St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-15
A coMMoN.sENsE PoPUL1sr

A COMMON.SENSE POPULIST.
The Populist governor of South Caro-
lima has almost succeeded in precipitat-
ing revolution in the vain endeavor to
enforce state law, paternally severe,
for the regulation of the liquor traffic
The Populist governor of Colorado
came very hear involving that state in
armed rebellion while trying to remove
certain officials who were personally
offensive to his eXcellency. The Popu-
list governor of Oregon and the Populist
governor OF Kansas have each succeeded
In making holy show of themselves
on sundry occasions by The awkward
and unseemly manner in which each
has met certain public duties presented
for solution. Populists, as a rule, ran
strongly after amateur statesmen. The
more ignorant, willful and uncouth the
fellow is who aspires to lead this newly
coined party, the more certain he APP
pears to be to command support and
achieve success.
The man who aspires to high position
should possess, above every other at
tribute, the virtue OF tact. The term
ruler" has no American meaning. The
title governor" is merely honorary, the
fact being that our theory of govern
ment proclaims, first OF ali. that the
people are Self-governing, and that the
chief citizen Of the state is chosen mere
ly to execute the laws. In the perform
ance OF that duty. too. he is expected to
use tact first. then judgment, and finally
courage. Oar theory of government
also grants large privileges to minor
tiles. 1t IS the province of the majority
to control legislation, and place laws
upon the statute books; but when any
one of those laws is vigorously opposed
as unjust to individuals by any consid-
erabie minority, the powers of executive
officers are expected to be wisely used.
so that the feelings of the opponents of
the law may be respected in the neces-
sary enforcement Of an unpopular law.
Amateur statesmen are very liable to
abuse the powers placed in their hands
by thoughtlesS or fanatical majority.
Tact is quality gained only by long
experience with public men aud public
Sc
and the executive power of an UNFRAMED
man accidentally chosen to exalted pub
lie office has very much greater limita-
ton than it has actual force. A COVER
nor, for instance, chosen by two-thirds
of the people of the state, does not
necessarily represent even majority
of the people when he proceeds to the
nf
all unpopular law. The moment an eX-
ecutive officer makes show of physical
force he antagonzes every mercifnl
sentiment even in the bosoms of til e
very men who voted for him. And just
at the moment when force seems most
necessary, the trained states man inter-
poses INSTRUMENTATION, reason, persua-
sion, good temper and personal self
contro i and while sailing close to
Scylla contrives also to avoid Chary-
dis.
In discharging public, as we'll as
private functions, physical force is
theA first resort of fools and the
final expedient of philosophers. All
men may be led to discharge their
duties if the hand that leads them is
inspired by patience and kindness. Few
men in America can be driven without
making the driving process so al.
together expensive as to be practically
valueless.
There is one Populist governor-Gov.
Shortridge, of North Dakota-who has
thus far possessed sufficient allowance
OF tact and good sense to proven. him
from making national spectacle of
himself. Gov. Shortridge is a plain,
honest, intelligent farmer, who has in
former years made living by actually
cultiyating a real farm. Like all of the
other POpulist governors, his election
was largely accidental, and exceed
ingly unexpected to himself, as we'll as
his friends. But he was elected, and
since his Inauguration has gone about
his executive duties. modestly, quietly.
unobIrusively aud sensibly. His hea d
has retained its normal size. He has
not striven to adern his official functions
with unnecessary frills and farbelows.
He has not felt called upon to press the
execution of statutes which were un-
popular in his state with large section
of his fellow citizens to point beyon d
human endurance In short, he has
permitted the people of North Dakota
to be and remain ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
cording to the American theory of gov.
eminent.
The GLOBE attributes the manly and
sensible course pursued by Gov. Short.
ridge largely to the good fortune of his
early training. Before he became a
Populist the North Dakota chief execu-
tive was sterling Democrat, trained in
the ethics of Jefferson and jackson.
Then, too. he is man with a kind
heart. plenty of conscience. and a wide
knowledge of the philosophical fact
that it takes all sorts of people to make
q state. He instinctively respects tine
rights of the minority, and manifests nc
chronic disposition to uproot the exist.
ing industries. the business and the
traffic of his state for the purpose OF
planting new crop based upon entire
ly different theories and principles.
When Gov. Shortridge concludes
to return from chasing the ignis
fatuus of impossible reform throug IA