The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-18
SPEED THE PARTING GUEST.

SPEED THE PARTING GUEST.
The formal announcement by the
New York Sun of it's abandonment OF
any profession to support Democratic
principles and it's public alignment
with the Republican party is a mat
ter Of more than usual Importance; and.
we may add, without any personal re-
Election upon the brilliant editor of that
paper, for congratulation among
Democrats of all shades Of opinion. The
New York Sun is the most singular
development that has been produced
in Journalism in this or any other coun-
try. Having at the head Of it a man
OF ideas, of powerful personality and
OF positive genius in the gathering and
presentation of news, it long ago came
to rank among the first, if not abso-
lutely the first, Of newspapers in this
country from the news standpoint. 1t
has retained and still deserves that
reputation. AS a rule, the Suns news
columns are models of completeness
combined with admirable condensation
ana peculiar felicity of expression. The
fastener who takes the Sun is sure
of getting his news palatably served.
But the Sun has exhibited an infalli-
bility in taking the wrong side of every
public question from the moral point
of view which is the most remark
able feature of a remarkable news
paper. We can hardly recall an issue
OF great public moment in which the
Sun has been editoriaIly on the side
OF the influences that make for the peo-
pie. 1t may be said of it, as Junius
said in one of his letters, that the
astounding thing was not that the SUBJ
ject Of his scathing satire should
so frequently be wrong, but that he
should never have happened, by any
accident, in the course of a long public
career, to be right Naturally. this ne
culiarity of the Sun has made it a.
thorn in the flesh of Democrats. to
Whom It's fa1lings were credited, and
whom, all this time, it was supposed to
represent Its advocacy of methods
measures and men hostile to public in
tereSt and to the establishment of good
government was all attributed TO the
Democratic party Now, at least.
whether it's Republican associates well
come it to full fellowship or not they
must expect to bear the responsibility
of it's editorial wanderings.
Away back in the time of Sam Ran
dali, and from that day down to the
time of the reign of German. it has
been indefatigable in it's support of the
protection theory. Regardless alike of
the immortality and un-Democracy of
its position, it has stood as a cham
pion of protection, and has been DOW
erful in undermining the Democratic
position and counteracting Democratic
effort. 1t supported Blaine in 1884 Ever
since that time it has made war upon
Democracy to crafty a personal ami
mostly against Mr.. Cleveland. No abuse
was too severe, no innuendo too vile
to be applied to him. At any time the
Sun would have preferred the defeat
and the disgrace of the Democratic
party to the bestowal of the smallest
honor or credit upon It's representative
in the white house. In the local field if
was the staunchest supporter Of Tam
many Hall through all the years when
Tammany stood for the worst system
of government on the face of the
earth. Its admiration for Senator Hill
grew out Of the worst phases Of his
political life, and the moment that he
developed a dangerous tendency to
stand for something better he lost
favor with the Sun. Indeed, it is
hardly an exaggeration to say that the
principal occasion of it's open change
to the Republican side, if it can he
called change, is the magnetic attrac-
ton which it finds in the record Of
Senator Platt, now the most despicable
and dangerous force in New York pol
itics
1t would be useless to make any COM
pleter catalogue of the long list of oc-
casions on which the Sun has fought
whatever seemed to be best and fullest
of hope in our social and political life,
and abused, upbraided and BETRAYED
Democracy, because its underlying
principles drew it in the opposite di-
rection Giving due recognition to the
great ability of the editor of the Sun
and to his paper as a newspaper, we
believe that we share the common feel
ing of Democrats everywhere in draw
ing a long breath of relief as we speed
the parting guest Whatever mis-
fortune or evil report may await the
Democratic party in the future, it will
not be saddled, as it has been for so
many years, with responsibility for the