Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-08-09
Lancaster fnteIlfgenrer.
POlecat journalism.


The Republican journals seem TO have l
their instructions 10 make an aggressive l
campaign, and to this end to disregard
the defense Of Blaine and spend their
energies In assaillng Cleveland and his |
supporters. 1t Is mighty impudent
thing to do, considering the character of
tse Republican candidate and his sup.
porters but impudence Is Blaine's
strong point, and 1t Is sure to character
lie his campaign; like master like man |
and the style Of warfare which has been I
inaugurated Is eminently mean and
dirty and Blaine like.
Mr.. Blaine finds In some Of his chief
organs personal sptitudes of their con
ductors which enable them to work \
in sipQularly harmony with his scheme |
the Philadelphia Press Is thus blessed {;
and the New York Tribune Is almost |
equally fortunate. The Tribune Is not
so mean as the Press, but the difference
is only one of degree. Both are unfair,
untruthful and malicious Ia their con.
duct. Neither Is entitled to the report
OF honorable journalism, but the Iri-
bune is less contemplate and dirty than
the Press, which grovels In vileness,
with manifest exhibition Of the enjoy
ment of its mud. Pretending too great
decency to publish the ISLANDERS against
Cleveland, it seeks by the mesnest pub.
locations to give to Its readers the belief
that he is absolutely vile in his personal
habits. 1t has not the manliness to give
the exact measure of the charge, but
indulges itself in insinuations which it
expects TO convey more than the truth.
The object of this virulent attack upon
Cleveland is obviously to put the Demo
cracy on the defensive and disturb their
fire upon the atrocious character of
Blaine. 1t has been we'll conceived for
this purpose, by the council Of Blaine
and his leaders. Such an attack would
not have come from an ordinarily re-
spectacle party Of men, even though
they were politicians but from this set of
fellows it emanated naturally. 1t was
smart and dirty, like Blaine. The Demo
Gratis, more sensitive than their oppo-
nents, as to the character Of their candi-
date, necessarily come to its defense (;
and are put to the disadvantage natural
to such position. After thus attacking
Cleveland the Blaine organs have had
tn instructions to assail his sup
porters, especially the independent wing
of them. The Tribune attacks HdrpCr'S 5
Weekly and its editor, Geo. w. Curtis,
and repr0duces the caricatures Of
Abraham Lincoln in that journal in lSGl,
This, we concede, is reasonably fair war
fare, If anything can be made out of the
fact that in 1861 Harper's Weekly and
its editor did not have as high an opinion
of Lincoln as they came to have after
wards but this was such common
experience that one would think that the
Tribune would not take much by this
motion. Abraham Lincoln, in 1861, had
done nothing to earn the fame he now
enjoys. He then was but Western
politician Of story telling proclivities,
and no particularly exhibited strength.
Carl Schurz, another leading Indepen
dent, seems like red rag to the Blaine
press, 80 fiercely do they attack him
and herein they have the support of the
New York Sun, an Independent Of
another type, which hates Schur2
because he Is Dutchman per.
haps or for some other uniutel.
ligible reason; nominally because he
profted by the great fraud in seating
Hayes. AS Schurz was wrong then it is
fair enough to argue that he may be
wrong now but that Is to be conceded
of every man no one can claim to be
infallible and it does not make any
thing against the force of Schurz's pres
ent logic that his past logic was
bad. His argument is to be judged
by itself and not by its predeces
sor or by its author. Carl Schurz is not
on trial now, but Blaine. II Schurz was
a candidate, Schurz's past record would
fairly initiate against him; but it does
not help Blaine's record a whit TO give
Carl Schurz bad one. The Philadel
phia Press has special object Of attack
in Horace White, another Inde
pendent, and thoroughly reputable
man, as he is an exceedingly able one.
The Press can do him no injury the
polecat is disagreeable but not harmful .
and of polecat journalism the outpouring
Of the Press In this case is a good sam
pie.