The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-11
SENSE OR SENTIMENTS,

SENSE OR SENTIMENT:
The considerations advanced in a
letter from Judge Willis, published in
another column, to show why the city
Democratic convention should direct
the municipal campaign to national
instead of local issues, wander entirely
from the point. To refer to the ex-
preston of the greatest Of modern
Democrats, ''it is a condition and not
a theory" with which we have to deal.
The implements to use are sense in
stead of sentiment, facts rather thah
rhetoric.
A mayor and common council are
to be elected. Candidates will be nom
mated by convention representing
only the voters of st. Paul, and con-
cerned with nothing but the reform of
the government of st. Paul. Shall
they attend to that, or shall they
make excursions into foreign terrific
ry to Gull nosegays, to the delight. the
relief and the probable success of the
common enemy? That is all there is
to it. It is just as absurd to say that
a city convention must declare itself
on national questions as it is to say
that a national convention is a coward
or traitor if it does not announce the
proper park or police policy for the
city of st. Paul.
If Judge Willis does not fatty mis-
represent the object of his criticism, he
is guilty of gross carelessness in read
ing what he comments upon when he
says, you are not so much interested
as to lend your cooperation" to the
supporters of Bryan. No word has
been uttered upon which it is possible
to put that construction The G o b e
has made no threats or promises. 1t
has simply stated facts. That they
are facts is evident to every thought
full man. In Democratic division the
Republicans of this city see their only
ing condemnation. Is it worth While
to play into their hands?
We are not at all concerned about
what the silver Republicans may do.
If the announcement of an independ-
ent candidate is not threat" what
is it? Let them nominate MI Haw-
thorne, and rejoice in his exceeding
comeliness. The Democracy has filled
itself once with the east wind of
hopes born Of Populist and Republi-
can alliances. 1t is not a fattening
diet; and the exchange of reliable
Democratic votes for thistle-down was
not g. paying one. The gold Demo-
Gratis demand and have demanded
nothing, as far as we have heard
The only proposition that will bear
the term "dictatior" is that contained
in the letter of Judge Willis
The Democratic party of St Paul
should have a creed. That creed is to
give the people of this city a clean,
honest, efficient government the great
est possible contrast to that from which
it has suffered. 1t is no more the con-
Germ what the creed Of the Democrats
of the nation in convention assembled
may be than it is the duty of a board
of directors to spend business meet
ing in discussing the proper method Of
baptism, and to break up in a row and
bankrupt the concern because they
happen to be members of churches
that differ on this point. There is alb
solutely no principle at stake; and the
man who rushes in to sacrifice both
public and private interest to an empty
Illumination is to be credited not with
bravery. but with the folly of the
soldier who commits suicide in the
presence of the enemy to show them
that he is not afraid.
St. Paul needs to be redeemed from
Republican misrule. The Democratic
organization is the only instrument by
which it can be accomplished. United,
it can conquer; divided, it is likely TO
fail It can be rent asunder only by
the importation of issues that have not
the remotest relation to this cam
paign. We did not create this condi-
ton. We are sorry that it exists But
it is the fact and cannot be ignored.
What, then, is the duty of the voters
both as citizens and as Democrats?
To us it seems exceedingly plain. 1t Is
a situation that requires reason rather
than poetry Is a man a hero and
Christian eXemplar when he strips his
child naked in order that he may put
a bundle of clothing into missionary
box? Divested of maneuvering for
party control and of linguistic eff1ores-
cence, this sums up the whole question
to be decided by the voters of st. Paul.
BY their own wisdom or folly they will
stand or fall.
NONE so BLIND.
The adage that there are none so
blind as those who will not see finds
an apt exponent in the person OF young