St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-24
JOHN SHERMAN.


Senator John Sherman is looked upon
as 'back number" in the Republican
party. He has long been a leader Of
men. and has outlined the policy of hi:
party on more occasions than one. He
has grown old, but not so old as to din
his mental powers or dampen his ardol
in the pubic service. Many OF thu
younger leaders still look to him foI
advice and counsel. disirustful of the
eXtremities of protection into which the
Mckinleys and the Reeds would leat
them. and they do not look in vain.
Senator Sherman has ever PROVED
himself a consistent Republican, and ii
is probably for this reason that he is re
pudlated by 4 portion If his party and
worSniped by others. He was the au-
/ thor and advocate OF the silver purchase
act. but when he discovered that tina
policy was bringing the country to the
verge of ruin he abandoned it. anC
united with the friends of sound cur
rency in etfecting its repeal. He has
/ strictest school. but not monopolist.
While the mass of his party have solo
themselves, body and soul. to the lido
of monopoly, Senator Sherman ha:
! had the hardihood to declare that ths
! Mckinley bill is not all that it has been
claimed to be. He has pointed out its
mperfectons-how it has had ten
! dency 10 lessen the general prosperity.
while adding greatly to the opportun-
| tiles of capital to increase itself and
expand its power. He has said no word
| against the principle of protection. for
be believes i'll it reljgiously, but he
| freely criticiseS its abuses and Unequal
tiles. SO pronounced mas been his OPP
| position to the cOnspiracies of the tariff
| robbers that he has been looked upon
| with distrust, and to younger and less
! capable men has been entrusted
the task of leadership. To be the
leader of party advocating meas.
| ure a man must be irrevocably
| committed to all its provisions
Senator Sherman is not committed to the
support of the Mckinley act. and can.
not approve of all OF its details, and
| therefore he has been supplanted by
Lodge, and Hale, and Chandler. With
generosity that does credit to his
kindly nature. he occasionally steps in
all eXtricates ''the kids" from an un-
pleasant predicament, in which their
rashness and want of knowledge has
plunged them, but as a rule he lets
them go their own way and laughs in
his sleeve at their sorry plight.
1t is very evident that Senator Sher-
man has not yet outlived his ambitions,
and that he still retains hope that he
will be called upon to ill the executive
chair OF the nation. Ever since 1872 he
has been mentioned for the honor, and
his adversaries barely accomplished his
defeat in the convention of 1876. His
supporters then as now were the more
conservative members of the party. for
while Sherman has always been radi-
cal he has combined reason and policy
extreme policies because of their mex
pediency. In this his conservatism con-
sisted. 1t was policy, not principle.
There is considerable talk among Re-
publicans as to the eXpediency of max
ing Senator Sherman their presidential
candidate i'll 1896. He will not be in
eligible on account of age, for we have
had presldents-and good ones, too
who have been older than he. He is a
protectloniSt of the strictest sect, but
recognizes the necessity of moderation
in the direction of protection-regards
il as suicidal to that policy to carry it to
the extremes advocated by some of his
hot-head brethren. He is. Furthermore,
of the opinion that filibustering is not
proper resort of party for the defeat
of legislation that may be inimical to its
interests, and has opposed the policy of
delay on the tariff measure adopted by
his party.
In many ways John Sherman has
commended himself to his party. He
has shown that it is not manly or ex-
pedIent to cling to a policy after its in
eXpediency has been demonstrated. He
has had the independence to repudiate
his own past action after experience
has proved its unWisdom-a rare quality
in a politician. He is no less of pro-
teclionist than Mckinley, but is less of
monopolisJ-a man who believes that
the masses as we'll as the classes have a
right to the benefits of the law. He is
gravely inconsistent: in denouncing the
effects of laws whose business he de-
tends. failing to comprehend the true
relation of cause and effect. But he is
nevertheless the grand cid man of the
I,lI o.f.- - .I.Ta
he may yet be chosen as the leader of
that faction of the organization opposed
to the hot-headS and revOlutioniSts who
are endeavoring to land the party safely
within the strongholds of monopoly. Of
course he could not hope for the sup.
port of any Democrat, for he is stead
fast and consistent supporter of policies
antagonistic to true Democracy. but he
may greatly assist the Democracy by
creating such a division in the ranks of
the enemy as shall weaken its forces
and thus contribute indirectly to the.
cause of good government by keeping
the party of reform in power.
Senator Sherman is one of the posi-
bilities of 1896. At any rate it is prob
able that his candidacy may result in
bringing about important events. In
view of his recent utterances he cannot
support either Mckinley or Reed; his
friends will find either of those gentle
men hard pill to swallow. AS the
candidate of the old line Republicans
he would be conspicuous success, if III
no other direction than in the line OF a
protest against species of radicaIism
that partakes largely of the nature of
revolution.
The report of the Boatner committee,
charged with the investigation of Judge
Jenkins anti-strike Injunction, is SUBJ
stantialiy what the GLOBE predicted it
would be. While holding that the in
Junction was oppressive and arbitrary,
the committee admit that it may be war
rantei by strict iDterpre tation of the
law, and therefore abstain from any
censure of the judge. 1t is suggested,
however, that the law he so amended as