St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-08
A SCREAMING FARCE.

No man possessed of a sense cfhumor
could afford to miss the meeting held
in Market hall yesterday. What some
Democrats had feared as a serious
movement to wreck the party develop
ed into a screaming farce, whose ludi-
crous progress all can enjoy because
1t has no possible connection with the
future action Of the party or the con-
clusion of its convention yet to be held
The mock convention was made in
teresting by the terrible seriousness Of
the actors who held the boards. They
had really imagined that the pro-
gramme which they prepared could be
carried through; and they performed
with the desperate earnestness of the
actor whom even the delicate hint of
decayed fruit and vegetables cannot
force off the stage until the spectators
suffered from the very exhaustion Of
merriment. Chairman ScanneH and
his gavel had their great day. Never
has there been such presiding officer
since Lowenstein was the leader of the
Republican hosts. Rising to the spirit
of the occasion, the delegates had their
fill of horse-play, and people slept last
night on aching sides, split with the
merriment which the distinguished city
committee had afforded.
We could have asked for no happier
outcome Of a situation that has vexed
and angered the Democrats of st. Paul
almost beyond endurance Outside of
the precious lot Of conspirators who
take themselves seriously, the people
and the party pay no more regard to
the performance than to any other
opera bouffe which has passed off the
boards, leaving only the SAVIOR of un-
rivaled amusement behind it. The
rump minority of what was intended to
be a convention went through all the
motions; and Mr.. ScannelI, impressive
and 1mperturbable to the last, presided
while candidates were being nominated
who, however worthy of the honor thew
may be, would no more dream of ac-
cepting it at the hands of such a bodv
than they would of leading a process
sion Of fakirs through our streets. Be
fore the din had died away, practical
ly every man singled out for distin-
guished honors had peremptoriIy re-
fused to have anything to do with this
rag-tag and bob-tail assemblage, and
hilarious notifications Of imaginary
nominations were passed about as the
choicest humors of the season. The
memory of this gathering is as the
faded echo of a departed cat-call.
1t is not often that the serious busi-
ness Of politics is so diversified and
enlivened as it has been by the rem
nant of city committee that now has
| several titles to fame, of various kinds
and odors. Perhaps, with the restora-
tive influences of the morning, even
these distinguished personages will
make a closer acquaintance with them
selves; and, since they cannot be high
performers, will rest satisfied with
their singular success in the humber
role Of clowns. AS for the Democratic
party, it is not at all concerned with
this spring carnival of mingled folly
and deviltry, and is now in a position
to take up seriously the business of
preparing for the coming election. The
G o b is we'll satisfied with the out
come, which disposes finally OF what,
| from a plot to sacrifice both the for
tune and the reputation of the party,
sank to the level Of political low
| comedy,