The Portland daily press., 1882-08-23
rRanrnr Whip.l
Bangor Wmg.l
Candidates Representing Principle.

Candidates Representing Efluclpl0.
Every intelligent citizen is capable of deter
mining for himself whether the national policy
prevailing for the last twenty years has promot-
ed the welfare of this countr Individual cases
of suffering and rare instances of disaster do
not count in considering the greatest good for
the greatest number; but, as whole, he must
inonire whether the people have prospered
and are prospecting better or worse than Tor
merlv. or better or worse than the people of
other countries, under different poilcles. Ii
during those twenty years the progress OF the
country has been unprecedented, and edaca-
ton has kept pace with national advancement,
madness ONLY could demand change OF policy,
and the deter nination of this question may be
safely left to a people who will take time to
consider it canddly.
But measures are impotent without men 10
renresent and enforce them. 1t is fair, there
fore. TO consider with equal care and candor
tho qualifications of those who ask to be en-
trusted with the administration of given
nolicv. The issue is fairly made up in this
State, and on the Republican side stand men
who, in character, education and aplhty falrly
represent the policy which has brought this
country through the ordeal OF disastrous war and
financial disc edit, to Hourlsh1ng peace ana
| financial stability, which are the wonder OF the
world. They are all too we'll known to require
| more than passing mention. Frederick no
| bic for Governor IS one of the best informed
| men in the State upon public affairs. he mas
| held numerous offices and trusts, all OF winch
| have been administered with ability and tideli-
| ty. His private character is above reproach,
| and in public he commands the respect OF all
| for his dignifed and manly bearing Iho
| Republican candidates for Congress are equally
commendable as representatives OF tne natlonai
| nolicv and as men capable OF sustaining it In
anv forum. Thomas b. Reed has national
reputation to which his legal ability and his
| parliamentary tact fairly entitle him, and IN
the next Congress he will be Leading candi-
date fer Speaker. Nelson Dingley, Jr., IN the
short time he has served in Congress has
shown an aptitude for legislation which prom
Uses admirably for his future career. Charles
A. Boutells is well known throughout the
otat0 and far beyond it as an able and agrees
sive exponent of Republican principles, wrI-
ter and speaker of great merit, lover OF JUS
tice and fearless in its maintenance, and capa-
BILE of well representing any constituency IN
Congress. Seth l.. Milliken is also well known
as a political debater of extraordinary elo-
quence, possessing information OF commercial
affairs and knowledge of commercial law
which will ensure the State valuable service
in the House of Representatives. Although
not candidate for popular ballots to succeed
himself as Senator, it IS well known that
| VIZ. P. Frye will be returned by Republi-
can Legislature, and those who vote for Re
publican Representatives will be voting di-
rectly for him. His character needs no new
adornment and his public services are guar
antee of future usefulness.
Such are the admirable candidates whom
the voters of this State are asked to honor with
their suffrages, and honoring whom they will
also honor the State they are to serve, What
is the alternative? A set of candidates with
policies as varied as they are numerous and
whose principles are an unknown quantity.
That is weak cause which relies for success
upon the abuse OF personal character IN Its an
tagonists, and, happily, we do not have to re-
resort to that method But it is fair to consid-
| er the public acts and reputation of candidates
and thus we propose to weigh the Fusion tick
ct. Governor Plaisted represents no policy
large enough to shape the course OF State, by
his own confession; and yet he is understood to
be not only candidate for Governor, but for
| United States Senator also. Six years ago,
Plaisted was a member of Congress, professed-
ly radical Republican. He was refused re-
| nomination, and thsnceforward he was quail l.
| flied Republican, dependent for fixed political
| ideas upon coveted nomination for Governor.
His desire was not gratifed. and thencefor-
ward he was anything but Republican. we
merely remark this zg-zag course in order to
emphasize the fact thai his political character
alone is not sufficient to take the place of polio
ical principles or policy, of which his incoher-
ent personal supporters are forced to confess he
is also devoid. Messrs. Ladd and Mureh have
been members of Congress since 1879, and We
may well submit to the decision of their own
constituents whether they have done anything
to entitle them to further consideration. Meth
er of them is capable of making logical argu-
! ment upon the floor of the House; neither has
| any influence in committees; and neither has
| attended to his duties as Representative
should. Mr.. Thing, another Fusion candidate
went out of the Republican party two years ago
| in huff because the Republicans failed to ap-
preciate his limited talents, and his value in
| any sense remains to be developed. Mr. Dane
| is the only one who has an established political
character, and that comes from his Presidency
| of q National Bapk,-that institution which SO
maddens his companions ON the ticket.
| No comparison can be made between these
| two tickets, enc of which will be elected to re-
present the political opinion of Maine. 1t is
humiliating to reflect that serious contest can
be waged against the unexceptionably good
candidates the Republicans have presented, by
ee 9t tAa E8Ha6nst
with high order of ability, aud established
political principle. The second are neutral.
tinted in character as a whole, and make nc
pretence of defnable principle. The rafting
of tin pans and the hurting of epithets which
constitute the Fusion plan of campaign cannot
alive merits of these two sets of candidates, and
the men who stand for the public credit and
industrial prosperity, as well as for private
character in the service of the State, cannot
fail to outweigh in the popular estimate the
array of empty pretensions on the other side.