The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-07-09
OFFENSIVE HYPOCRISY

The appeal made by the PRESS to the Senate is
preposter0us. There is nither law nor reason to
justify Mr. Barker's retention in office. The Sen.
ate has not the slightest preteXt for rejecting the
nomination Of his successor, who is in every way
amply quallned TO discharge the duties of the po-
Sitlon. Mr.. Barker is suspended for undue parti-
sanship, of which he is undoubtedly guilty. That
he has been good executive officer, as the PRESS
alleges, is not the question in dispute That he is
not ian offensive partisan is an assertion that no
one will dare to make-Portland Argus.
1t will be seen that Mr. Barker's efficient
work as postmaster in the line of his duty is
admitted or fully implied in the above quota
ton from the organ of the Portland Democra-
cy. Indeed in the face and eyes of the com
munity which has experienced the advantage
of having live and energetic business man
in the place and which is now enjoying the
marked benefits of his administration if
would have been idle to deny or belittle the
service rendered. Why then has he been
suspended?
If it is because he is Republican and be-
cause the administration desires that the Of
fee holders throughout the country should
be in full fellowship with it, deeming that
the tie of party feeling will be an assurance
of harmony of action, that those who think
alike can more Thoroughly act together, then
there was a reason for the suspension which
plain people can understand and about
which there can be no complaint 1t would
at least be straightforward, honest rea-
son. But this is not the reason given. A
pretense has been put forward unknown I'M
til recently in American politics. Mr.. Bark
or is not removed because he is Republi-
can, but because he is an Offensive parti-
san" Had some man who has taken no in
terest in politics, who had the requisite dead
ness to his own belief in his country's inter-
est which is needed to be virtuous in these
days, the pretense might have been kept up
But the appointment of Mr.. j. S. Palmer
tears it all away All that Mr. Barker has
been on his side Mr.. Palmer has been on his
and more also. Mr.. Barker has been on no
committees Mr.. Palmer has been on all, con-
spicuously and known of all men. These
things were to the discredit of neither of
these gentlemen. Both exercised their
rights and were equally respected in their
exercise.
The new doctrine of Offensive partisan
ship" is offensive hypocrisy-nothing more
or less. To say to American citizens that
their tenure of Office shall depend not on the
decision Of the people, or on their own mer-
its, or on the faithful discharge of duty, but
on the degree of Indifference they manifest
for the principles they pretend to believe in
is to offer premium for skulking. Such
course is un-American and has never been
popular in this country since the British
government made an American general a
brigadier in the British army upon his be-
coming an noffensive partisan.
Had the Democratic administration taken
an honest open course about this matter and
proceeded to appoint the people who repre-
sented its views there would have been
but one proper course for the Senate to take