The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-23
YOUTHFUL EXUBERANCE,

If Judge Flandrau is not misrepre-
sented by the reporter of the Pioneer
Press, his youthful exuberance has ap-
parentiy caught him at a disadvantage,
in the rebound from rigid partisanship
into the liberty of the Independent yot-
er. 1t is not an uncommon phenom-
enon for men of ardor to pass from one
extreme to another. The zeal of the
new convert, the unbounded delight of
the man to whom some unfamiliar
truth has shown it's face for the first
time have passed into proverbs. Only
when age has tanned the riot Of the
blood, and many convictions of error
have widened the view to possibilities
Of superior wisdom in others, do men
come to embrace tolerance and do rev
erence before moderation. That stage
has not yet been reached, clearly
enough, by Judge Flandrau; If he said,
as it is credited to him, that "a vote
for Palmer or Lind by a sound money
Democrat is, in my opinion, worse than
crime-it is a stupid blunder" The
judge is for Mckinley and Clough, and
thinks that every other man should go
and do likewise.
We beg to differ with our eminent
fellow-townsman in the matter of pol
icy, and to criticise severely his form of
expression. We need not repeat the
reasons why we longed for the nominal
ton of third ticket in this campaign.
and why we believe that the obligation
to support 1t rests upon every true fol-
lower Of Jefferson. They have been
stated fully in these columns. Yet we
accord to others the right to think diff
ferently without implying that they
are either criminals or FOOLS We I'M
derstand why Republicans will vote for
Mckinley, why free silver men will
vote for Bryan, and why some former
Democrats even will support the Re-
publican ticket, deeply as we regret 1t.
We know that there are sincere men,
honest men, brainy men in all three
classes. To none has the Lord given
monopoly Of wisdom or of virtue.
And we can also understand why men
who believe that time-serving. and svc-
ophancy before monstrous abuse. and a
timorous choice of evils, and the fear
to raise the flag of principle and stand
or fall with 1t whatever may betide.
have brought this country where it u.s.
and made Populism seem almost re-
spectacle and anarchy almost possible
should welcome the indianapolis plat
form and it's nominees as the bow of
promise after world had persisted be-
cause 1t did not care whether right or
wrong prevailed.
We think that Judge FIandrau did
not weigh his words, If he used them.
or that he meant less than they would
seem to convey. For the question at
issue is, at best, one Of policy only as he
sees it; and on that other judgments
than his are competent He should
perhaps, feel comp1imented by the well
come which his statement secured for
him; for the Pioneer Press, in COM
menting upon his "clearness and
force" says incidentally that "a more
SHSCNN~ ASAAAONA6b tAdIi uS never SX-
listed" This burst of ELUSIVE graft
tude Is the need of most who assist the
Republican cause in these times. and
we trust they are pleased with it. But
we beg to state, with equal emphasis
and certainty, that the men who are
urging voters to stand by the nomi-
nees of the National Democracy are
not inferior in the patriotism Of their
motives, and possibly not in the keen
ness Of their judgment, to any of their
fellows to whom expedieney may die
tate different line of conduct. There
are men like Judge Wilder, for exam
pie, whose Democracy, whether meas
ured by the test of years or of uncom-
promising allegiance to Democratic
principle. will bear any comparison
that can be suggested. They are as
honest as they are earnest We think.
moreover. that theirs is the larger Wis
ION which sees the true thing and
builds for the future, while the noisy.
Drawing crowd thinks only of today.
Withal. we have no quarrel with Judge
Ffandrau for doing his duty as he sees