St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-03


ming changes. 1t is very possible
that Mr.. BLAINE's jingoism has
lost some of its keenness with adj
vancing years, and that his association
with the cold, undemonstrative Indiana
lawyer who sits in the presidential
chair has cooled his feverish spirit. But
when he was himself candidate for
the presidency no more serious ground
of objection to his success was held by
Intelligent people than the fear of inter
national complications which might fol
low the intrusting of the ship of state
to man whose opportune sunstrokes
and heroic attitudes have marked him
as play actor instead of statesman.
The might-haye-beenS of political life
are not less sad than the ill-fortuue of
individuals, and thisc ountry will suffer
to the end of time from the crime which
kept SAMUEL j. TILDEN from the Office
to which he had been elected. When
he had become an old and much enfee-
bled man, from his study at Greystone
he warned the country which he loved
so we'll against its persistent careless
ness in the matter of the national de-
lenses. In words of great vigor and
convincing force. he showed how COM
pletely at the mercy of a foreign invad-
er the harDorS on our SeacOast would be.
He insisted that there was neither econ
omy nor wisdom in leaving our shores
exposed to the assaults of any third-rate
power which might be tempted to insult
Us by our very helplessness. Had he been
go 81 Al.
nous revenues which have been squan-
dered i'll dishonest pension jobs, in ticti
tiouS internal improvements and in re-
funding to states taxes legitimately lev
led, and to which they were not enti-
tied, would have been spent at least in
part in fOrtifying our defenSeleSs har-
bOrs and in equipping the nucleus of an
efficient navy.
The lesson Of the hour shows the pro-
fundity of his wisdom. We have no
guardians at any of our ports except the
custom house officers who stand, sword
in baud, to stop the importation of the
necessities of life, and to hinder the
peaceful inroads of commerce. An
Italian fleet, in few short days, could
pillage and destroy at any point on our
coast property hundred times more
costly than would have been the con-
StructioD and maintenance of ships of
war commensurate to our national
greatness. The people of this country
have themselves to thank for elevating
to positions of responsibility men without
foresight or political acumen. The Sc
lection of an incompetent weakling like
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES over states
man of the broadcast views and strongest
mind carries consequences the end of
which is hard to foretell. 1t is impos-
sible for nation like ours to stand still.
Personal responsibility is not a sufficient
qualification for an occupant of the
presidency. Four years of puSillani-
nous inactivity, of palavering and po-
lltical SentimentalitieS, mean warping
of our national life, and a rusting of
our political machinery. it is a
crime for political parties t. put
forward as presidential candidates men
like JAMES K. Polk, FRANKLIN PIERCE,
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES and BENJAMIN
HARRISON. Their election means moth
ing but partisan triumph. They are
chosen not because they have proved
themselves equal to the high duties of
their calling, but because their very
weakness makes them strong in con-
test against men of force of character
and deep convictions. Had an ANDREW
JACKSON held the reinS of government
when POLK and PIERCE slept at their
posts we might never have known the
EO,. = ~. L. I
TILDEN sat IN the seat usurped by the
fraudulent claimant from Ohio, we
might now be strong enough to main
tain our national position with dignity.
The crisis of the hour carries another
lesson. We have opened our borders to
the criminal off-ScOurlngs of every for
eign principality. No people have been
too low or too depraved to find a ready
welcome. We have subjected our noble
yeomanry to the loathsOme competition
of the African slave, the Mongolian rat
eater and the Italian bandit. This thing
has got to stop. We must and shall
open our harbors to the good things of
the world, but we must put a per-
petual embargo against this cease
less invasion of Huns and Van
dels. The GLOBE is no cham
pion of mob law, but we have
hard task before us. We have gath
cred together a great thr0ng of men
from every nation under heaven with
out homogeneity, and thousands and
thousands of them without the Qualifi-
cations for becoming citizens of free
country. Against others of their kind
who have not yet come, we must shut
and lock our gates. AS for those who are
here, we must assert our right to deal
with them as we will. The better ele-
mentS of our country must and shall
rule it. The lawless of every nation
ality, no matter who their king is, must
be put down. If they can be coerced
by peaceful legal methods, as were the
anarchists of the Haymarket in Chi
cagO, well and good. If they need the gun
and the cudgelS for their determination,
! the American people have the bravery
| and the courage to use them. Let the SOW
ereigns of Italy and OF every other nest
| Of brIgandS understand this. Let them
keep their hands off. We have the re-
| sponsibility and the duty of meeting
llllS SlSdl ~ Jul .
| America reserves the right to murder if
! it is necessary for the preservation of
Der institutions. She reserves the right
| and will assert it. Let us have strong
men at the head of the state. Let US
fortify our harbors, and with the mem
| DRY of the heroes of 1912 in our minds
man our ships against foreign inter-
ference, while we patiently and fear
lessly do the work of reducing to order
and sobriety the heterogeneous herd of
foreign malefactors who have made
themselves part of us.
AT THE auction the New York tailors
had of their bad debts the accounts
were sold in the ratio of $1,000 for $500.
1t is understood that most of them were
against the dudes of fashionable society.