The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-10
Post.Relium Problems.


The negotiations for peace between
the United States and Spain and the
labor involved in the completion of a
satisfactory treaty ought to be the
means of calling into activity some Of
the best talent in statecraft which the
alton possesses. 1t is customary with
certain class Of cynics, oftentimes
men of intelligence whose judgment
ought to be better, to profess to be-
lieve that all that is the best and great
est in the human family has gone be-
FORE and that we of the present gen.
Grafton are floundering in the tangled
and twisted aftermath of a harvest of
genius that has been gathered to the
impenetrable precincts of eternity. Now
and then the light of some brilliant
intellect suddenly disappears, the
stamp of greatness is placed upon his
monument by his appreciative survlv-
ors, the cynic braces himself up for
realization of the fact that there did
actually exist some one contemporaries
ously with himself, whose merits, some
how or other, he had overlooked, and
the world goes on improving under the
influence of men whose activities are
applied to the betterment of a future
generation, though they were them
selves born in this
During its century and a quarter of
existence the United States, as ma
ton, has made some very noteworthy
contributions to the roster of the
worlds greatest men. Furthermore,
in the process Of it's own growth, the
i
of their presence in its midst and en-
joyed as well, the benefit of their la
bOrs in it's behalf Thus, at the close
of the nineteenth century, with all the
profusion Of enlightenment which is
the accumulated result Of great en-
deavor and the development of the
most valuable resources Of human
| genius, the people of this country do
not need to stand appalled, at the por-
tentous dawn of the century that is
to follow. The nation has been saved,
in the past, from many perilous situa-
tons, brought about through a too pre-
cipitate advance of some Of the forces
temporarily in control of certain eco
nomic elements, but, fortunately, not
Of the destinies of the nation itself.
- Lew uoiyS dSO NIL. opGdhSl IcSG,
of the national house of representa-
tives, on the occasion Of thanking his
constituents for his denomination to
congress, said, among other things:
The problems after the war will be the
most troublesome, and will demand the
most earnest efforts of us all. For my part
1 hope that all these problems may be worked
out consistently with time-honored ard
dearly bought institutions, and with the
traditions Of wise forefathers.
Mr.. Reed, as we'll as any one, knows
that it is as hazardous for a nation to
go beyond its strength as it is for the in
dividual to attempt to carry more than
his power of endurance can sustain.
RE realizes that this republic is simply
following the example, but along what
are believed to be improved lines, of
others that have gone before and per-
ished from their own weight. He COM
prehends acutely the wisdom of our
forefathers, and appreciates as fully as
any one is capable of doing the care
exercised by them in laying the corner
stone upon which the fabric Of our
government rests. They were skilled
engineers in the line of statecraft, and
the nation has profited most when
strictly observing their teachings and
advice. Conservatism is the force which
must always control a governing
people. and it can only be applied in
diligently by men possessed of sulfi-
Gent wisdom to realize and courage to
act when the perils are the. thickest AMI
when the advance is at too rapid a
pace. -
The problems after the war, to which
Mr.. Reed alludes, Will be manifold.
Thoce men who in the practice of con-
se,vatism shall grapple with and seek
to solve them in the true interests of
the people may not win popularity
among their contemporaries. 1t is too
often customary, under the influence Of
great excitement to regard such serv-
| ants of the public with sneers and
contempt and revilirgs against their
| patriotism and the like. The long de-
! bates and controversies which must in
evitably become associated with the So
| luton of these problems cannot fail of
| developing false judgments and incor-
| rect estimates of Individual worth. But
| let the cynic realize, in advance, that
! he is living in an era when the political
! affairs of his own country will soon call
| into activity the greatest qualities of
| intellect and patriotism. Let him also
| realize that these will be found to pre-
| dominate in the ranks of those conser-
| vative spirits who will seek to work out
! these problems consistently with our
| time-honored and dearly bought insti-
! tutiors, and with the traditions of our
wise forefathers"-in other words, along
| the lines of The G ! O b e's motto of mo
| imperial colonial policy, no territorial
| expansion to beget it, no entangling al
| liances with any nation under the sun"