The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-24
Has Probed q Sore.

COT hiilu VI d COlli lipjllIclt.
Has Probed Sore.
, Sir Wilfred Laurier, Canada's volu-
able premier, whose visit to London to
attend the jubilee and get knighted
seems to have constituted the feature
of the year, judging from the fuss made
over him, has been interviewed by the
Times on the blunders of the United
States. The cable brings only line or
two of quotation; but from this we
gather that our greatest blunders have
been: The giving of excessive power
to the Republican party after the war;
and a too wholesale application of uni
versal suffrage. We dare say Sir Will
fred had on his tongues end several
more, but if he mentioned others the
cable informs us not
1t is not important what the premier
of Canada thinks concerning the ex-
pertinent called the United States; and
his allusion to the Republican party
can be regarded only as playful in view
of the unexampled prosperity which at
tended our people during the post-bel-
lum ascendancy of that party-a pros
perity which ever since has been the
marvel, not of North America simply
but of the world. Sir Wilfred could
scarcely have meant his first 'blunder"
to be taken seriously, even though he
is reputed to cherish some feeling of
disappointment with reference to the
Republican party because of its recent
disinclination to entrap itself in his
cunningly laid reciprocity snare. But
the second criticism offered by him is
more deserving of attention, especially
in view of the fact that 1t comedies
with the opinions of some of our clear
est American thinkers.
AS used by Mr.. Laurier the term
universal suffrage" is of course fig
| ure of speech, since in this country
while we have extended the franchise
with a greater prodigality and reck-
| lessness perhaps than was ever before
known in the history of representative
| government, even we have not yet
made the suffrage literally universal.
But have we not extended it further
than was prudent or wise-a great deal
| further than the results appear to
| justify? Is it not true that a con-
dition which permits, not rarely but
frequently, indeed, habitually, the vote
of the purest and best citizen to be
neutralized at the same ballot box or
the same day and perhaps in the same
minute by the ignorantly voted ballot
of the citizen who is so dumb and in
different that his favor may be won
by the candidate or the party that pur-
chases it last with cash or a glass of
beer is essentially incompatible with
healthful and wholesome government
and therefore menacing to the future
of our free institutions?
Here Canada's premier has surely
probed a sore in our body polite.
To the average mind the ado which
has been occasioned over the alleged
receipt of news by carrier pigeons that
Andree has found the North Pole seems
ridculously out of proportion to the
credibility and the sufficiency of the
evidence. The main benefit from spec
ulation upon the subjest lies in the
fact that it keeps the public mind out
of mischief and to some extent ameli-
crates the torridty of July.
According to present plans the Dem
ocrats of Pennsylvania will indorse
the Prohibition nominee for state treas
urer, Rev. DR.. Swallow, and spring
a highly moral campaign of reform
There doesn't seem to be any incon-
sistency from which the Democracy
will shrink if spurred by the hope OF
capturing office.
The resignation of President An
drews of Brown university was the
only answer he could make to his crit
les on the board of trustees without
sacrificing his self-respect. 1t prob
ably ends the usefulness of that uni.
versity but it compensates by offering
deserved rebuke to bigotry and mar,
rowness.
There is something truly sad in the
serious tone in which the British press
dwells upon the possibilities of a wal
between England and the United
States. Have the political morals o.
England fallen so low that her govern
ment would sooner go to war than dea
fairly?
The refusal of Senator Scott. of Lu
} zerne, to acknowledge the neat littl
auditor -generalship boomlet so gener
ously offered to him by the politica
gossips OF Philadelphia will reassur
his friend, Major McAuley, and ais
} prevent jealous feelings in the breas
; Of Hon. John Leisenring. Hence Their