St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-20
EFFRONTERY REBUKED.

Secretary Carlisle has made the only
possible response to the request for
warded to him by the Blackburn forces,
to use his influence with the members
of the Kentucky legislature who have
thus far stood out against Blackburn,
80 as to secure the election of a Demo-
cratic senator. The making Of any
such request was a bit of the coolest
effrontery known to recent politics.
1t would be an excellent thing to have
a Democratic senator elected in Ken
lucky. The party is undoubtedly en-
titled to it, and it is a burning shame
that the result should remain in any
way in doubt; but to those who rev
member why the situation has come to
be what it is it will be scarcely less
than amazing that the friends Of Mr..
Blackburn should appeal to Secretary
Carlisle for aid.
Let us take a short look backward.
When the campaign opened a year ago
in the state of Kentucky, there was a
square fight made between the free sill
yer men and the sound money men for
control of the state convention. Mr..
Blackburn and his friends joined issue
with Mr. McCreary and Secretary Car
Isle and the representatives Of the
sound money idea, and the state was
canvassed from end to end on that
question. The sound money men won
in the convention by an immense ma
tba cd of
an honest money platform, which was
made explicit by containing a formal
approval Of the financial policy Of Mr..
Carlisle and Mr.. Cleveland. Then, de-
sirous of promoting harmony by every
concession possible, they nominated
one of the free silver men for governor.
In any ordinary contest such action
rs this would not only have settled the
question of control, but would have
buried or banished all luminosity. The
principle of majority rule, which lies
at the bottom Of party existence, or
the existence of self-government for
that matter, requires the submission of
the minority. Their defeat was soft
ened by the honor and advantage of
naming the gubernatoria1 nominee.
About six weeks after the nomination,
however, the Democratic candidate,
under the lead and inspiration of Mr.
Blackburn, and aided and abetted by
him, renowned the platform of the
minority should prevail, and forced the
fighting in every part of the state on
that issue alone. The result was the
election Of a Republican governor, and
the return of legislature practically
tie.
Under these circumstances the WON
derful thing is not that there should
be some Democrats on the legislature
who refused, and declared that they
would refuse forever, to vote for Mr..
Blackburn but that there should be
any who would support him. His in
subordination is responsible for the
situation that exists, and for the
threatened wreck of the Democratic
party in the state of Kentucky. Had
he adopted either of the two courses
open to an honorable man. had he
either declared that, having been out
voted, he would support the financial
declaration of the party, or that he
would retire from the field as a candi-
date for the senate, not only would
this emergency not have arisen, but
Kentucky would have elected a Demo-
cratic governor by majority of from
$4,000 to $4,000 votes. Now, having
carried out his evil scheme, divided the
party and secured it's defeat by an act
of political mutiny, his friends actually
had the hardihood to request Secre-
tary Carlisle to whip into line those
members Of the legislature who de-
clared that they would never vote for
the author of their party's misfortunes.
Mr.. Carlisle's reply to this request was
q simple intimation that he would not
interfere In the senatorial contest.
Had he cared to speak his mind, it
would probably have been couched in