St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-31

mulgateS the new constitution, and
which will be done in the course of
few weeks. Tie admiral's instructions.
it is said. were written by President
Cleveland himself, and are in line with
the policy heretofore pursued by the
administration towards the Sandwich
islands. The public will not look upon
revival OF the tiresome business with
great deal of favor.
WILL NOT BE SENATOR CRISP.
Speaker Crisp refuses to accent the
seat i'll the senate for which he was
named as the successor of the late SeEa-
tor Coiquitt. The question was one of
Importance not only to the speaker him
self, but 10 a number af gentlemen who
would like to step into his shoes, both
as a member of the house and as pre-
siding officer thereof. His decision to
| remain where he is is wise one.
Mr.. Crisp has made an admirable rec
ord as speaker. He is a man OF firmness
of purpose. prompt in his decisions,
and fearless of criticism from friend or
| foe when he knows he is right. He has
frequently been placed in embarrassing
| positions. The cowardice of his party
associates has frequently left the house
| without a quorum, and has delayed im-
| pOrtant legislation. He has frequently
been sOrely tempted to follow the eX-
ample of his predecessor and count
quorum when no legal quorum existed,
but where an actual quorum of MEM
bers were in their seats. Many members
| OF his own party have urged him TO
! course of action which would expedite
business. and was warranted by prece-
| dent ii not by law. His opponents have
tainted him with cOwardice III refusing
| to do so, but he has remained steadfaSt
| throughout, knowing that TO fellow
bad example would not make that eX-
ample proper, and preferrirg to MAIN
tain his own consistency and the con-
SiStency Of his party rather than to APP
prove a course that has been universally
denounced by the press and people as
| arbitrary and despotic conduct. Al
though the business of congress has
been greatly delayed by the stand he
has taken, the responsibility rests upon
the derelict members, not upon the
speaker.
In the senate Mr.. Crisp would have
been distinguished figure, but not as
conspicuous as he is i'll the house. He
would be overshadowed 10y men of
longer experience in that body. There
is tendency among the older senators
to repress the younger ones-tO curb
their exuberance, as it were-and it has
frequently happened that men of mark
passing from the lower to the upper
house of congress have sunk into OBJ
liviOn. A notable instance is Henry l..
Dawes, of Massachusetts. For many
years he was the recognized leader OF
the house, and he welded his power
with consumnate ability. He was
transferred to the senate, and at once
sank into oblivion. For years he has
scarcely been heard from. and major.
ity Of the present generation are igho-
rant of his existence. Mr.. Mills, of
Texas, was one of the leaders on the
Democratic side while holding seat in
the house of representatives. Since
entering the senate he has been prac-
tically a nonentity. Neither of the
senators from Maine are half as con-
splcuous as they were when they occu-
| pied seats in the popular branch of
congress.
With such examples before him,
Speaker Crisp might we'll hesitate over
his acceptance of the position offered
him. True, 1t is generally considered
promotion to be transferred frem the
house to the senate, but in MIR. Crisp'S
case it would be promotion backward.
He is now one Of the most conspicuous
figures in the nation. In the senate his
natural ability would no doubt ulti-
mately assert itself, but 1t would require
years to attain position Of correspond
ing Importance and influence to that
which he now occupies.
TO Mr.. Springer especially among his
| associates would Mr.. Crisp's retirement
from the honse be acceptable. That
gentleman has long been ambitious TO
attain the speakers chair. He is well
qualified for the position, and by virtue
OF long service and leadership in his
| party is, perhaps, better entitled to- it
than even MIR. Crisp. Four years ago
he was an active candidate for the Of
| fee. and ran Mr.. Crisp close race in
! the caucus The speakers mantle
| would no doubt have fallen upon the
shoulders of the diSting uished Illinoisan
| in the event of the Georgia mans &C
| ceptance of the senatorial toga. The
house would lose nothing by the change,
for Mr.. Springer is the peer of Mr..
| Crisp in parliamentary experience, and
| is, withal, more of personal favorite
among his fellow members. Perhaps
| he lacks the aggreSsiveneSs of the pres
| ent speaker. but he could unQueStion-
| ably accomplish as much by persuasion
f, as Mr. Crisp does by force of combat
| iveneSS.
From a selfish point of view Mr.. Crisp
would have been the loser by passing
| from his present exalted position to that
of senator from the state of Georgia.
His decision of the question was
awaited anXiously, both by his friends
and his enemies and rivals. The path
way to obscuritv for leading members
of the house of representatives leads to
the senate chamber.
! One Of Senator Davis objections to
the imposition of ad valorem duties on
| imports is that we must trust to the
| ignorance of custom house officers who
make the appraisements. This would
be valid objection if those officials
were appointed under the custom fol-
lowed by Republican administrations of
appointing men for their political serv-
ices rather than for their competency;
but under Democratic rule, where merit
is the only qualification, the system will
be found to work admirably
THE municipal election in: milwaukee
will be the most interesting of the year,
as indicating the political power of the
A. 2. A. The issue is there clearly de-
| fined, and the two parties do not attempt
to evade it. 1t is question between
religious liberation and religious big
otry, the Democratic party standing as
the champion of the former and the Re-