Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1886 — Political Slander. [ARTICLE]

Political Slander.

The political campaign of 1886 has opened and already the foul brood of demagogues whose only hope of success is through the power of slander, have begun tlieir work. From a full heart of veil dm pomes that wanton malice which thrives only by the distraction of the reputations of other and-better men. With lying words they cut good rneu’s '.tlwoats, and with winks, and chuckles they throw u shallow over the blameless life. A few simple hints which if carefully studied and applied will help to test the character of political defamation, will not be out of place at this time. Study the character and political associations of the man who publishes the injurious matters. It may *be and often is a mere mirrored reflection of his own depravity and the vile practices of his own political family. ‘•That is infected which the infected spy .'’ It may’ be that the slanderous tales have been devised by some villain who is scheming for his own advantage or in by some ambitious but umlisciplined character whom disappointment lias made vindictive. A slanderer is usually a whelp of sin whose marks and brands are easy of discernment to the careful observer. is the plant which enmity feeds upon,” but anger upon the part of those who are the objects of the slanderers’ arts is a mere loss of self-control and can do no good. Destroy the spider’s iveb of falsehood and sophistry and the venomous creature at once replaces it with another fabric of the same construction. Whoever believes, without the best evidence, an evil report is either a wicked person or a mere child in sense and understanding. .A.voter who acts suddenly upon the suggestions of a slander in casting his ballot afterwards has leisure to,reflect that he did a very mean or a Very foolish thing, and for the benefit of a contemptuous and implacable enemy, who only despises him because he was so easily gulled. , • It is the daily and. the nightly study of many s os tire leaders of the political party now in'; power and which has brought us, in the language of one of its post-mast-ers, at Goodland, to our “present unjust, iniquitous, brutal and dangerous condition of society,” in dividing the counsels and defeat4ng~the p uvposes -of. -the. repnbliean party. When they get in office by such devices they’mock at the simplicity of their dupes> and repeat the same- work at each succeeding campaign. Politicians who succeed by such means are adepts by long practice and republicans should exercise an unceasing vigilance to avoid, being misled and betrayed Jby them.