Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-07-03
The Cause of the Mud-Machine.

The fighting Of political campaign. so
far as the Democracy i concerned. consists
solely in persistent effort to backen the
character ofthe candidates on The Republican
side. This habi, has arisen from two
causes. First, the absence of any well de-
fined principles on which the Democratic
party, as a whole. can agree. and second. on
the natural adaptabi.iry Of the leaders for
that kind of warfare
L; is also noticeable that the. so-called.
Independents. the moment they break away
from the Republican party and is princi-
ple-, adopt the same style Of opposition.
The fact that the basis of their vicious
assaults has long ago been proven to be
groundless. or the still greater fact that they
themselves have time and again, in the past,
declared that there was no truth in the
statements, passes for nothing as soon as
they 60 out from the Republicans. All the
malicious falsehoods that have ever been
uttered are caught up and spread abroad
with the same zeal and audacity that might
be expected from a Democrat whose life
had been spent in continuous effort 10
prove that only villains Of the darkest hue
were put in nomination by the Republicans.
Does it never occur to the minds of the
Young men who are about to choose their
party associates that a party which sees
nothing but evil in its opponents is likely
to possess but little goodness itself?
Is it not safer and wiser to affiliate with
those who, having well defined principles,
dare announce and defend them before the
world?
Is it not disgrace to US, as a people,
that one of the great parties Of the country
can find no higher plane of warfare than in
the circulation Of false and malicious sta G.
ments against the private character of in
dividuals, reiterated for the sole purpose Of
bringing those individuals into disrepute
among their fellow citizens, and utterly re-
gardless of the fact that the statements are
well-known to be false by those who so in
dustriousy circulate them?
1t is time, for Young man, especially, ID
consider this matter carefully. Is he in
favor Of civil service reform 1t is easy fol
him TO see that Senator Pendleton, of Ohio
has been laid on the shelf for introducing
and urging the passage of our present Civil
Service Reform law. ITO the victors be.
long the spoils," is the motto Of the
majority of the Democratic party.
Does he believe in an honest currency
He will find the Democratic party SC
divided that for years they have not dared
TO put currency plank in their platform
that was not capable of as many construc-
tons as there were divisions in the party.
Is he for protection to American labor
and American industries He is answered
BY the Democracy with the assertion thai
what they want is "A tariff for revenue
only" If this means anything it mean:
free trade and competition with the cheap
labor of foreign countries. But even here
he will find the Democratic party divided
and the minority SO strong as TO effectually
check any active movement of the party in
behalf of the free trade principle. We
might go on and enumerate, indefinitely
the principles on which the Democratic
party is divided.
1t is these divisions that lead them to the
style of campaign warfare which they have
adopted. 1t is, therefore, only necessary to
realize this fact,-that party having no
principles of its own which it dares proclaim
and defend, is left, like a small, but we'll
known animal. with no otner means Of at
tack, or defense.