St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-12
WASHBURN DID 1T.

The passage of the repeal bill has
precipitated an inquiry by the leading
journals of the day which is of the su-
premest Importance. Who deserves the
overshadowing honor of having accom-
plished it?
The fight was heated one. The
senate chamber became for the moment
fiery furnace, in which was generated
a caloric so intense and all-consuming
that at times 1t threatened to fuse even
that most stubborn of compounds. sena-
torial courtesy, into white hot cinder
No proposed legislation since the storied
season of the war has so provoked the
animosities of statesmen. Into the
proposition Of repeal or non-repeal was
injected all of the gall and bitterness of
personal gain, of private obtainment, of
public profit, of corporate greed. For
the first time in years this overshadow-
ing question tore into warning factions
both the great political parties of the
country, and made antagonists of men
who erstwhiie had been bosom friends.
For season Damon strove to strangle
his beloved Pythias, and David carried
the deadly razor in his boot while "lay-
ing" for his tender and affectionate
Jonathan. All the finer social feelings
were for the moment transmitted fro m
the wine Of love into the gall and worm
wood of hate. 1t was terrible while it
lasted.
Since the battle royal has ended the
newspapers of the entire country have
occupied the talent and genius of almost
their whole editorial force in telling
how 1t was done and expressing grave
and noteworthy opinions as to who did
it. The GLOBE is naturally a modest
and retiring sheet. 1t never presumes
to assert that it knows more than its in
telligent neighbors, and hence it has
not ventured to thrust its oar into the
discussion of the inherited ownership of
the post ObitS of victory. 1t has been
fairly contented with the fact of repeal;
and hence has manifested no particu-
lar inclination toward the hero worship
of the fellow or fellows who led the
forces. Like Benjamin Harrison (of
sacred and tender memory we have
rather inclined to the view that the
finger of Divine goodness and eternal
justice was diScoverable IN the outcome
of the event, and have permitted the
matter to recline upon the theory of t he
inscrutable Providential equities.
But our Intelligent contemporaries
will not have it that way. The spirit
of the medieval centuries still obtains
with most of them; and they will per-
sist in burning incense at the altar of
=,
shadowlng that it must have hero,
and while there is a singular want of
unanimity among them as to the identity
of the modern Hercules who performed
this superhumaD feat, they are all in
strict accord in singing p 8ans of praise
to somebody.
OF course the large majority Of our
Democratic nelghbors award the crown
to President Cleveland. This is only
reasonable. and. from every point of
view, allowable. Mr.. Cleveland is pres
ident. He is also Democrat. He has
stood firmly upon his feet while other
strong men were swayed by the clam
orous cyclones of self-seeking de ma
agogues. His irmness, his unalterable
integrity, his honesty, founded upon
the rock of conscience: his care for the
real welfare of the country; his stead
| fast determination that the finances OF
| the nation should not be Mexicanized
with his consent-all these virtues were
| admirable in their recent manifestation.
| But they were not new. The country
| has for years known that Grover Cleve =
| land was an honest man, firm man, a
| self-poised mana man that stood with
| out the attachment Of a hitching weight,
More than any other influence-save
one, possibly-the victory is doubtless
attributable to the admirable qualities OF
| character possessed by Mr.. Cleveland.
Other Eastern newspapers have in
sisted that Senator Hill did it. Now,
Mr.. Hill showed wonderful nerve. great
adroltness and skillfui training in de-
bate. That was all. His attitude was
dramatic and catching-a species of
| theatrical pomp and circumstance, like
Ajax defying the lightning, for in
stance; or Richard, overthrown, howl
ing like dervish for another horse and
surgeon to bind up his wounds; or
| Richelieu making chalk mark around
! the sweet and winsome maiden, and
challenging even the wearer of a crown
| to desecrate the sanctuary thus impro-
vised. This is not much. David is a
good actor, and he merely exercised
dramatic talent. we'll cultivated. In the
interest of an honest and very desir-
able measure.
Then come our Republican exchanges
SOLDERING over Uncle John Sher man.