St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-07-23
KNUTE NELSON'S HEROIsM.

81 vote upon principle; some others
vote under the party lash," was the re-
mark made by Hon. KNUTE NELSON to
the GLOBES Washington correspondent
Immediately after his vote in favor of
the Mills tariff bill. Mr.. NELSON'S
course in this matter was a sublime eX-
hibition of moral courage. His opinions
on the tariff were known to every
body, because he had made one
Of the most forcible arguments
in favor of tariff reform and
tax reduction that had been made dur
ing the memorable discussion of tho
MILLS bill. Consequently great press
ure was brought to bear upon him by
his Republican colleagues in the house
to win his vote in opposition to his con-
victions. Prominent Republican poll
ticians here in Minnesota took it upon
themselves to go all the way down to
Washington to put stiffening into Mr..
NELSON'S backbone. The Republican
leaders in congress stuck to him like
ieecheS. For the last two or three weeks
they have Swallowed him on his outgo-
ings and on his mornings, lest, perad-
venture, in a moment of weakness he
should commit himself to the support of
the tariff reform measure the Demo-
cratic majority in the lower house had
formulated. When the vote was being
taken MCKINLEY and BUTTERwoRTH
and other high tariff leaders left their
seats and gathered around the represent
ative from the Fifth Minnesota district
as if they expected by their distin-
guiShed presence to awe him into sub
lection. Yet, when the roll was called,
and KNUTE NELSON'S name was pro-
nounced by the clerk, there came in re-
spouse ringing AYE" which was heard
i'll every part of the hall. The BULLDOG
ing tactics of his party leaders had
failed, while Mr.. NELSON and his con-
science were at peace.
Mr.. NELSON'S courageous conduct in
this instance was fairly illustrative of
the independent spirit of the nationality
to which he belongs. Heroic devotion
to principle has always been a striking
trait of the hardy Norseman. and an in
telligent comprehension of the direc-
ton in which the path of duty lies is
common to the Scandinavian people.
There are great many of Mr.. MEL
SONS cOuntrymen in this section who
think just as he thinks upon this tariff
question, and they find in him model
leader.
1t doesn't necessarily follow that be-
cause of his vote on the tariff bill
Mr.. NELSON will sever his connection
with the Republican party. We
shall be agreeably surprised if he
does. And yet he will be the subject OF
a good deal of matchmaking from his
Republican associates. 1t will not be
long until some excited Republican will
be referring to him on the floor of con-
gress as the Minnesota Judas. He will
meet scOwling faces among the leaders
of the party i'll this state when he re-
turns home. Already the Pioneer Press
speaks of him as "a deluded Republi-
cam" and that, too. in face of the fact
that Mr.. NELSON voted as the Pioneer
Press has always preached-which goes
to confirm the truthfulness of Mr.. MEL
SONS remark that some people are
easily influenced by the party lash. But
Mr.. NELSON is not one of Them The
crack of the party lash can have no
terror for manly man who is pursuing
the path which honest conviction has
marked out for him.
And yet, in all honesty, the Republic
can leaders who will be disposed to read
KNUTE NELSON out of the party on &C
count of his independence must admit
that in voting for the MILLS tariff bill
he reflected popular sentiment in Min
nesota. There can be no question of
the feeling in Mr.. NELSON'S own dis
trict being favorable to tariff reform. Ii
the Republican leaders doubt our state
1nent. we challenge them to the test by
putting in their state and congressional
platforms a straight-out high tariff
plank, such as the Chicago platform
contains, and let the result in Noyem-
Der determine whether Mr. NELSON is
t'luded or not.