Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-11-07
CRITICISM VS.. CONSTRUCTION

CHI IlCISM VS. CONot nOSItHN
The Democrats express great hope
fulness of the trend toward their
party. They evidently believe this
will be quite marked throughout the
country In the elections today. Their
hopefulness, In view of the reports.
appears to have some warrant. but
the reasons they assign for this ex-
pccted change are decidedly open to
question.
Retrenchment never was popular;
cutting off perquisites. insisting on
full value, on greater exertion. do not
appeal favorably to the people who
happen to be Inconvenience thereby.
Even in official Washington Presi-
dent Hardings insistence on budget
reform made him many enemies. His
veto of the bonus bill made more.
And recently he has made plain that
he will not approve huge appropria-
tions for new public buildings. Re-
gard for the right thing to do and
disregard of popular favor must
characterize the attitude of an ad-
ministration confronted with such
task as met the Harding administra-
ton 1t the threshold, If it would do
what is right. In process OF time
people will appreciate the loyal
steadfast, courageous attitude of the
President amid the great difficulties
in which he has found himself. They
will give honor where honor is due,
but for the present this may not be
expected Of them.
But most of the opposition has
arisen because of Congress rather
than because of what the President
has or has not done. Congress is
blamed for the tariff before there is
opportunity to know what the effect
Of the tariff will be. 1t allowed fac
tons within it's membership to trade
and dicker to such an extent as to
weaken public confidence. 1t does
not yet appear, however, that out OF
all the legislation. and the volume OF
It shows that Congress worked as
never before within such period,
any grievous wrong has come. 1t does
not appear that there is any assur-
ance Of Improvement from electing
others to take the places of the pres
ent membership. Nevertheless I'M
PATIENCE has bred dstrust and desire
for change to quite an extent.
These changes arc what expert
enced observers of the way in which
human nature functions have learned
10 expect. They know that the real
gain which the Democratic party
may obtain at this election will be
the result of that Enthusiastically
human impulse desire for a change
when impatient. 1t will not come
because the Democrats have present
ed any definite policy, not because
they have presented a list of candi-
dates beyond the average of such
lists: /: will not be because the
party's management is able to give
any assurance whatever of improve
ment or has shown any tangible
ground on which it might hope to
improve conditions. The Democratic
party in this election approaches the
voters only through criticism. So far
as We can learn it presents nowhere
a constructive proposition. other than
whatever constructive effect on the
Democratic party might come about
by turning over the offices to 1t. We
have seen in nearby Massachusetts
no reason to suppose that a Demo-
cratic victory would prove favorable
either to Massachusetts or to the
country at large. In New York,
though presenting one of the strong
est and most popular men in its
ranks. the Democratic organization
is seen to be in collision with Tam
many and bound to Tammany's
spoilsmen. And from New York to
the Golden Gate, with possible local
exceptions there is not, at least from
the standpoint of Republican-and
so far as demonstrated from the
standpoint of anyone-any assurance
hat a change in the political control
of the national affairs should be re-
garded as an aid to better govern
ment. Reducing the abnormal Re-
publican majority might be but
change Of management would be a
serious disturbance of the conditions
on which we must just now depend
.or confidence. The contest is be-
.wccn criticism and construction.
Mr.. FORD AND OPPORTUNITY