The herald., 1898-09-13
THE "cEssPoo1 OF D1scoNTENT'

In American politics it's a mighty
dangerous thing for a man to load his
verbal blunderbuss with epithets and
fire it into a crowd-even though he
should think the crowd composed OF the
riff-raff and offscourings Of other par
ties''-"cranks, anarchists, bankrupts
and social outcasts."
This truth Mr.. r. ]. Waters, Repub-
lican candidate for congress In TINS dis
trict has probably discovered already,
and IT will be further impressed upon
him next November when the votes shall
be counted It is not to be imagined that
the great mass of voters in this
congress district will allow such
taunt to pass and overlook 1t or con-
done it, much less sanction 1t by elect
Ing a man who is responsible Tor It's
utterance. Granting that MT. waters
"caustic verbiage" was mistake. still
mistake in public life is as bad as
crime. and the people are disposed TO
nut that construction upon it, Tne
good book says "out of the fullness OF
the heart the mouth speaketh," and 1t
also says that a man shall be judged
by every word that cometh out OF his
mouth. Language hastily and incon-
siderately uttered is often a truer index
of a mans mental bias than that which
has been furnished up for dress parade.
1t Is not the purpose of this article,
however, to play upon prejudice or to
preach uncharitableness towards an err
ing brother, even though he should be
on the other side of the political fence.
We wish rather to discuss this so-called
"cesspool of discomfort" If Mr.. Waters
will eliminate the malodorous word
"cesspool" which lis out of place in
describing the chosen environment OF
American citizens. and if he will de-
scribe the fusionists as "the party Of
discomfort" then we shall be glad to ac-
cept the term, to adopt it as our own and
to defend it.
From time immemorial-from the
the earliest step in human advancement.
In every land that has secured
taste of civil liberty--there has always
been a party Of discomfort. Indeed, 1t
Is by and through these parties of dis
content that the advancement of the
race has been secured. No party or ag-
gregation of men that were content
that were satisfied with existing con-
ditions and wanted to keep them as they
were-have ever advanced the cause OF
humanity or civil liberty one-quarter
of an inch. 1t was party Of discon-
tent that forced the abrogation of the
English corn-laws. 1t was a party of
discomfort that established Magma
Charta. 1t was a party of discomfort
and lawbreakers at that-who pitched
the tea overheard in Boston Harbor.
1t was a party of discomfort that signed
the Declaration of Independence--and
they knew we'll enough their act made
them such an odious party that they
must "either hang together or hang
separately" 1t was a party of discon
tent that brought on the bloody French
revolution and tore down the Bastile.
1t was a party of discomfort that bat
tied SO long and so heroically for home
rule in Ireland and secured substantial
if not complete recognition for their
cause. From age to age the party Of
discomfort "bequeathed from struggling
sire to son." has worked out the saliva
tion Of the world.
So. If Mr.. Waters will make a slight
amendment in his phraseology as sug-
gested, and bring the discussion to a
courteous basis, we shall willingly al
low his indictment that the fusion
party is the one to which the discon-
tented elements of this country are
gravitating.
One of the saving graces of our form
of government Is that the party which
comes under this category has such un-
restricted right to express Its dscon-
tent. If it has just grievances to COM
plain of-and no great party of discon-
tent is ever formed without just griev-
ances-and if 1t holds together for
reasonable time and fights as Americans
know how to fight for their rights, it is