The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-21
JUST LIKE SHERMAN

There is no man in public life in this
country who has squirmed his way into
and out of more difficult places than
John Sherman. He has managed to be
on both sides of pretty much every
public question in the last twenty
years, and is able to contradict himself
at any time within forty-eight hours,
if it appears necessary for personal or
party advantage. This is why the
American people have never trusted the
man, or willed his advancement to
higher post of honor. This character
istic unfitness for responsible work
shines forth at the very instant of his
appointment as secretary of state. Mr.
Sherman, as senator, has been one of
the most rancOrOus and unreasonable
supporters Of the jingo doctrine By
lingo We mean, of course, a man who
talks in favor Of going to war with
somebody about something with no
idea that the thing will ever happen, but
solely for the political impression which
ne thinks it will create.
Senator Sherman, believing that
the the Cuban question was a diff
ficult one to handle, and that
some odium could be cast upon a
Democratic administration by abusing
its policy, has been outspoken in his
advocacy of recognition" and other
silly make-shifts that might possibly
bring in Republican votes without
helping the Cuban patriots. Mr.. Sher-
man is we'll aware that the tables. are
about to be turned. He knows that
within six weeks Republican admins
Tation will have to bear the brunt of
the Cuban problem; and he knows,
moreover, as all the rest of us do. that
1t Will have no option whatever as to
the policy to pursue. 1t must OBJ
serve our neutrality laws, and it cannot
recognize something which does not
exist. Therefore, the instant that Mr..
Sherman accepted the portfolio Of state
he made haste to unbosom himself to
the newspaper correspondents to the eff
feet that the policy of Mr.. Cleveland
and Mr.. Olney would be followed bv
Mr.. Mckinley.
This was just like the man: setting
aside instantly all that he had said
before, without word of explanation.
and taking the ground of personal ex-
pediency. For this Mr.. Sherman has
been mercilessly criticised already A
man must have very devoted friends if
they are willing to be made fools of for
his advantage without protest. The pol
1t1cians and the newspapers that have
been frOthing at the mouth about this
administrations sympathy with Spain
and telling what glorious things would
happen the moment that Mckinley
came into office, are not pleased to have
to turn tail on q seconds notice and
eat their own words contumeliously.
so they have been hammering Mr.
Sherman, and he comes to the front
again in characteristic fashion. He
calmly repudiates a part Of the inter
view in which the Objectionable utter-
ance was made. Now, this interview
was had at Pittsburg with Senator
Sherman last Sunday In matters of
such moment as this the reporters ac-
count, unless he belonged to one of the
sensational New York dailies, is almost
invariably to be trusted. His orders
are to take down the mans exact
words, and nothing could be more fatal
TO himself than for it to be discovered
that he had invented or misrepresented
anything. The presumption is. there
fore, that Senator Sherman was cor
rectly reported.
The presumption amounts to proof
positive when we consider that Mr..
Sherman made no denial when the in
terview appeared. 1t was telegrapbed
by the Associated Press to every mart
of the country and appeared in all the
newspapers the next day If Senator
Sherman had not said that the United
States government should not inter-
fere with the Cuban war, when he
was made to say SC in every leading
newspaper Of the country, he you'd not.
as the coming secretary Of state, have
lost one hour in addressing a formal
and explicit denial to the Associated
Press. He did nothing Of the kind His
silence. under the circumstances, rwaSs
Rn admission ot the interviews oor-