St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-20
TaEPREsIDENT EXPLAINS.


1t is the CALLED jade that winces.
President HARRISON has evidently been
touched by the GLOBE recent criticism
of his appointment of Messrs. FLINT and
DAVIS as delegates to the American
congress to be held next month in Wash
ington, or he would not have permitted
his private secretary to have furnished
the press with an explanation of how
these appointments came to be made.
Referring to the GLOBES recent edi-
torial under the caption, 'HARRIsoN's
Coal Deal" Private Secretary HALFoRD
says: "The statement that the president
is partner with Mr.. DAVIS in the coal
or any other business, is absolutely
false. Mr.. DAVIS was appointed at the
suggestion of Senator YoUMAN, who
was chiefly instrumental in having
PINCKNEY WHITE, of Maryland, ap-
pointed. When Mr.. WHITE declined he
(YOUdAN) suggested Mr.. DAVIS, and MIR.
FLINT was appointed on the earnestrec-
ommendation of many of the most inf1u-
entail men in the country, regardless OF
political bias, because of his familiarity
with the subject matter, and the fact
that he speaks Spanish and French
fuently, which will enable him to min
gle with the business people of Brazil.
and ascertain their real feeling as to the
advantages and disadvantages of a sub
sidized line OF steamships i'll its bear
ings in the interests of this country"
The GLOBE would not willingly do
an injustice to President HARRISON or
to any other man; therefore, we have
cheerfully surrendered the space IN our
editorial columns to MIR. HALFORD' s de-
NAL and explanation. In justice to cur
selves, however, it will be necessary to
recite little bit of history which the
public may not be familiar with and
which furnished the justification for the
charge that the President is partner
with Mr.. DAVIS in the coal business.
AT the time Senator DAVIS organized
his mining and railway company known
as the West Virginia Central" he en-
listed number of his associates in con-
gress in the enterprise. and the concern
became popularity known as the "Sena-
tOrlal Syndicate" Among those
who were mentioned by the news
papers at the time as being
members of and stockholders
in the company were Senators BLAINE,
BAYARD, BARNUM, CAMDEN, CHAT
FEE, DAVIS, GoRMAN, HARRISON, TEL
LER, WHITE and WINDOW, and Hon. S.
B. ELKINs. At the first meeting of the
stockholders Mr.. DAVIS was elected
president Of the company, Mr.. ELKINs
vice president. while the names of Mr..
BLAINE and Mr.. WINDOW appeared in
the list of the board of directors. There
has never been any effort until now to
remove the impression that Gen. HAIR
BISON was not included in the associa-
ton. 1t is matter of common history
that Mr.. ELKINs, who is son-in-law of
Mr.. DAVIS, was at the Chicago cOnven-
ton as the champion of HARRIsoN's
nomination, and was mainly inStru-
mental in bringing over the BLAINE
forces to his support. immediately
after the convention Senator DAVIS, al
though a Democrat, stated in pub
lished interview the qualification HAIR
RIsoN's nomination afforded him, be-
cause, as he stated it, "he is one of US"
which was construed to refer to
their business associations. We have
recalled these facts that the public may
understand how readily one may have
been misled into the impression that
President HARRISON and ex-senator
DAVIS are still partners in the coal
business. Mr.. HALFoRD says they are
not; so that settles it, as he is supposed
to speak by the card. 1t will be OBJ
served, however, that the two moguls of
the cabinet, Messrs. BLAINE and WIN
DOM, are still interested in Mr.. DAVIS
coal operations, and it is natural to in
fer that the sympathies of the admins
tration are not antagonistic to the men
who control the administration.
1t will likewise strike the public that
Mr.. HALFoRD's explanation concerning
Mr.. FLINT's appointment is little far
fetched. There is no attempt to deny
Mr.. FLINT's connection with the
Brazilian Steamship line, nor of
the purpose of that company to
secure subsidy from the govern
ment. His appointment is justified
on the ground that he speake Spanish
and French f1uently and because of his
familiarity with the subject matter.
The president may not have known it,
but it is a fact that there are several
thousand American citizens who are as
familiar with the subject of South
American commerce as Mr.. FLINT, and
who speak French and Spanish even a
triie better. There Is no objection to
AZ. IT, ho Of l,tp
edge of South American affairs or of his
attachments as a linguist. 1t is because
of his connection with the Brazilian
steamship line and the opportunity it
will afford him to work a subsidy for
his company, that the GLOBE criticised
his appointment. Neither are there any
objections to Mr.. DAVIS because of any
personal unfitness. He is most excel
lent gentleman, of large wealth and
most industrious business habits,
yet. like Mr.. FLINT, is man
who knows how to take care
of number one. 1t is his business to
sell coal, and we will give Mr.. DAVIS
the benefit of free advertisement by
saving that ne sells the best steamship
coal that Is mined IN this country. Our
advice to Mr.. FLINT would be to try
Mr.. DAVIS coal on his Brazilian steam
ship line, but we would not advise Mr..
DAVIS to push Mr.. FLINT's subsidy
scheme too far. In the meantime the
president might step over to the state
and treasury buildings and consult with
his two most trusted cabinet ministers
as to how far it is safe to mix up pri-
vate interests with governmental affairs
under this administration.
OLD WORLD WORklNGMEN.
The artisans sent abroad by the