St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-16
GETTING INTO A HOLE
Is What the Republicans Are
Doing in the New State Matters.

Is w nat the hepuuitCdHS AfO
Doing in the New State Matters.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The Repub
lican party has been putting itself in a
hole in it's recent attitude towards the
territories. The events of the past
week have been anything but creditable
to the party in power, or soon to be. III
both the legislative and executive
branches of the government. Follow
ing the advice of Gov. Ordway, the SEN
ate disagreed with the house amend
ments to the Plat bill and went into
conference. Fol lowing the advice OF
the same astute gentleman, MI. Spring
er made concession after concession;
but the senate conferrees rejected SIM
liar counsel, and there was soon an
almost ineXtricabie middle. The SEN
ators jumped the track and put them
selves where the Democrats had been
ON THE WRONG SIDE.
opposing the admission of the territories
for more convenient season when
party capital could be made. That the
time has gone by for such tlnkerlng
with the rights of people who are en-
titled to sovereity, was demonstrated
last November; and the Republican
party ought to have been the last to
ignore the popular will. MIR. Springer
has done good work and effective work
and no amount of partisan jugglery can
deprive him of his Well-earned leglsla-
tive laurels. That he was wrong,
eminently wrong, during his entire adj
ministratiOn- of the committee on ter
ritories, is believed now, probably even
by himself, as we'll as by the delegates
from territories which prayed in vain
for admission. But, since the people
spoke in November, Mr.. Springer has
acted as one who recognizes the divine
RIGHT OF MAJORITIES,
and has about-faced in mastery man
ner. During the past two months he
than was ever before accomplished by
any chairman of a committee since the
foundation of the government. This
goes not only to show that Mr.. Springer
is man of ability and power, but a
man who can learn and profit by his
own errors. But for the die
tates of party policy of a mar,
row kind, mr.. Springer could
have brought in the territories long
ago. The blame of delay should not
rest on him alone. The speaker and
other leading members of the dominant
party desired that admission be de-
ferred until after the presidential
election of 'Ss. 1t was in obedience to
party behests that Mr.. Springer acted,
despite his own better judgement. The
credit of the omnibus bill, its inception
and history belongs to Mr.. Springer.
Its passage in the house, even in the
face of Democratic opposition, was a
sample of prestige of forensic strength
of which any man might well be proud.
The shrewd change of front by means
of which he became the champion OF
the territories. and forced the Repub-
licans to take the unpopular side of OPP
position, will always stand out as one of
the ablest OF parliamentary achieve
ments in the history of the house. Mr..
Mansur, of Missouri, who largely aided
Mr.. Springer in his territorial work,
says: II was amazed when MIR.
Springer unfolded to me his plan. Its
very
BoLDNESS SURPRISED Me"
HE proposed to violate the rules OF
warfare and politics, by changing front
in the presence of the enemy. But the
movement was executed with such con-
summate skill that, before the Repub-
licans knew it. they walked into the
trap with their eyes wide open, and
found themselves on the defensive. in
stead of the offensive and aggressive.
Before coming into ausolute power, yet
viii. the vim Of victory as their inspira-
ton, they laid down before the manipu-
lation of ADLER men than themselves:
they bowed before the vanquished."
Other members of the house and senate
| speak in similar manner.
Senator Plat. OF Connecticut, looks