The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-22
A POOR DEVICE.

After several weeks of close appli-
cation, Senator Hill and his coadjutors
in New York have invented way out
of their dilemma which does not seem
to us to be worthy of their ability. It
is an extremely amusing letter that
Mr.. John Boyd Thacher, Democratic
nominee for governor, has given to the
public. He wants to run. He does
not have the remotest idea of being
| elected, but 1t keeps him before the
public, and puts him in the line of
possible future promotion. For this it
is absolutely necessary that man be
regular" He may swear eternal
fidelity to certain principle ON one
day upon perfect mountain of bibles,
and complacently eat his oath for
lunch the next. He may whirl around
madly like dancing dervish and oc-
cupy ninety-nine different, distinct and
contradictory positions within as many
consecutive seconds, all provided he
stands by the party" This is the
sum total Of the deliberations of SEN
ator Hill, Mr.. Danforth, Mr.. Thatcher,
Mr. Sheehan and the other New York
Democrats, who have been hunting
for life preservers ever since the Chi
cago convention adjourned.
They would just as soon stand for
free silver as anything else, If they did
not feel the moose of public damnation
fhoir hot
that issue means in New York state.
They were forced to take a right posi-
ton at Chicago, and since that they
have been trembling between the dis
tasteful choice Of accepting the free
silver plank or boiling the nominal
tons and ceasing to be regular" Now
that they think they have cast a
bridge over that deep gulf, Mr.. Thach-
er presents to the nation the at once
amusing and imbecile proposition that
a man may stand by the gold stand
ard and run for office on a silver plat
form. This is what he is going to try
to do. Thereby he thinks that he need
not part with that precious jewel
his devoted head the wrath of the peo-
pie of New York state. He represents
the attitude of that whole faction Of
homeless New York leaders, who are
terror stricken lest they Danish them
selves from power forever by acct
dentalIy placing the right above ex-
pediency.
OF course, It Is true, as Mr.. Thacher
says, thai state executive has no
official relation on earth to the finan-
cial question unless it might become
necessary for him to fill senatorial
vacancy by appointment. AT the
same time. this campaign has taken
such shape that in state like New
York, for instance, it Is perfectly i'm
possible to separate the financial issue
from questions of local policy. The
conduct of the party in the state has
been determined by that issue. II Mr..
Thacher and his associates had had
manl1ness enough about them to come
out boldly, take charge of the state
convention, repudiate the Chicago plat
form and stand by old fashioned
Democracy. they would have saved
their reputation, and their possible
"irregularity" would not have troubled
them hereafter. AS 1t is, they have
made Of themselves laughing stock
without lessening by one vote the
mighty and unprecedented majority
that New York is going to cast against
their ticket this year. 1t is rather
singular that, with so many centuries
of experience behind them, bright men
will insist upon repeating the expert.
nnent of sitting upon two stools at
once.