The Portland daily press., 1882-09-16
rHE PRESS.
SATURDAY MORNING. SEPT. 1e.
Foul Birds.

Twenty-four hours is the generally accep-
ted time allowed defeated litigants wherein
70 curse the jury, The jury being large
one and the verdict tremendous, the Fusion
lists should perhaps be allowed somewhat
longer time for objurgation. But some of
their newspapers are altogether overriding
the thing. The wild cries of Fraud
Money" 'Bulldozng'' and the like might
be condoned ON the morning after election
and perhaps for one or two days more; but
calmness, reason, and decency should arrive
after these two or three days. The Argus
as late as yesterday morning repeats the al
legation that voters were bribed to vote the
Republican ticket. Such charges have come
to be disgustingly frequent on the part of
the Democrats who are always advertising
their people for sale. 1t is quite possible
as they themselves say that Democrats are
willing 10 sell their votes, but it is equally
certain that the Republicans have neither
the necessity nor the disposition to buy
them. The charges have been denied over
and over again and proof challenged, which
is never forthcoming; yet the allegations are
still made with an impudent assurance
which would be amusing were there net
some serious consequences resulting from
them. People outside the State, and some
inside who are not in position to know the
facts, are mised by this persistent iteration
and the fair fame of Maine suffers accord
ingly.
1t is this which makes it worth
while to notice these ratings. It
Is quite true that the Republicans had
occasion to use money to a considerable ex-
tent IN the last election; and it is equally
true that this money was used in a strictly
legitimate manner We had an organization
of the party such as was never before effect
ed and the necessary expenses of clerk hire
messengers, travelling expenses, stationery
and printing were large. The expense of
public meetings is considerable. Voters
assisted in whole or in part to come home to
election absorba large sum, and the expense
OF getting to the polls the lame and law is
not small. Add to his the thousand and
one little calls for money always arising
IN so extensive an enterprise and it is obvi-
GUS that the committee after defraying all
proper charges would not be likely to have
much left over for the purchase of the Dem
ocrats so freely hawked in the open market
by their own newspapers. An inspection
OF the returns confirms this conclusion. The
gains OF the Republicans are nearly uniform
in all parts of the State, particularly in the
rural districts. The Fasionists gain in such
towns as Biddeford, Saco, Auburn. South
Berwick, Skowhegan, Waterville and other
manufacturing towns containing large
noaflng population peculiarly susceptible.
according to these Fusion authorities. to
mercenary inducements. The Republican
gains are chiefly distributed through the
country towns showing the results of fine
organization and of the pains taken to
get out our full vote.
1t is foul bird that defiles its own nest
These Maine newspapers have so persist
emily engaged in this unsavory task that
they have deceived many honest people
Even so fair and honorable journal as the
Boston Herald has suffered itself to be mis-
ACu ooHhcWHdt III ILLS respect INTO All
just estimate of the character of the Maine
people. The Republican party in this State
embraces nearly all of the religious, moral,
and intelligent elements of the State. Any
such thing as is charged by these Demo-
cratic papers would be sternly frowned down
by the overwhelming sentiment of the party,
even If committeeman desired to do it.
which they do not. OF course it is not i'm
possible that some over-zealous individual
in an occasional isolated instance NAV have
sometime overstepped The proper bounds in
this regard; but such lapse would nowhere
receive SO severe Reproduction as among the
Republicans themselves. We brand all allie
cations of any general misconduct of the
kind as wicked and baseess calumnies. and
summon as witnesses all honorable citizens
of Maine, whatever their party affiliations
The good name of our State ought to be val
liable to all its citizens, and its slanderers
should be visited with public disapproval
and contempt.