The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-08-10
Mayor Pingree.


Just now, in the eyes of Democratic
and Populist leaders, the Detroit chief
magistrate is the exempilication OF
high mindedness and disinterested
party virtue. In the midst of Republi-
can greed and corruption the Detroit
mayor shines serene, with halo about
his head, say our opponents. OF course
the motive of all this praise for the
mayor and censure for the party to
which he claimed to belong is simply
with the hope of opening breach in
the Republican ranks, whereby the
Democrats may possibly secure advan-
tage. A notable gathering of Demo
cratic and Populist leaders was recently
held at Webberville, Mich, under the
title of barbecue. An OK was roasted
after the approved manner, and the
other essentials for providing for a good
time of this kind were furnished and
the call circulated far and wide for all
to come in and partake. The leading
Democrats and Populists were there,
including Messrs Fisher and Nichols,
the Democratic and Populist candidates
for governor respectively, and Mr..
Champion, the chairman of the Populist
state central committee, and SO on in
long list. But the chief attraction was
Mayor Pingree. The affair was adver-
tised as non bipartisan, but the speeches
were all of political character, the
first and principal one having been
made by Mr.. Pingree and, like all his
recent utterances, it was of character
to give hope and comfort to the Repub-
lican opposition.
Mr. Pingree still claims to be Re-
publican and to have the interests of
the party at heart But how does it
happen that it has become so essential
TO the good of the Republican party
that it should make Mr. Pingree gov
ernor? Mr.. Pingree wants to be gov
ernor or United States Senator, and he
wants one of those offices badly. And
because the Republican party is not
willing to violate long established
custom to accord denomination to a
man who has made good governor
for one term and nominate him instead ;
and because he finds, as he states, that
it will cost "a quarter of million of
dollars to be United State Senator
more money than he can afford to put
up-he is denouncing the Republican
party and giving aid and comfort to
its enemies.
Every one must see that the animus
of all of Mr.. Pingree's action against
the Republican party is his disappoint
ment to obtain Office, and his leading
Republican henchmen, Messrs. Turner
and Luce Ell a., must be classed in the
same category. They are all dis.
gruntled politicians who lack patience
to bide their time or who have been
admonished by the votes of the people
that their claims to preferment are not
acknowledged. 1t is an old story, as
old as politics, as old as government
Mr.. Pingree's charges against the Re-
publican leaders have been made and
reiterated through time immemorial by
every disappointed politician in this
country, and every other They were
made against Washington and his party
and have continued to be echoed all
along down the line ever since. When
Jefferson became President he charged
Albert Gallatin, secretary of the treas
ury, to make thorough overhauling
of the affairs of that department, for he
would doubtless find it reeking with
corruption. But after time Mr.. Gal
latin reported that he found matters so
admirably adjusted that there was
nothing to change.
And so it is with very much of this
loose condemnation. 1t is the work of
the imagination, of party rancor, and
has little basis in fact. At any rate
party purity is as high, the admnistra-
ton of public affairs is as just, in pro-
portion to the increase of aspirants, as
they have been at any time in the
country's history.
When man of mediocre talents seeks
to obtain high Office, the aspiration no
doubt involves the expenditure of much
effort If the self-seeker for office
happens to be a man of much means
his anxiety to succeed may impel him
to scatter some money and, while all
such effort and means employed are to
be severely deprecated, they are by no
means confined to this day and to the
Republican party of Michigan. Neither