The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-25
BUSINESS AND POLITICS.

The attitude of cool Indifference Of
the politicians Of the country to
general business interests, as shown in
their habitual disregard Of the sug-
gestions of business men relative to
legislation affecting anything that does
not carry an appropriation or bonus
with it, is so long-rooted and so fire.
quently displayed that one would think
the business men would either cease
from suggestions or, what would be
better make inquiry why it is that
they have so little influence with the
men who do the governing. In the
matter Of the currency, organizations
representing the great commercial and
trade interests Of the country have,
for thirty years, been protesting against
the continued use of greenbacks.
against silver purchases, warning con-
gress of the inevitable consequences.
demanding a national banking system
that would unite the widest freedom
with the utmost security, and, for
have been dabbling with the currency,
patching it, expanding it, demonstrate
ing their inCapacity to deal with it at
all, and ignoring the men of business
as calmly as the moon does the hound
that bays it.
Sometimes we see the business men.
IN great emergencies, try to get into
politics and make themselves felt.
We have just seen two such efforts
and their humiliating end in the mat
ter Of the election of two senators. one
in New York and the other in PennsvI-
vanta. Plat, the politician, gets one
hundred and fOrty-two votes in the Re
publican caucus, while the business
mems candidate, Choate, gets seven. In
the other state, the business men made
a more concerted effort to defeat the
politician Quay of his choice Of a col
league, and presented Wanamaker a
man Of business, for senator, but were
vigorously beaten A national con-
Ventlon Of men representing boards of
trade and chambers of commerce OF
the whole country has convened. asked
congress to retire the greenbacks and
other demand obligations and create
commission to investigate the CIR
rency and report a banking system
One would think that a. body Of
such men would impress even the av-
erage congressman with some con-
sclOusness of the value Of it's recon-
mendations. But there is no douht
that the only result will be to soIfdifv
opposition to their demands, not be.
cause they are not sound or right. but
because they come from men to whom
the congressman is not responsible
and who will not affect his future by
anything they will do or can do in the
field of practical politics.
A congressman is merely human
and with him politics is a business
whose markets must be as carefully
watched as tradesmen watch theirs
With whom have I to deal in gettina
nominations? is the leading factor in
his calculations. He knows very well
that, the nomination won, the business
men Of his party will ratify 1t because
the success Of the other party is the
only issue, and that must be prevented
In order 10 save society and the Union
He knows that, II the elementary
stages OF canyassina. nrir,7arias cor,
cuses, conventions, the business mar
holds himself aloof with either a fine
disdain Of the smirch of such matters
or because he is quite too much alb.
scrbed IN pressing affairs Of trade t.
give his attention to them. He has
no need Of business men, therefore, ir
his business, although he will not re.
fuse their contributions to his cam
pGign fund. If, after election. what
business men may demand is popular
he will aid ii, not because they demand
Il, but because 1t is popular; while, Il
it De unpopular, or he can discover nc
wide interest in 1t among the men who
man his machine, he will treat it with
cool Indifference.
II business men really desire to have
their counsels needed by congressman
or legislators, they must look at politics