Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-02-26
Reward the Veterans.

The efficiency of an army is best Sc
cured and promoted by the recogni-
tion of mertorious services, and so is
the success of any enterprise most
surely advanced by the employment OF
those best skilled and most jealous in
the cause. Politics is no exception;
and it cannot be questioned that the
Republican party owed much Of its
success and long lease of power to its
recognition to those who we're most
active in its aIvocacy and tlreless in
furthering its interests. The Demo-
cratic party should profit by these ex-
amples. If those who for years, with
defeat following defeat, remained true
to their convictions, and year after year
fought anew the battles of the party,
are to be retired in the hour of victory
and places of profit and trust given
those whose attachment to its princi-
piles were never visible in its dark
days the camp followers of victo-
rious army-it will not be strange if
the conduct of Achilles should be fol-
lowed by hosts of old veterrns. What
would old warriors think of the raw
recruit, or he who had shown cowar-
dice in battle, was promoted over the
true and tried soldiers?
The following article from the De-
troit Free Press is very timely:
Inthe political campaigns in which the Democracy
sustained defeat after the defeat, previous to the
victory last November, the men who to large ex-
tent bore the burden and the heat of the day-whe,
in spite Of encouragement of all kinds, were never
dismayed who always held aloft the flag of their
party and cheered and led the Democratic hosts on
to further contests-were the editors of the Demo-
cratic country papers In many counties in Repub-
lioan Stat especially they with great difficulty
instances only by great selfdenia and perss-
tence Everything was against them, yet the strug-
ged bravey on, until at last one great object for
which they fought and worked-the election of a
Democratic administration been accomplished.
The Republican party, after its accession to pow
er, quick to recognize the value of able and
vigorous rural press in its interest 1t took meas
ures, by associating Office with party paper to
plant papers in many villages which otherwise could
not support them. Tax sale printing and the like
were also used efficient sustaining instrumental
ties. There is no doubt that the difficulty of dis
lodging the Republican party was largely increased
by the zeal with which the well-sustaned country
papers were conducted. The Republican papers
considerably outnumbered the Democratic papers
for the that the supplies were much largsr.
The policy which the Republican party pursued
toward it's country press is one which the incoming
| administration may we'll adopt. AS before intimat
ed no class of men are entitled to considera
tion at the hands of Democratic administration
than the editors of Democratic country papers We
include in this class editors Of papers in the smaller
Cities for similar truths will hold good in regard tc
them The editors of larger papers. while they have
| been equally Woodworking for the party, have moi
had great obstacles to contend with, have had 8
wider clienage and have neither the disposition mol
the need to ask anything of the administration fol
| themselves.
In the nature of things there will be many changes
ofice-holders shortly after March next. There
will bea great many, if no more are effected than
has been the with every new Republican admin
istration since President Lincoln g time But what
ever the changes, bespeak for the hard-workina
faithful and in many poorly recompensed class
the Democratic country editorsthe full consider
alton which their abundant merit demands.