Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-01-19
HERE'S A ROW.


The Minneapolis Tribune broke out all over
Yesterday. Under the head of "Political His
tory" it pays gentle tribute to the Pioneer
Press, in which it depicts the notorious
scoundrelism of that sheet in an able manner.
After some preliminary history, 1t says:
It is a well understood rule of comfy be.
tween the senators and representatives of the
various states, that while the congressman
have control, in q certain sense, of the APP
pointment of postmasters in their sew
eral congressional districts, sim
gle exception is made that the senator
may name the postmaster in the city where he
resides. This is understood and agreed upon
among the senators themselves whenever they
come to vote upon combinations, and long OBJ
servance by the executive had given it the force
of a rule
During all the years of Senator Ramsey's
term he had acted under it, and for ten years
had maintained his near friend and serviceable
advocate, Mr.. Wheelock, as postmaster of st.
Paul, and Mr.. Driscoll, Wheelock's own bust
ness partner, as the deputy. Neither OF them
gave any particular attention to the discharge
of the duties of the place, which were per-
formed by an invaluable factotum in the office;
but they regularly divided about $4,000 an
nually in salary and perquisits between them.
OF course, If there ever was an opportunity
for the application of a moderate rule OF
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
here was one. Through all these years OF
oflice-holding, the press was violently parti-
san, ardently stalwart, defending the caucus
and upholding its wickedly dicta. Senator
Ramsey was defeated for reelection, and
Judge Mcmillan was elected IN his place.
Senator Mcmillan recommended his brother
-, oil ft,a m
plies, for the st. Paul postoflice. This was
the most unkindest cut of all. 1t was the cut
direct. 1t was not only cut at the salaried
sinecure which the press had been enjoying,
but it was an intimation that man had arisen
in the politics of the state, hitherto not
politician, who had nerve enough to recon-
mend some one not of the junta for Office.
BRoTHER-IN-LAw DAY.
The question of the fitaess or propriety OF
DIR. Days appointment does not come in here.
Every possible means was resorted to to
thwart the newly elected senator. He was
denounced as a nobody; cipher; weakling;
and his Republicanism was questioned. Let
| tiers were written, the wires were hot with
| messages to Senator Ramsey's cronies in
Washington; the president was besleged with
delegations and appeals not to appoint Day,
and retain Wheelock. Senator Ramsey went
| to Washington in person to avert the calam-
| ity and to intercede for his friend. Finding
| Geant memorable, although Grant knew no
more of the new senator then of the man in the
moon, they appealed to Senator's >Conkling
| and Logan, to sustain their old friend RAM
sey against Days confirmation should his
name be sent in. Those Republican leaders
| spurned the proposition with the contempt it
| deserved from all honorable men, and the in
| iquity of Days appointment and confirmation
was consummated. The heavens were not
darkened, and there were no apparent signs OF
disturbance of the forces OF nature. But the
majority given for the Republican ticket in
this state
BEGAN TO RISE
from 10000 and under, until it reached 1000,
80, 600 and 40, 1000, and even until so tame a
political leader as Gen. Hubbard could carry
the state by over 10000 in an off year. The
Pioneer Press became independent and blew
hot and cold, chiefly cold.
1t is we'll understood that there is such
thing as magnanimity in politics, and that
editors are of all men elevated above the
vulgar herd in q sublime indifference to
such things as postoffices and fat pay; that
they can lay these baubles down without
murmur and kiss the hand that smites
| them without pang, but it did not prove
| to be so in this case. "The king can do no
wrong" was the old adage. The new render
ing was, and ever since has been, "Grant,
Conkling, Arthur, Logan and Mcmillan can
do no right"
This course of abuse and vilification per-
| sisted in so long, finally convinced people
generally that, although 1t protested with
oaths that it was devoted only to the public
good, the Pioneer Press was insincere, and
| there came revulsion of feeling everywhere
against the opinions of men, expressed In the
columns of the paper,
ANDA REACTION
| that absolutely destroyed or reversed its in
fluence where it most desired to retain control,
| viz: at the ballot box. For this reason, Char
| ley Gilman, whom it had roundly abused,
| the same ticket. D. NJ. Sabin in his settle
| ment,with the state got more than he asked
| for; Washburn defeated Stewart, Nc
MILAN was reelected to the senate, Fletcher
| was elected speaker, Gov. Pillsbury was !de-
| featel for the fourth term, when there was
reason, both from considerations of the public
policy, and in his favorable standing with the
people, that he should be reelected, Hubbard
was chosen governor, Page was acquitted and
the obtuse and ungovernable rural voter for
years defeated every bond proposition SUBJ
mitted to the popular vote of the legislature,
mainly because the vehemence of the advocacy
of tho venal sheet, led to the suspicion that
there was, as usual, rat in the meal.
THE RECENT EFFORTS
of the old junta to gain control of the repub.
lican party in this state have invariably ended
in signal and initiating disaster. The at
tempt of a year ago to defeat Mr.. Mcmillan
and elect Ramsey again is perhhps old news,
but it forms an interesting section of these
chapters, and will bear retelling. Ramsey did
not want to be candidate. He was willing
enough to be senator, but his judgment was
against the ACCESSIBILITY of making the at
tempt. But the business of booming him and
belittling Mcmillan, of magnif ying his
strength and ignoring his competi tors was
coolly begun and persisted in. Dunnell took
a hand in it He claimed to have a griev-
| ance-which was simply that Mcmillan re-
fused to sacrifice himselfby denouncing those
Republicans in the First district who were
| weary of Dunnell's dictatorship. Driscoll
went to Washington, King telegraphed, and
without convincing Gov. Ramsey, who had
| assured more than one of McMillan's friends
that he would not be candidate against the
latter, they forced him into the attitude of a
candidate. Then how they did beseech the
| members of the legislature for they were out
side and Ramsey had fewssupporters inside) to
return to the old love and support Ramsey
This fiasco simply piled up disappointment
| for man who knew better than to have per-
mitted himself to be wheeded into such
hopeless race.
Things went on quietly after awhile
UNTIL LAST SUMMER
when the junta conceived the plan of re-
nominating Gov. Pillsbury. Against his
judgment, against his wishes, against his
business interests, in the face of his written
declination, they forced his name before the
| people, put his friends in an equivocal
position, drove men to oppose him who
| were naturally his friends and admirers.
| They villfed Hubbard, denounced Sabin,
and made him an ally of Hubbard to secure
a personal vindication for himself. Cow
Pillsbury was defeated by the treacherous
and suspicious companionship of the junta,
and Hubbard got to the front simply because
he had been held up to public execration by
the Pioneer Press. Every public man in the
| state who cared to protect his own political