibly be presented to
the people IN the formation Of any new
party. call it independent, Liberal,
anti Bourbon" or by whatever other
name be selected for it, must be
/ after all Republicanism VS.. Demo
cracy. Therefore, until the elements
which constitute the Republican party
IN this State are radically changed. and
( until the principles which underlie that
party are materially abandoned. no form
| Of opposition, under existing circum-
stances at least, can hope TO succeed.
| The people have been taught by the past
career of the Republicans themselves to
regard the Democratic as their home
party and the Republican as an alien
| organization. Until their minds are
thoroughly freed from this impression
they will steadfastly adhere to the old
time honored party. which has brought
them safely through all dangers and adj
versities threatened them by their politi
cal opponents.
5sGEORGIA AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
The proceedings Of the recent session of
this society. held in Augusta. will appear