The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-21
RIVER AT 8 A. M
FINDING HIS LEVEL.

-~~NO
level at last We have watched for
many years the career of this man,
who combines in such uncommon pro-
portions the qualities of the orator, the
demagogue and the mountebank His
real ability no one could honestly ques-
ton. AS member Of the United States
senate he gained distinction for a
rhetorical fiIency and a wealth of
satirical invective which few men could
hope to equal Whenever it was known
that Ingalls, was going to fay a man
alive the senate galleries were crowd
ed. By the very terror of his lashing
tongue he held enemies in check And
when he was heard in advocacy of
men or measures, instead of opposition,
the beautiful periods that fell from his
Hips were worthy of a master. AS
parliamentarian, too, he had few
equals While presiding in the senate
the transaction of public business went
forward under sharp and sure con-
troll. These great qualities, possessed in
such rare measure, were sufficient to
make ingalls, a man Of mark, to ad-
vance and keep him in public life, until
the real rOttenness of the man became
apparent. He was not open, so far as
we know. to the charge of corruption
that lies. with truth, against so many
politicians, but he was like a great
tree, throwing stately branches over a
forest of lesser growth, that is decayed
and hollow at the heart. Ingalls, is
destitute of the ability to conceive
moral order, or to compass the moral
relation of things to one another This
was the real secret of his satiric power
An unbeliever himself in the true. the
beautiful or the good the enthusiasm
of those who do affect him as the an
tics of some witless creature, who ex-
lists only that he might serve the cruel
uses of others. The man represented
that dangerous type of humanity, a
high intellectual development without
any underlying moral foundation.
During his rise to prominence he con-
cealed this as a matter of policy He
well knew that, as a scOffer at what the
world has reverenced, he could never
achieve the prominence that he hoped
He hid, therefore. this side of his char
acter well, and thrust himself by men,
tai ability into the foremost rank. At
last. he presumed upon his great per-
sOnal reputation far enough to throw
off the mask. He sought relief from
the pressure of years of hypocrisy by
expressing his contempt for the moral
order of things, which had so long
commanded from him an unwilling as
sent as a matter of expediency 1t was
then that he found huge relief in eX-
pressing, as only he could, his real
sentiments. He declared that 1.-The deca-
logue has no place in modern politics. .
He averred that purity in political
struggles is IAN iridescent dream" And
so the real man stood revealed, and
from that moment his downfall was
certainly accomplished. The American
people shrink with horror from such
denial of moral principles and alb
hor it far more deeply and justly than
they would the most fragrant offense
against moral law, which the Of
fender. nevertheless recognizes and
means to obey. They are tolerant OF
mOmentary weakness under tempta-
tion, but regard with indignant horror
the absence of moral principle Worse
men and less able men than John J.
ingalls, have remained in public life
under cover of a decent regard for the
ethical side of life. His abrupt avowaI
wrote his political epitaph. While his
quick retirement from the senate was
the result Of political combinations. til,
decline of his influence with his own
party, and the reasonable assurance
that. were it in power, he could not
hope 10 receive honors at it's hands
were the stamp of fate. No public
opinion viii tolerate a man who re-
3ects that which is an essential element
In all religious faith, and which those
who know no obligation of religion. as
defined by the creeds, hold equall,
sacred.
ingalls, has been, since then, a wan.
der2r upon the face Of the Garth, and
lac found his level few days ago al
tie ring side in Carson City as thu
reporter of prize fight John J. In.
gals and John J.. Sullivan, what &