St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-22
THE LASKER INCIDENT

III Is satisfactory 10 KNOW Lnab congress mas
settled the long pending Lasker incident, and
that there is to be no war, and that the country
can now go on with the presidential discus
sion without interruption. There have been
belligerent men in the house whose record
for fire eating is such that many people
have been seriously disturbed as
to the possible outcome of this
misunderstanding with the German chan
cellor. Such timid people have felt that we
are short in the matter of navy,
and that, if things comes to the worst
we should probably get the hot end of the
poker. Now there is peace. There remains
the American hog, but this is not bellicose
issue, and we may reasonably conclude on a
period of some length Which shall not be dis
turbed by visions of horrid war.
The two resolutions adopted by the house,
and which are intended to close on the in
cident, are semi-apologetic, and very far be-
meath the lofty tone in which the matter has
been handled by some of the belligerent con-
gressmen and their newspaper opponents.
The first resolution announces that in the
original resolutions there was no intention to
do more than to give utterance to an
expression of sympathy with the German
people for the loss of great statesman. This
amendment is in the nature of a substitute
for the original matter.
The resolution which was returned was
not addressed to the German people at all.
1t was directed to branch of the legislature
of Germany, and was in the nature of an as
surance that Lasker was great states
man who had done much to increase
the liberty of Germany. 1t was
not general expression of anything
save that it was strong commentator of
his course as a radical. He was elevated as
politician and partisan, and not in the
least as a statesman. This was an indiscre-
ton. 1t became an impertinence when it
forced on Bismarck the duty of presenting
testimonials as to the high value of parti-
san whom he believed to be man danger
GUS to the interests of the empire.
Having explained in the resolution what
they did not mean in the original resolutions,
and having very carefully taken it all
back, the second resolution is produced by
the house. This second and concluding
resolution is an attempt to be sarcastic, witty
and whitening all in one. 1t starts by an
noureing that the house has no official con-
Germ with the relations of Bismarck, and the
legislative German branch, and does not
think it is demanded by its dignity that it
should criticise the manner in which the Las
ker resolutions were received or the circum-
stances which prevented their reaching their
destination, after they had been communi-
Gated through the proper channel to the Ger
man government. This is an effort on the
part of the house to say to Bismarck: ''The
resolutions which we sent you did not mean
what they said they meant. We admit that
they were an impertinence; but still our po-
sition is SO lofty that, although we sent you
an impairment communication, we consider
it beneath our dignity to take notice of the
fact that you refused to recognize it
as anything but an impertinence.
Two persons meet ON the street. "Your'e
FOOL" says Mr.. Ochiltree to Herr Bismarck?
sAnd you are an impertnent scoundrel,n
responds Herr Bismarck. 81 did not mean
to call you fool,' humbly responds Mr.
Ochiltree, IT meant merely to say that I
thought you fine gentlemen. However, I
wish you to understand that I consider it
beneath my dignity to criticise the character
of your reply. I decline to notice your re-
marks or the circumstances under which
they were uttered" This is about the sub
stance of the Lasker incident reduced to its
essential qualities. If the house of repre-
sentatives is satisfied with the result, there is
no doubt of the fact that there is nothing in
the decision which will in the least offend the
vanity or ruffie the dignity of the German
nhanoe1lor