The Saint Paul globe., 1896-10-15

Some son of the Emerald isle. of
course, is credited with the remark
that ''he never opens his mouth but
he puts his foot in it." One Is struck
with the aptness with which this bull
illustrates the unhappy condition Of
our Republican disputants. ANY one
who reads the speeches of the advo-
Gates of silver is struck by the fire.
quency with which the stock phrases
of Republican campaigns in the past
are now turned against them. Some
of Mr.. Bryan's most telling points are
where he turns past Republican argu-
ments against themselves Whatever of
sophistry there may be in his counter
TO their declaration in favor of free
coinage under the sanction of inter
national agreement, it cannot be denied
that it catches the public as well as
II 1t were the solidest of axioms. When
Republican points to England as a
country that has prospered exceedingly
under the gold standard he is met with
the old story he was telling a few wears
ago, about the penury and pauperism
OF the English workingman, and asked
II 1T is right to follow England's none
-tary example, why is it not right TO
follow her commercial policy?
The latest instance Of a Republican
opening his mouth for the insertion OF
his foot is that of Senator Washburn
VINO propounded to Mr.. Bryan a series
OF questions relating to the tariff and
MS present and past position on it.
IN laying the groundwork for his
queries, Mr.. Washburn assured Mr..
Bryan that his audience would be
largely composed of wage earners. and
that this class of people" were, s'like
others, dominated by human selfishness
so far as their own interests are con-
cerned. He should have known bet
ter than to have put into the hands
Of so adroit and alert a dialectician
as is Mr.. Bryan so good a chance to
counter on him. Mr.. Bryan did not
neglect his opportunity, and, waiving
aside, the tariff question as not related
to the issue of this campaign. he took
the statement that the wage earnars
are dominated by selfshness as a basis
for an inquiry if Mr.. Washburn might
not be dominated by the same motive
In taking the position he assumed. and
whether Mr.. Washburn's solicitude for
the wage Garner was sincere or not.
Mr.. Washburn had unwittingly laid
the ground for this in his preliminary
statements relative to the magnitude
OF the lumber and milling interests of
Minneapolis, two industries in which
he is understood to be a large investor
and one of which, the lumber indus-
try, had, he claimed, been greatly in
jured by putting lumber on the free
list. This had diminished the profits
from investments in that line. while #
had resulted in decreasing the price Of
lumber to the millions of users of that
product. Was 1t then unfair to cues
ton the philanthropy, to doubt the un-
selishness of a man who wants to have
the cost of lumber to the millions made
dearer in order that he may reap an
additional and wholly unearned profit !?
To be sure, Mr.. Washburn makes no
mention of the effect of free lumber
on his and the profits of the lumber
men of his city, but mentions only the
loss of employment and wages to the
poor workingmen engaged in the busi-
ness. leaving it to be inferred that he
has no concern for himself and his own
interest, but is solely agitated about
the condition of the laborers. AS a
miller making -four, he makes no men
.tion of any loss to himself from the
repeal of the reciprocity clause of the
Mckinley bill, nor, incidentally, does
he mention the recent rupture of the
combination of millers who fixed the
price of -four. so that the poor work
ingnnen of Minneapolis paid as much
for their -four as did the workingmen