Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-08

>
Of the state to publish scandalous reports
about the candidates IN the present cam
paign for the nomination for Governor.
/ has this to say:
II is within the proper province OF a
newspaper to favor one man or one set
of methods to the exclusion Of another
person and different plans. 1t is per-
fecty right for such paper 10 enforce
TINS preference with all the means at
command aud all the powers il can
. control. But the policy Of fairness, Of
1 honesty. OF truthfulness, always so nee
essary for a journal, should be especially
I guarded where the choice rests between
/ opposing candidates IN the same political
! household. How wrong il is to adopt a
/ system of repression or distortion towards
ones own peOple-One's own party. How
/ improper TO assail and to maign a candi-
4 date whom one NAV be called upon by the
councils OF the party to support. How
| absurd, if no worse, to institute series Of
lockouts between friends, when within
six months we NAV have forgotten that
the campaign was ever contested.
We are very glad indeed to have so able
and fair a journal adopt the views which
have been expressed by the MORNING
NEWS ever since the campaign began.
| We have seen other evidences Of newspa-
pers coming to their senses within the
last week or two. and we expect before
July that at least half the newspapers
in the State will say frankly that this
campaign OF vituperation and Islander
that has startled and astonished right
thinking people is unworthy Of the
Democratic party of the Empire State Of
the South.
We do not wish TO be understood as
saying that the Chronicle has sane
tI00od or encouraged the personalities
which have formed 50 large a part OF the
speeches and literature of the car paign.
While supporting earnestly, and in a
STRAIGHTFORWARD way, the candidate of its
choice it has kept its columns reasonably
free from everything calculated to do an
Injustice to any one or to array Democrats
against each other.
But, while the Chronicle counsels mod
GRAFTON and deprecates the course that
is being pursued by the supporters OF both
Gen. Gordon and Mai. Bacon, it cannot
help but see that the bitter personal war
fare between the two candidates and their
supporters goes on, and that it is more
likely to increase than decrease in bitter
ness. Wounds are being made the scars
of which will be apparent long after the
present campaign has terminated. The
MORNING NEWS saw what the Gordon
Bacon campaign would lead to before it
was fairly inaugurated. and hence de-
clined TO assist either candidate to bring
about a condition of affairs from which no
1 a 1. -
be productive of a great deal OF harm. 1t
has not any particular objection to
either candidate, and it is free to say that
either gentleman is capable of giving the
State cre0itable and satisfactory ad-
ministratiOn, but the question which con-
fronts the people now is this: What is
going to be the feeling in the party if
either candidate is nominated for Gov
ern0r? Already prominent supporter,
and the most powerful stump speaker on
the Bacon side. has said publicly
that he will not support Gen. Gordon
if he is nominated. This Bacon advocate
has a strong following, and his utterance
has not been repudiated by Maj. Bacon.
1t would not be surprising if some of Gen.
Gordon's supporters should declare that
they would not support Maj. Bacon if be
should be nominated. So bitter has the
feeling become that Democrats VINO place
the welfare OF the party and of the State
ABOVE every other consideration are begin
ming to ask whether it is not advisable to
look the situation squarely in the face
now while the danger which threatens
the harmony of the party can be ayerted.
The threatening aspect OF the campaign
Is what induced the Chronicle, doubtless,
10 put forth its plea for purer and fairer
methods in the campaign. 1t sees now
perhaps. that it would have acted wisely
if it had followed the course marked
ont by the MORNING NEWS, viz: to stand
squarely and firmly for Democratic prn-
ciples and methods, and permit candI-
dates who thrust themselves on the atten.
tion OF the people to fight their battles
/ alone.
II the Chronicle wants to do what is
wise and patriotic now it will advise the
/ people to abandon both candidates, and
send their best men, uninstructed, to the
convention. The party is under no obli-
/ cation 10 either Maj. Bacon or Gen. Cor
/ don. They have rendered the party ser
vices, but have been fully compensated
They are in debt to the party rather
than the party to them. Why then stand
by them when the risks are 80 great, and
when there are dozens Of men in the State
who are as well qualified 10 every respect
for Governor as they are?
1t is fun time to call a halt. One by one
the names Of Georgia's great men-names
SPOKEN with reverence in every house
hold in the State-are being robbed of the
glory with which history has surrounded
them. Let US save from the defamine
touch of the present campaign others oc
cupying place on the scroll of fame
which have not been dragged into it.
This can be done by ceasing to elect Cor.
don or Bacon delegates, and by selecting
delegates who will do what is best for the
party and the state.
W. A. Crofut, the well-known cores
pondent, saws: Il asked James q. Blaine