St. Paul daily globe., 1891-09-06
THEEPIGRAMN1IsT,s REWARD

The GLOBE feared the worst when
Friday mornings kilograms announced
the appointment of WEBSTER FL ANA
GAN to the collectorshlp of tile port of
FL Paso. Ell PasO is the SouthernmOst
poiut of the Lone Star state. BY it flows
the raging Rio Grande, and through it
pours into Texas a rich and ceaseless
current of Mexican greasers, which are
the chief exports of our sister republic.
WEBSTER FLANAGAN is the statesman
famous for all time as the author OF
that pertinent inquiry, ''What are
we here for, anyhow" When Presi-
dent HARRISON entrusted such post to
such a man, 1t was evidence enough
that merit and solid worth are not the
qualities which find favor in his eyes at
this critical period of his public career.
Nobody is sorry that the eplgrammatlc
FLANAGAN has at last got something" "
even though 1t is position of such
prominence and responsibility; but
what hope did there seem LEFT for A.
RoLLo MCGILL. WILLIAM Il. MERRIAM
or Gen. ED S. BEAN, if the criterion
of fitness for official preferment was to
be skill at epigram making instead of
executive ability, strength of character
and political influence?
The GLOBE has tried to be calm about
this matter, but the selection of a Min
neSota man for the vacant war portfoio o
has been very dear to its heart. 1t
hopes that its course has not been un-
dignified, and that it has not betraye d
the depth of its feelings by anything
like an hySterical or frantic advocacy
of this project. The elevation of a man
like STEPHEN B. ELKINS seemed inev-
liable since Friday morning; but now
that the worst is known to be true, this
paper cOnfesSeS that it is crushed by
the blow. There will be great sorrow
at st. Anthony Park this morning when
Mr.. MCGILL's neighbors learn how
shamefully his claims to recognition
have been overlooked by the head
of his party. There will be great
indignation this morning throughout
tine state militia and among soldiers
of every tongue and nation under
heaven. as the news gets about that
neither WILLIAM R. MERRIAM nor
Gen. Ed S. BEAN is to have the re-
ward to which their military experience
entities them. Those long nights spent
in the study of Upton's Tactics in ad-
vance of the prize fight, that brilliant
resolve to call out the troops, that gran d
march of Col. BEND and his braves, un-
der somebody's orders, up Seventh
street and down Seventh street again,
and their courageous rout of the elec-
trio cars which stood in their way-all
these things have won nothing for the
two men who modestly attribute the
achievement TO each other, except the
commendation of the public press and
the appreciation of the other warriors of
the world.
STEPHEN B. ELKINs is the man who
managed the BLAINE canvass of 1884, and
whose brilliancy as leader elected
from JOHN |. DAVENPORT the interest
ing criticism that he didn't know enough
to run tramps' lodging house, to say
nothing of political campaign. This
is what got him the Office. The presi-
dent is enamored of epigrams. No man
need lust for honors unless he has said
something smart, or some one has said
something smart about him. The sue
cess of FLANAGAN and of ELKINs
shows this. Why could not this kind
service have been done for Mr.. MCGILL
or Mr.. MERRIAM or Gen. BEAN?