The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-06
RIVER AT s A. NJ.
FEELING THE PULSE AGAIN.

This administration is evidently not
Rverse to the use of quite common
device to ascertain how the public
pulse will beat in response to some pro-
posed policy before venturing upon it.
From being the favorite implement of
politicians aping craftsmanship, who
set forth their views to some reporter
for publication, to be denied promptly
If the comment was adverse, admins
trations have come to use the same
means Of ascertaining in advance
whether a venture would or would not
meet with popular approval If it falls
fiat, there is nothing more heard of it;
If it fires the hearts of the infiamma-
BILE public, it is put into operation. In
government so slightly responsive to
public sentiment, whose form seems de-
signed to obstruct the popular will, it
is convenient development, a neces-
sary differentiation, like national nom
mating conventions, or Reeds commit
tee ON rules, or counting quorums.
Recently we noted the effort to Gre
ate a diversion for the discomfort
growing rapidly even in it's own ranks,
by the semi official statement that be-
tween the lines of the forthcoming
Cuban message would be read the an
nouncement Of q vigorous policy en-
bracing a possible recognition of the
revolt as a republic. The public
were unable to read between the linas
any such thing, nor in it anything
more than tame request for $5O, 900 to
relieve the necessities of some Cubans
who had made a sorry farce of the
privileges of American citizenship.
Then followed the announcement from
the same source that Minister Wood
ford would carry to Spain Instructions
10 inform that government that recog
milton and annexation would speedily
come if Spain did not at once do some
thing or other to put down the rebel
hon. This feeler failed to elicit the de-
sired response even from the jingoisss
Of party organs. 1t fell fat.
Now, again, from the identical source
the recognized court organ, the
Times-Herald through it's court repre-
sentative, Mr.. Wellman-we have an
other feeler assuring us that Secretary
Sherman has sent a communication ia
Salisbury that will stir that gentleman
up and down and fire the hearts Of the
patriots In this country who long for
war with England, or some one in
which they could do the shouting and
let some one else get the killing. Mr.
Weliman tells us that this dispatch
will be regarded by England as Of
fensive in tone and manner" and "the
administration, I am told, believes that
It's efforts will be received with almost
as much popular approval as was Mr..
0lney's Venezuela dispatch" And what
Is this pepQery dispatch, and what is
It about? Nothing but seals. Another
phase of that long and not at all cred
table controversy about seal catching
but of which we have reaped nothing
but discontinue and humiliation. car
RED on primarily for the benefit of q
company to which a monopoly of seal
catching had been given, and second
lrily for the advantage Of people who
accepted sealsllin coats and sacoues as
IN insignia of our untitled aristocracy.
Mr.. Sherman accuses England Of bad
faith in not carrying out the agree
ment made, under the award Of the
lrbitrators, to employ sufficient naval
iorce to prevent pelagic sealing. 1t is
! maxim of equity that he who comes
INTO that court must come with clean
hands; he who seeks specific perform
lnce of an agreement must show per-
tormance or readiness to perform his
part. Our hands are not clean. Pend
hlg our absurd claim of exclusive juris-
alction within a line drawn from the
Iarthest point Of the Aleutian islands
10 the southernnrost point of Alaska,
Canadian sealers had caught seals in
side this line. Our patrol vessels had