Smyrna times., 1888-05-16
Is il a Democratic Paner?

For the Smyrna Times
Is it a Democratic Paper?
The Smyrna Record claims to be a
Democratic newspaper. 1t assumes
the privilege of advising and counsel
ing Democrats as if it were one of
them, and has always appealed with |
more or less emphasis for support on |
the ground that it was the organ of |
Democratic opinion in this end Of Kent |
county. | desire to review the Records |
course politically since it passed into !
the hands of its present brilliant young
editor, Gilbert B. Taylor. Before that
event, while it was in the hands of f.
S. Phelps, whatever faults it may have
had land they were many) and what
ever virtues (and they were not a few
it was at least true to its Democratic
faith and consistent in its support of
the Democratic party.
An editorial in last Saturdays Record,
under the caption, The Bone of Con-
tention," j" made many Democrats ques-
ton the right of a paper publishing
such articles to wear the party name
| One gentleman, who has long been
|
! and active Democrat, asked, " Is the
Record getting ready to tiOpY" That
this feeling is general should not sur
prise us when we remember that the
editorial in question contained the fol-
lowing:
PLAINLY, then, we say to the DeIG-
,Cdrean, which seeks for peace and har.
mony, and to Senator Salisbury, who
owes much to his party, Eli Sauls-
bury's candidacy means the disruption
of the party. There is no middle
course possible. Withdrawal, absolute
and unequiVOcal. or disruption and de-
feat. Which? The State await in un-
easy suspense your replies"
And in a supposed address to Senator
Salisbury it uses the following Ian
guage:
HMany are opposed to,returning you
to your present position, and so great
is the detection and many are so Vehe-
mently opposed to it that they would
prefer to vote the ticket of their and
your party's lifelong enemies than to
: favor you"
This language, with plainness little
short of brutality, threatens to divide anC
5 defeat the Democratic party in the com
4 ing election, unless Senator Sauls
= bury steps aside and permits th'
b. gentleman whose interests the RecOrt
at present chooses to support t
r walk unopposed into the u.
Senate. We are at a loss to know
g whether this threat was really inspired
n by the faction with which the Record i
h mOmentarily allied, and really ex
i presses the determination of Mr.. VOL
r colt and his supporters, or whether
o springs altogether from the fertile i'm
agination and native bitterness of tn
: editors own mind. Whether it come
n from Senatorial aspirant or from free
: lance editor, it is as futile as it is indiS
e Greet. This will be a bad year 70
2 boilers. An intense enthusiasm pei
1t vades the Democratic masses, and be
r. fore that enthusiasm boilers will z
down to n defeat as deep as that of tn
d "Polly McNatts," and twice as we
le deserved.
n Notwithstanding the fact that tn
le Records editor is fresh from the Deu
n ocratic State Convention, in which 81
st ting as a substitute, he was made SEE
le retary, desire to hold up the miro
before the Record and ask the Demt
w Gratis of Kent county whether the
CO should regard it as a friend, or as fiji
I'd brand sent like SamsOn's foxes anon
as our dry and ripening corn.
be When the present management a
u sumed control of the Record we we
on the eve of the campaign of the la
1T State election. During that campaig
n the Record published week after wee
us articles that favored the Temperan
k Reform Party-Our opponent. l {
ce not mean to insinuate that there is al
lse wrong per Sc in publishing such article
,ix On the contrary, it is the proper thil
1T. for Temperance Reform paper to d.
IL. but sincere party paper seldom pu
.ry fishes editorials during campaign
* voring its party's opponent. In Il
lis last issue proceeding the election, t
Record having done all the harm
en-, could to the Democrats, publish
at Democratic editorials.
lth When the Democratic administrati
ch. under Gov. Biggs came into power, {
IA, Record at once assumed a critical at
ed tude and it has denounced one aft
ed another of the Executives appoiI
nd ments, Could an Out-and-out Repu
IOp lican journal do more?
.he / must give the Record credit
gin what it did and the stand it took
fOvor of a Constitutional ConventiC
,ed In that matter ] believe it stood
for sound Democratic ground, but so
me every other Republican paper.
a 1t turned from that creditable ell
The to a most discreditable One-nOthi
ers, less than a desperate and venemous
lei tempt to blacken the names of Den
a cratic leaders, charging them W
vas having dealt with Republicans TO
on feat Democratic nominees.
sny Now dropping that, it turns with
sin, mouth full of ilattery to the very N
ons whose stainless name it a month q
ice, endeavored to defle with a charge
any party treachery, and appealing to
ook love for that party, asks him to ret
Of from the field, threatening to do
les very thing it charged him with dol
lere if he does not yield absolutely and
ed. equivocally.
ing What Democratic paper Is Il
lion ever tearing down, never buildiI
always criticising, seldom commendil
Is It not in truth opposed to the De
ocratic party? Does not Its editor
.ing lieve in his heart that Democratic
ron feat is desirable, and is he not shap
the his course to bring about such resnl
.blv If so, let him say so, and manfully Ia
and his stand among manful men.
ore will respect him making a cOnsci
The tious opposition. He cannot resp
re | hinaalf when Offarinp n fraitoronr 81