The Saint Paul globe., 1897-01-03
KEEP YOUR EYE ON pINGREE.

become governor Of Michigan has ex-
cred by the paragrapher's witticism.
Pingree and his potato patch have fur
nished no end Of jokes to the fun-lov-
ing American people for a good many
years past. But Pingree is no longer a
joke. He is mayor and governor
now, and what he will become hereaf-
ter is by no means plain. There is stuff
in Pingree. And the thing which one has
to notice in his career, is that which
gives 1t force and meaning, which ex-
plains why a man SO extraordinary in
many respects, and so obviously erratic
in many Of his notions, has obtained so
strong hold upon the popular ap-
proval. Pingree may call himself
Populist or Republican, or whatever
he pleases, but the policy that really
governs Pingree's official acts is the
| old-fashioned policy Of Democracy. We
would to heaven there were more Of it
in this country. Pingree is a plain
man. Pingree hea Ills eye upon the peo-
/
that an inaugural ball is half as impor-
tant as lower taxes. He does not be-
lieve that the fallals Of social life in
capital city or elsewhere should take
precedence of finding work and means
Of subsistence for the UNEMPLOYED He
does not consider that it is better to
ride in private car than to secure rea-
sonable rates for the public. These
are the things that raise Pingree far
out Of the little sphere Of the crank
which was at first supposed to limit
him, and make him, if he keep true to
his purpose, a person whom the Amer,
lean people will do we'll to bear in mind.
This. as we say, Is old-tirne Democracy,
and the United States can stand
great deal Of it, 3f2s
AS between the two extremes Of the
ostentation Of plainness, which our
forefathers affected, and the ostenta-
ton Of extravaganza which has become
the modern custom, the former is much
to be desired. The nerves of the nation
would be rudely shocked by a presi-
dent who should sit down with his
chair tilted back and in his shirt sleeves
on the front piazza Of the White house
and smoke corn cob pipe as he
watched the people Of Washington go
by. Yet we venture to say that there
would be less likelihood Of growth for
those evils that aff1ict our government
today under the administration of such
a man than there would during the in
cumbency of an executive who observed
the finest rules Of official and personal
etiquette, but had his tender side to-
ward syndicates and the whole horde
Of hungry aspirants for legislative
favoritism. The country needs a re-
turn toward simplicity Of living. 1t
needs it among it's private citizens, and
it needs it in public places. The com
mon man, the Forgotten Man, has to
be remembered eventually in any civili-
Zation and any state that is not to
suffer a slow, but none the less inevi-
table decay. Human life is the one
thing more sacred than even institu-
tions. The government that was found
ed in the interest of all the people
must not lose sight Of that grand pur-
pose, if its weaknesses are not to come
to the front and dominate and destroy
the whole splendid structure.
There is a stirring among the people
of this country for plainness and hon
esty in the administration Of affairs
Those who are behind this movement
are, unhappily, too often mistaken in
their methods, and look for reform to
agencies that can bring them nothing
but disappointment and additional loss
But the motive is all right. That is
where Pfngree is strong He SAYS that
he is interested in the prosperity of the
plain people, the multitude, the poor
people, those who have nothing to give
to their officials but a hearty support
and nothing to ask but the plain mans
opportunity. The man who has strength
of courage and heart enough to keen
this aim un1niXed with others and to
fit his life to it is bound to become
FAR more important parsonage than
If he were able to clothe his servants
in livery or even to set up a coat Of
arms
After all is said and done this United
States Of ours belongs to the plain peo-
pie and is going to belong to them
for all time to come. 1t has been get
ting good distance away from them
through the struggle of conflicting sell
fish interests for the benefits that flow
from control Of it's affairs. The first
fruits Of the desire to get such men
in public life, like the unripe windfalls
from an apple tree, have been pretty
poor pickings. They were mostly cranks
like PETER and cheap mountebanks Of
that stripe. The later crop NAV nos
sibly be represented by men like Pin
gree, whose simplicity is neither lg-
norance nor affectation, but honest
sympathy with the lives and Iabors and
hopes Of the vast majority of our peo-
pie. When they take the helm, we will