The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-25
MIR. wATrERsoN,s FIRE ALARM.

Our excellently well-intentioned, but
somewhat nervous and excitable fellow
laborer in this endless task of directing
public opinion in the way in which it
should, but, perversely, too often, will
not go, Mr.. Watterson, whose facile
pencil makes the editorial pages Of the
Courier-Journal so charmingly attrac-
tive when he will, displays an unwont-
ed irritation at the calm reception of
his alarm-beH warning of the prepara-
tons for another candidacy of Mr..
Cleveland for the presidency He COM
plains that it has been received with
either lev1ty or contempt because the
presumption is so general and so sure
that there can be no third term for
any man. With an ineptitude that sell
dom marks what he may write he
groups all the dissenters under the
term new journalist" and returns a
Roland of satire for their Oliver of
levity. Crediting him with fertility of
invention in the realms of fancy, he de-
MES him, somewhat inconsequentially,
we think, any understanding of the oc-
cult in life or thought He then re-
states his case, charges Mr.. Cleveland
with intent to be Every much in evil
dence three years hence,'' and the Re-
form club banquet as having been ar
ranged with malice aforethought to in
troduce Mr.. Clevelands fourth candi-
dacy.
Having been of those who calmly
kept their chairs when Henry's alarm
bell rang, but not of those who drop
ped f1ippant or contemptuous remarks
about the ringer, we have reread the
elaboration of the case as restated, and
must confess our inability to see any
cause for alarm. We might fall back
on former alarms rung by our esteem
ed brother as justification for present
serenity, but even his satire shall not
provoke an unkind retort. We are even
willing to admit that, after 1896, almost
anything may happen in 1900, even the
denomination and reelection Of Mr..
Cleveland, but we must persist that
there is nothing to indicate set pur-
pose on that gentlemans part to begin
the initiatory steps to bring about such
an end and shall so believe until Mr..
Watterson offers something more solid
than the dinner of the Reform club and
Mr.. Clevelands address to the ban
queters.
We find somewhat extended expert
ence to justify the rule that no occult
motives should be predicated on hui
man action as long as ordinary, nat
ural and perfectly understandable mo-
tives sufficiently account for it. There
are exceptions to the rule, we admit.
but we find no reason to think this is
one. What then were the circumstances
out Of which may have come with in
nocent intent the motives for the din
ner and the presence and remarks of
Mr.. Cleveland? It was no unusual
thing for the Reform club to give q
dinner. Mr.. Watterson need not be
told that is one of the things clubs do
and sometimes all they exist for. This
especial club has given a dinner an
nually ever since its first year, and it
has followed the honored custom, OBJ
served even in Louisville, Of inviting
eminent gentlemen, identified with the
cause it is engaged in, to dine with and
talk to it. Having f1nishd another
year in which the club had done a
great and 1audab1e work in the cause
of monetary education, it was but nat
ural that it should make that cause
the leading feature of it's dinner
speeches, just as, in former years, it
had made the tariff cause the topic.
Having stood together In that CAM
paign, what more natural than that
the club should ask Mr.. Cleveland
to come from his retirement to partake
OF the dinner with them2 What more