The herald., 1893-12-09
The THREE CaAkks.


When it comes 10 Russia, man like
Tnlsioi can engage the attention OF the
world. Tolstoi is the most distinctive
representative oil the atribilious guild.
II this gentleman we're to figure at mid
Nav picnic, ~ which only innocent boys
and eiris should appear. he would make
the tritNng in,erude something like the
emensiions OF morgue, and his Doe
sticks Dsmphool crowd would acclaim
him as having done something out Of
the common. As matter OF fact,
man like Tolstoi, when he waiEs out on
a fresh morning in May or June, ought
to lind something like petard in his
pockets. which should blow him into
the eternal smithereen.
Thus, while the people of the United
States are very much Interested in hav-
ing the interest OF the masses attended
to, they are not fanatical. Notwith-
standing this anxiety, there are only
three people VINO care much about the
details OF the rights of the masses, from
the crank standpoint. Those who are
willing to group themselves together as
eager to put the rights OF the people
above ell entanglinx alliances may be
comprised in Governors Lewelling OF
Kansas, Waite OF Colorado and PEN
Eoyer OF Oregon.
While we call these gentlemen crGnks,
we do not wish to be understood as using
the phrase in depreciatory sense. To
the people OF Palestine and Judea. Jesus
Christ appeared TO be crank. jlst as
he did to Pontius Plate. An otfhaud
study OF three American cranks may
therefore he OF come interest.
First in the list is Governor Lewelling
OF Kansas. This gentleman thought
that the mere fact that man was poor
and without the recourse of making a
livelihood by no means involved the
fact that he should be put into the
chain gang and branded as felon. We
are inclined to think that Governor Le-
yelling ia right. II the ilea pervading
the gospel of Jesus Christ is right, the
poor and disprized Of Kansas, or OF any
other state, is to be succored, instead of
being disprizsc and made Pariah. In
this view, Govsrnor Lswelling is by no
means such q crank as he is pictured in
newspapers that are not as wise as they
would wish TO appear.
The next gubernstorial'crank ia Gov
ernor Waite, of Colorado. This gentle
man announced that if the Sherman law
were repealed as to silver the people of
Colorado would ride in blood up to the
bride bits. The Sherman law has been
repealed, and the ordinary Colorado
broncho has not exceeded his usual
bucking proclivities. Yet, in q certain
sense both Governor Lewelling and Gov
ernor Waite are right. Particularly
Governor Lewe.ling, who is of opinion
that poverty is rot crime.
We are thus left face 10 face with
Governor Pennoyer of Oregon. This
gentleman has peraeveringly asserted
that the little commonwealth that he
presides over :s the real reservoir OF
genuine Democracy. He thinks that
President Cleveland is without anything
that can be called the Democracy OF
Jackson and Jefferson. He has gone out
OF his way at all times to announce that
the Democratic administration at Wash
ington is not Of the true blue.
After all, these gentlemen, if they be
cranks, have some notions that are strict
ly assimilative OF the genuine American
ideae. We would rather stay with their
vagaries than accept some of the mon
archical notions that are now becoming
popular.