The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-08

In the Matter of Pens.
When Bulwer wrote that "the pen is
mightier than the sword" he had the
soou sense to make his statement with
IN the bounds of common sense by pre-
racing it With the condition that 1t
We're used by men entirely great" AS
an implement in the hands of such men
the pen has wrought revolutions great
er than those that swords have flashed
ana cut in vain to accomplish. and
never more than during the present
century. When we set against the long
centuries of history Of religious wars,
Waged to overthrow and establish
| creeds, their overthrow made by that
remarkable quartette, Spencer, Darwin.
Iyndall and Huxley; when we compare
accepted beliefs held before they came
with their shattered and scattered frag-
menus now, we gain some concept of
now mighty is the pen when used by
men entirely great"
But that is a trite subject. There is
another phase less threadbare. Every
museum all over the world has great
er or less number of swords that have
inquired on historic fields where the
rate or natiors was decided; swords of
the triumphant and swords Of the hui
minated and defeated swords won and
SWORDS surrendered. But what museum
noids pen which has been the imple-
fnent OF feats accomplished mightier
than any ever won by sword? We have
the signatures of the signers Of the
declaration, for instance but where
mil 1c wit inI,
they attached their names to that i'm
mortal instrument? England has the
Magma Charta; but where is the pen
with which John signed it at Runny-
mede, If. indeed, he could write at all?
Inc quill does not make time-endur-
ing pen, and it is only this blessed CEN
Jury, and almost the last half of it,
that has witnessed the substitution Of
the 1ndestructible pen of steel or gold
Henceforth we. may expect to see the
pen take equal, if not higher place in
our museums than the sword, where
II has served to make some epoch Of
greater or less moment in the affairs Of
nations.
Recently, and in our own land, we
nave had illustrations of this, although,
as yet. the pens destined to become
historic remain in private cabinets,
later, possibly, to find perpetual rest
ing place in public museums. There
was that mother f-pearl" pen with
which the president signed the Dingley
Dill and made it an act; the common
gutta percha PEN with which he
signed the ultimatum to Spain, and
the Hateful pen, mighty with the lives
or men and the treasures of nations
With which he signed the Joint reso-
buttons of congress that declared a state
OF war to exist between this country
and Spain. Future historians, digging
into contemporaneous narrative to as
certain, from the description given Of
the ceremonies attending the signatures
OF these several instruments, will be as
founded at the relative Importance st.
tached to each as indicated by the at
tention paid by the narrator to these
pens H
AS he goes over the pages of the
daily press he will see with what par
ticularity it was noted that the presl-r
dent signed the act of taxation with "a
mother-ef-pearl PEN. which Mr. Ding
ley carefully cleaned and placed in his
pocket, the inner left-hand one of his
coat, II we remember Alright. He will
marvel that only a common gutta
percha pen" was used to sign that ulti-
matum, and he will scan the accounts
in vain for a description of the pen
that signed the resolutions that set
two nations at war. Will he be justified
In saying that this indicates a greater
esteem TO
laid to give special privileges to some
than to one committing nation to
war on sentimental grounds of human
ltarianism? He would be wrong but
would not the variations justify him?