The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-26
country broken forever through the
act of a hostile power.
1T is A "sTUNNER."

IT is "STUNNER."
The st. Paul Glob thinks it has pro-
pounded sumner when it asks why many
Bryan Democrats support George for mayor
of New York instead of the Tamnany man,
who is the regular candidate. The Chicago
platform has been brought into the hght,
ignored by Tammany, but supported by
George, and the platforms the thing-Little
Falls Herald.
Several contemporaries that have
tackled the question do find it stun
ner, If the Herald does think it easy.
If the Herald will give the subject a
little reflection, it will not turn in an
answer quite so readily. In national
matters it is conceded the national
convention adopts and prescribes the
party policy. Suppose it should
assume to prescribe the issues
in a state campaign, would the
Herald not grant it's action was be-
yond it's jurisdiction? In matters af-
fecting state policies the state con-
vention of a party prescribes the pol
icy, and whatever it does or commands
becomes the action Of the regular or
ganization. It cannot adopt any ma
tional policy any more than the ma
tional convention can invade state
borders. 1t has it's work in its juris-
diction, and there it is supreme. In
municipal elections the convention of
any established party decides what
shall be the issues, and what it decides
becomes final and binding. No other
portion of the organization can pre-
scribe for it what it's policy shall be.
Neither the national nor the state con-
vention can interfere with it. When it
has decided, the doctrine of regular
ity" requires implicit obedience from
all who profess belief in the divine
wisdom of conventions and the binding
force of their actions.
Tammany for what reason is imma-
terial, decided to restrict the issues in
the municipal contest to city ques-
tions. This was eminently proper, be-
cause by nothing that could be done
were it successful could state or ma
tional questions be affected. If it
should have indorsed the Chicago plat
form, the action would have been a
mere surplusage, of no more effect
than had it adopted resolutions Of
thanks to McKinley's international BIZ
metallic mission for it's eminent serv-
ices in accomplishing nothing. Tam
many is the regular organization. 1t is
the municipal Democratic party, hav-
ing the committees and all party ma
| chinery. Mr.. George was dissatisfied
because it did not do what it had no
| occasion to do, and doing which would
| have been futile. He bolted and Or
ganized a Democracy Of his own, de-
| claring certain national and municipal
| policies. He did in city matters pre-
cisely what the National Democrats
did last year, for which the Herald,
among others, upbraided them. Mr..
George insists now that Tammany has
departed from the faith, just as the
Glob insisted last year that the
national convention had. Mr.. George
insists upon adhering to his convic-
tions Of faith, just as the G e did
then. And yet we have still to find a
| paper that then denounced the G b e
for what it was then pleased to call
it's ''treachery'~ that is not now ap-
| plauding George for doing precisely
| what the G 20 b did. This inconsis-
| tency is certainly a "stunner," and
puts our critics in an awkward dilem-
| ma.
We say this with no love for Tam
many, no respect for it's course, either
past or present, and we say it with a
very high regard for Mr.. George, for
his earnest, sincere motives, his high
character and his very great ability.
We will go farther and admit that our
sympathies lie with Mr.. George and
Mr.. Low Not wholly because each is
at the head of a movement that denies
| the infallibility of the regular organi-
zation" and insists upon the right to
pass individual judgment upon the ac-
ton of the regular organizations, but
| because each leads a movement for
good government, which neither of the
regulars intends to give, whatever may
be it's pretensions and promises.