The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-10
IT'S WORST ESTATE

tics in New York state, containing
many episodes unpleasant to remem-
Der, has there been defiance of pup
lie opinion and of ordinary decencv
equal to that which has marked the
restoration Of the Republican party TO
power. We may search the history of
this country in vain for more shame
less exhibition Of party recklessness.
more open declaration that politics and
DoodIlng are synonymous, than have
been furnished to us by the governor
and the legislature Of New York. This
is all the more remarkable because the
responsible party owe their present eIa-
walton to precisely similar misconduct
on the part Of their predecessors. II
was because Senator's Hill and NT,,r,h,-
ana 0heehan and the rest of the ma
chlhe outraged public decency that its
present opportunity came to the Re-
publican organization. It was the
Maynard episode that put one nartv
out OF place and the other in yo+ tho
appointment of Maynard to a Judge
snip and his nomination for that Of
70 nee were far less revolving to the moral
sense IMAM What has already been az
compIlShed since the LIST of .Janrar1, Of
AIpany Maynard was man of cred-
UaoIe past and a good record. TN IN
'he Tune that he was tempted to ah-
stract from the mail a certain election
return upon which depended the no.
htlcaI complexion Of the Legislature l,o
hau d right to call himself an honor
aoIe man. 1t was for that act and
LOT the connivance with and tbe con
coming Of his guilt by his no.
AIlcaI associates that a poIitica1
revolution was ACCOMPLISHED Tho
--eIiOiaiIeS OF that overthrow
nave already distanced Hill and
May nara and the others who incurred
puohc displeasure. They have commit
tea TWO acts. either of which oupb+ 70
be enough to damn a marty, fo,.o,,o,
Inc hrst OF these was the election Of
mat arch corruptionist, that boss hood
Ter Thomas c.. Platt, to the 1rni+od
states senate. But, although a mora
conspicuous Offense, this was not roo1
~ aS wen calculated to arouse public
IiI"lSilatlon as the appointment of Lon
avn insurance commissioner of tho
state Over this office and this card,-
uate the whole state has been form I'M
ever since Gov. Black was alactod r.
was known that he felt Obliged to
q Ia h.
make the appointment, both from marty,
ana from individual considerations H.
says that he owes his nomination 70
Fayn' and that Payn claimed tho f,,,
i'iIiIeHI OF a promise that he sbouId
il7oe insurance commissioner. Now
'nis ONCE, in state like New York il
one OF lncalculable Importance and.+bo
one where character is most in do
hand- New York city and state oro
the center of perhaps the e-rao+as+ :.
surahce business in the world With
the state commissioner rests the admits
sion or exclusion Of companies from,
business, the examination of +ho;u
financial condition, the protection
which the people Of that state and o+bo,
~ nave against SWlnOlerS
spectators and sharks. None but
man OF perfect uprightness and
independence should be thought Of
In connection with this Office. To So
lect any other is to jeopardize the 60
curity OF hundreds Of millions of dol
lars that will become due in case of
death to the holders Of insurance mol
icies.
This Lou Payn, who has been an
pointed, has a record as a LOBBYIST
which would shame any ordinary man
into retirement from public life He
has been denounced by self-resnact-
Ing people of both parties in New York
as unfit for the least office within tho
governors gift, to say nothing Of the
insurance commissionership. Merely
to name him in connection with place
of such responsibility is no ordinary
scandal In spite of the rigors Of party
discipline, nine Republican senators re-
fused to vote for his confirmation. The
New York Tribune, which nothing
short Of an earthquake can disturb in
its placid acceptance Of any gospel