Omaha daily bee., 1889-03-08
INDECENT P4ETTS1NSHJp,

Inc last national campaign was
marked for its exceptional freedom
from abusive personalities. The in
stances were rare on either side when
individuals were assailed. and these
generally encountered a prompt popu-
lar rebuke. 1t was a very general hope
that this departure from the long dis
reputable way Of carrying OIL a political
campaign was the beginning of a new
order of things in the treatment of
public men which would be permanent.
1t was welcomed as an assurance that
the people had returned to II sense of
decency and dignity, and that finding
such change much more agreeable to
themselves and much more creditable
in the eyes Of the world, it would be
adhered to, and we believe the people
so desire.
The constraint, however, which such
a condition placed upon a portion of
the democratic press was borne with
great difficulty, and nov that the new
administration has taken charge Of the
affairs of government, these organs
of democracy feel once more free to
puiSuC puCtl NouICu SOutSC. lhc SlC6
president, the secretary of state and
the secretary of the treasury are spec
ial objects of their attack, though other
members of the cabinet are not wholly
ignored. Mr.. Morton, we are told by
one OF these journals which may
have some other than a partisan motive
for assailing the vice president, has
bought his way into public life, and
there is presented an exhibit of his es-
timated expenditures for political pur-
poses during the last twenty years. If
true, it can certainly be said of him that
no "a has been more generous in fur
thering the principles Of the republic
can party. AS to Mr.. Blaine there is
necessarily more or less Il rehash of the
charges with which the country was
made nauseatingly familiar during the
campaign OF 1884, and which can now
serve no possible purpose except to en-
phasize partisan malignancy. With re-
gard to Mr.. Window it is sought to de-
preciate him in public respect and con
tidence by alleging that for years he
has been only a financial adveuturer,
ready to take hold of any scheme that
presented itself, and implyingthat what
ever he has accomplished asa tinancier
has been through floating all sorts of
jobs, questionable and otherwise.
This despicable sort of warfare,
which must be condemned by all decent
democrats, can have but n brief season,
but it suggests what may be expected
from q portion of the democratic press
during the whole course of the present
administration. There will be no OPP
portunity lost to assail the men who are
In control of the government, and no
considerations of justice, fairness or de-
cency will have any weight. The ad-
ministration, it cannot be doubted, will
suffer nothing from this. 1t will do its
duty, and there is every reason to be-
Iieve it will be done wisely and with q
constant concern for the general well
fare. But reckless denunciation of the
servants of the people is to a greater or
less extent a reflection upon the charac-
ter of the whole people, and we lose in
the respect of the world according to
the measure OF the virulence of such de-
~nunciatiOn. No consideration OF this
character, however, will deter the dem
ocratic newspapers which have already
entered upon a crusade OF detractiOn
and abuse from continuing that policy.
1t is the only political capital available
to them. and they promise to use it
without stint.