The Saint Paul globe., 1896-10-19

InlS money issue mas IOfCeQ our Iel-
low workers on the Republican papers
into the unaccustomed work of pro-
pounding sound economic maxims and
supporting them by arguments drawn
from history. They have been COM
PEELED to state general and correct prin-
ciples and illustrate them by object
lessons. They have been obliged to
confess indirectly, to be sure, but none
the less effectively, that some of their
old arguments were mere scarecroWs,
old garments stuffed with hay, swung
about to frighten the timid and fool the
ignorant, and they have been driven
to the humiliation Of having to refer
to England as an example worthy OF
being followed. How wearisome this
unusual exercise is it is not difficult
to estimate. That they chafe under it
is evident, and that they long for the
days to come again when they will bo
released from the humdrum, dreary
task of collating facts, reading history
and extracting it's lessons, and be able
to once more draw on their fertile
imaginations for their facts, is not sur
prising.
That, now and then, some of them
take a vacation and disport them
selves among their old fancy-filled
topics is not to be wondered at. The
strain of the present issue is too Sc
we're. Reason and Judgment have suf-
fared atroDbv in all tbaSo x,aarc ,7,,r;~,
which they have been idle and fancy
active, and rest becomes imperative
So, perforce, for rest and remuneration.
occasional excursions are taken into
the old fields, and their readers are re-
minded that, as one of them touchingly
puts it. the question of protecting
home industries and home products
and home wages is still one Of the
greatest issues of the day." Thus apol-
ogizing for the vacation taken, the re-
leased and relieved editor gambols
among the schedules with the friski-
ness Of lamb amid green pastures in
the gentle springtime. How he does
enjoy it. How his eyes gloat on the
old familiar objects, endeared to him
by long and close association. There
Laborer, gaunt with hunger and
clothed in rags, going to his hovel to
abuse his wife and children. On this
side squats his latest creation, the lit
tie relocating Jap, working hard and
contentedly for nothing a day at max
ing bicycles and getting ready to over
run us with them. Over yonder is that
fearsome Canadian lumberman and his
crowd of starvelings, cutting pine, saw
ing it into lumber and wringing the
hearts of our poor lumber barons with
his pauper prices. Up on a pedestal
the choicest of his possessions. is that
fearsome ogre with its glarfng ewes.
voracious mouth and hideous features.
British free trade, the pride Of his
heart. the apple Of his eye, his faithful
Caliban.
He wanders about among his pets.
taking down now one and then an
other, rubs off the dust that has gath
cred on them while he was plodding
along the dry and dusty paths of
finance, and puts it through its accus-
toned gymnastics, to his delight, that
of his orthodox readers and the etlif-
cation of the gaping crowd, who Won
der what under the sun this perform
ance has to do with gold or silver
standard. They do not know that the
poor. weary fellow, tired Of dealing
only with facts. is merely resting his
intellect, while his fancy disports it,
self. He must not be taken In earn
est He knows just as well as any one
that the day will never come again In
this country when he can palm or on