The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-30
KEEPING READY THE OLD HOUSE.

1t was very fortunate thing for the
youth who thought he knew more
than his father, and who, having re-
ceived his portion, went out into the
world to try its mettle, that there re-
manned at the old home some one to
keep it in provender against the time
when, having tried the world, he came
back hungry, ragged and wiser than
he went. Since the days Of the prod
lgal son there have been numberless
young men who have rejected the wis
dom of their fathers and had to learn
perience and not for all of them
has there been kept the old home with
open doors and fatted calves to well
come them back.
The children of Democracy have
been, in the main, steady going lot of
boys, reposing confidence in the wis
dom of their father, and resisting all
Seductions of the world to leave the
old homestead, take their portions of
the estate any try elsewhere to build
up a new home. But there have been
exceptions, black sheep in this as in
other flocks, and now and then some
have wandered off, lured by hope CT
profit and worshiped the strange gods
Of the heather. This has happened
when there were hard times in the old
homestead and snug economies had to
be practiced and the opportunities
elsewhere looked inviting. Then num-
bers of the boys have gone off to bet
ter their fortunes. One such exodus
occurred back in the later years of the
sixties when the boys thought that the
Did mans ideas of money were too old
fashioned, and that paper money was
better than gold and silver money.
They do not like to be reminded even
now Of the experience they gained on
That excursion and how glad they were
to get back, ragged and dusty and
hungry, to the old roof-tree. But they
came back and were contented to stay
at home for many years thereafter,
convinced that the old man was cor
rect in his ideas of money as well as
Of everything else.
And now, in this later day, forget
ting the bitter lessons of the past,
grown venture9ome again, and think
Ing they can go out among the tribe
Of the POpulists and make profit by
dealing with them and abiding in their
tents, the boys have left the old home
In droVes and have actually attempted
to take it with them. They have taken
down its sign-board and carried it off
with them and set it up over their tent
among the Populists. They join their
new associates in reviling the teach
lngs of their father and term him an
old fogy, behind the age, and not up in
Coin" Here abides Democracy"
they shout, land Bryan is its
prophet"
But Democracy, firm, unchanging.
abides in the old house It sees with
sadness its children wandering off and
joining with its enemies 1t hears them
proclaiming their doctrines as those of
Democracy's with chagrin. But it
knows that after days, that are more
or less, the strangers will have taken
from the boys their shekels, and that
then, tattered and torn, hungry and
, Thirsty, scoffed at and scorned, jeered
at by their associates, the boys will set
their faces homeward again, penitent
contrite, full of the wisdom that comes
with experience. So Democracy keeps
the house. 1t replaces the stolen sign
board with one larger and broader
with ''rhe National Democracy" writ
in large letters upon it so cEat the re-
turing wayfarers may read whether
they walk or run back 1t has made
Palmer and Buckner the custodians OF
the house and babe them keep it in Or
der against the time when the pepi-
tents shall return. 1t directs that the
calves be fatted and the larders stock
I ed 50 that when they come back there
shall be that in plenty with which to
delight their famished appetites. And