St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-31
ering the appointment of the Licking
ton postofice to Mrs. JACKSON.


The United States senate has over
done itself in rejecting MURAT HAL
sTEAD's nomination for the German
mission, not that Mr.. HALsTEAD may
be an unfit man for the post, or that he
may be an imprudent talker and writer,
but because of the special reason as
signed for the rejection. Once upon
time Mr.. HALSTEAD, in the exercise of
his editorial prerogatiyes, took occasion
to criticiSe certain senators belonging
to his own party for what he supposed
was failure Of duty; and it is because
of that criticism he has been rejected.
Every one knows Mr.. .HALsTEAD to be
a bitter partisan and man of lite m
pered disposition. 1t was a surprise
that the president should have selected
man of his temperament for position
requiring qualifications that Mr.. HAL
STEAD VIGOROUSLY does not possess. If
the senate had rejected him on that
ground, it would have been different
matter. But that body chose to base its
objection to his nomination on the
ground that he had been independent
enough to criticiSe senators. In fact,
the action of the senate in this particu-
lar instance is nothing more or less than
an attempt to muZzle the press. 1t cam
not be done, senators. Comparatively
few newspaper men are officeseekers,
and do not give snap of the finger for
this senatorial menace. They will go
right ahead, roasting senators and every
body else in public station who deserve
a roast.
LegiSlating for buncombe is a very
common practice, and would be inno-
cent amusement if it were not so expen-
sive to thestaXpayers. But gentleman
who has a good deal of legislative eX-
perience tells me that there are few
men who get into almost every legisla-
ture for the express purpose of legislat-
Ing for blackmail. AS a rule, none of
their proposed legislation goes through,
because the other members understand
their motives and refuse to vote for
their bills when they come up. My
friend explains to me the moduS oper-
andi Of this questionable legislation to
be as follows: 1.-The man who gets into
the legislature for the revenue that
is in it first makes it his business to find
out what special interests or industries
can be injured by legislation, and then
he goes to work preparing bills directed
against them. Of course, when the bill
is introduced, those engaged in the par
ticular interest or industry affected by it
get excited and rush into the legislative
halls to see about it. They are
soon approached by disinter-
ested (9) party, who, by the way,
is the outside partner of the
legislator for revenue only) who ex-
plains to them in confidential way
that the author of the bill can be
fixed, and the whole matter squelched,
for consideration. And am informed
that in many cases the man gets his
Doodle. My friend tells me that this
kind of Legislative legerdemain is rarer
here than in some other states, but that
he has occasionally known it to occur
in the Minnesota legislature. He also
tells me that these fellows are always
spotted by the. other members, and if
the people who are blackmailed had the
nerve to stand up against them there
would never be any danger of the objec-
tionable bills being passed.
TTH
''Pride and poverty are boon compan-
ions'' is the old proverb. While riding
in the cable car the other day had
confirmation of the proverb. A lady
entered the car, accompanied by little
girl. The conductor came around for
the fare, and the lady handed him
nickel. ''Fare for the child, if you
please" remarked the conductor. The
lady was intently observing some object
out of the opposite window, and paid no
attention to what the conductor said.
After few minutes waiting the con-
ductOr again renewed his request for
the child's fare. Again there was no
attention paid to his talk. Finally, In
louder and somewhat impatient tone,
peremptory demand was made for the
fare. This apparently brought the lady
to realization of the situation, and
with an air of offended dignity she re-
piled: Il suppose | know the rules of this
company, and there is no fare required
of child of this size" The conductor
was politely explaining the rules that
shortin his explanation by the lady, who
loudly affirmed that she had been travel
ing on those cars all season with that
self-same child, and had never
paid any fare, nor had she ever
been lnsnlted before by being
asked for it. "More than that, shall
not pay it now," she said, as she COM
pressed her lips and settled back in the
seat with an air of determination which
bespoke her intention of staying there
until the cable wore out. By this time
the dozen or more people in the car
were getting interested in the situa-
ton, and were anxious to see the out
come of it. 81 am sorry" said the con-
ductor. ''but the rules of this company
must be enforced" With that he
reached for the bell-rope. "What are
you going to do?' excitedly asked the
lady. 81 am going to put that child
off," came the reply. "What, right
here in the street?" she shouted. "Well.
am not going to run the car into any
body's house for her special accommo-
dation," coolly replied the conductor.
Seeing that further struggle was useless,
the lady's tone softened, and. with the
blandest smile on her face, but all the
while tear sparkling inner eye, she said:
Il would pay you IN minute. captain,
if had the change with me. But the
fact is l spent all my money down town
except that one nickel" "Well. if you
had said that at first, my dear madam,
all this trouble would have been
avoided. would have loaned you the
amount of the fare y ssTha truth ic !,