The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-29

We note a severe tone in the criti-
cisms Of some Of our contemporaries,
an occasional Republican among them,
on the recent Improvement made by
what was once termed the presidents
private secretary, but is now officially
known as the secret ary to the president,
Mr.. Porter, in the distinction of the
minor officials Of the white house by
means of a uniform from the horde Of
civilians who daily throng it's accessi-
BILE portions. There is something said
about the simplicity of a republican
form of government, about aping the
snObbishness Of foreign courts, about
our modern aristocracy with it's liv-
cried servants, betollening an unwel-
come reception to this innovation by
the secretary on the simple customs
of over a century of white house occu-
pants. There is a more acrid flavor to
the comments of papers who worship
at the shrine Of Populism, but since the
eclipse of that party last year what
the surviving organs say cannot be
taken as expressing more of public
opinion than a mere insignificant frag-
ment. We add that nowhere have we
heard unqualified approval.
This the G / o b e cheerfully gives,
with tribute Of praise to the great head
and the dauntless courage Of the sec
rotary to the president. Not on the
grounds he put it, the convenience of
the public, that it may be able to dis
tlnguIsh the servitOrs from the civil
ians in the daily crush, but for the
sake of the distinguished gentlemen
themselves who deftly steer the throng
through the devious routes that lead
to their shrine, the dispensing hand of
the great manipulation Of prosperity
There has always been a fly in the
ointment, a raiSin in the cider of these
few attendants about the throne in
their civilian garb, that robbed their
preferment and the dignity of their
station Of half it's pleasure, but from
which the traditionary simplicity that
has hedged about our republican court
prevented any escape. What was there
to protect them from being mistaken
for any one of the suppliants at the
throne, so far as dress serves to dis
tinguish? True there was not that M
mistakable look of longing in their
faces, the hard lines CT necessitous i'm
pecuniosity with relief so near and vet
so far, that betrayal in looks of the
sickness Of heart that comes from
hopes unduly deferred, which so plain
portion of the tumultuous current of
humanity that flows through the por-
tails of the white house. Instead there
are on their happy faces the lines in
dicating the fat capon lining, the as
surance of steady job and the soft
cushion against the carking cares of
the world that an ample and secure
salary affords.
But this is not sufficiently distinctive
Others have these earmarks of COM
fort and ease. Others, too, carry them
selves with that air Of confident SUI
periOrity that betokens the elevated
man. For illustration, numerous among
the daily thrOng are members of con-
gress, and how are the gentlemen su-
pra distinguished as the marked favor
ties of the president to be known from
those products of the primaries? Sure
ly there must be some escape from the
Notifying possibility of an official of
the political sanhedr1m being mis-
taken for a mere member Of congress.
We submit that there are sufficient
reasons of state for putting these gen
tlemen Of the court into uniform with
out relying upon the one suggested by
the secretary to the president in an
interview in which he defends his limo
walton, the great convenience it is to
know just who to ask for informal ton
Or assistance" sentence, by the way,
that suggests the need of a uniform
for the secretary's grammar. He evil
IDENTIFY labors under the delusion that
the portion Of the public who stream
into the east and other rooms are to be
convenienced, a misapprehension due