St. Paul daily globe., 1889-05-30
THE CRONIN CASE.

THE CRONIN CASE.
The rapid unveiling of the CRoN1N
mystery, the prompt action,o of the Cock
county grand jury in indicting three
of the principals. and the now almost
absolute certainty that the entire con-
spiracy will be revealed and the guilty
brought to punishment, all seem to re-
call DANIEL WEBSTER'S statement that
the murderer's only escape from ex-
posure was suicide, and that suicide is
confession. There were never better
opportunities for concealing crime than
in this case, because the detectives who
were detailed to clear up the mystery
of the missing mans disappearance
new Sc EN- to have been implicated as
principals in the commission of the
crime; but that implacable spirit OF
vengeance, which hovers over the muir
.derer and pursues him with its instrn-
ments of torture even into the solitude
of his own thoughts. was present in this
instance to thwart the Vaccinations of
those who were endeavoring to secrete
the offense.
But there seems to be a feature in
connection with this crime of more
widespread interest, and of more gen.
eral Importance than the mere incident
of murder. Whatever may have been
the particular motive orimotives for DR..
sCRoNIN's murder, there is scarcely
doubt but that it is directly traeeable to
his connection with a secret OrganiZa-
tion. The accepted theory is that he
had discovered tfeachery in the organi-
cation, and bad in his possession the
proofs which would have convicted the
traitors, although it has been limited by
those who are supposed to have been
his enemies that CRONIN himself was
the traitor, and that his renewal was
justified upon this ground. Still tn
fact remains that he was member of
secret organization, and that in some
way or other his death was the direct
result OF his connection with it,
In monarchial countries secret po-
litical organizations not only occur in
the logical course of events, but in most
Instances they are justifiable. They
afford the only means for the masses to
organize against tyranny, and if vio-
lence and deeds of blood occasionally
occur as the result of such organiza-
tions, no special surprise is created.
But there has never been, and it is to
be hoped there Will never be, iustifca-
ton for the organization OF. secret po-
litical societies in this country. The
Know Nothings tried it once and met
with disastrous failure. And it has
been so in every subsequent attempt,
not excepting KukluXism in the South
and Anarchism in the North. There
fore it may be accepted as well settled
principle in American national life that
there is no field for secret political or
ganiZations.
1t so happens, however, that, this
country being the asylum for the op-
pressed of all Europe, the refugees who
come here for protection bring with
them their political ideas and customs;
and among tn ese, the idea that they
must keep up their secret political Or
ganizations to be operated against the
tyranny they left behind them in the Old
countries. Through spirit of sympa-
thy Tor the downtrodden foreigners
who come to our shores for protection,
the American people have tolerated
practices among them that they have
not tolerated among themselves. 1t is
a question, however, whether the cause
of freedom is to be promoted, either at
home or abroad, by further ind ulgence
of these customs and practices. The
cause of Ireland has never made such
head way as it has under the lead
ersilip of PARNELL, who removed
it from the influence of secret
organizations and placed 1t before
the world as an open fight on
square issue. The ultimate sue
cess of PARNELL's tactics is admitted
by the wisest English statesmen. The
formation Of land leagues and similar
organizations with the branches In this
country is a legitimate part of the PAR
NELL. policy, because their purposes are
understood, their proceedings are open,
and there is no attempt at secrecy be-
yond what is proper and natural for any
political organization. But all sorts of
secret societies and organizations which
have no connection with the regularly
constituted movement established and
recognized by the Irish leaders for
1reland's redemption are a positive in
jury to the cause and are in aHtagonism
to the spirit of our American institu-
tions.