The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-19
The "drand Old Man" is Dead.

1 d part Oh Q6r name, IOT SnOTI.
The "0rand Old Man" is Dead.
On the morning of the day following
the death of Horace Greeley a Demo-
cratic newspaper in New York city put
forward in am impressive way the head
line, "Mr. Greeley Is Dead" The touch
ing editorial written by Manton Marble,
of the New York World, on that occa-
sion is entitled to a place in the clas-
steal literature of the United States. He
summed up in few words the life and
purposes of that distinguished man and
in manner which generations to come
will fully appreciate.
William E. Gladstone has just died
in England, after having completed one
of the most wonderful careers in con-
nection with craftsmanship that has
ever been afforded to a human being.
1t may be fairly said that Mr.. Glad
| stone was the Horace Greeley of Eng
land. These two men lived in the same
generation; they touched the same ar
teries of liberty; they felt the same I'M
pulse for freedom, and both men died
without being permitted to look upon
the realization of the complete results
of their great laborS in the cause Of
/ humanity
Perhaps some Englishmen will take
exception to the comparison Of Mr..
Gladstone with Mr.. Greeley, and some
Americans will take exception to the
comparison between Mr.. Greeley and
Mr.. Gladstone; but the human heart is
| singular force which somehow or
other manages to leave it's impression
upon every era of history for good Or
bad. Horace Greeley's work remains
| to be appreciated. Mr.. Gladstones work
was of that complex character which
will require years for accomplishment
in the direction of his desires and eff
! forts, to reveal the genuine solidity Of
! his purposes.
| Mr.. Gladstone has been represented
during the past thirty years as one of
the most conspicuous Of English states
men. And so he was. But when we
speak of a conspicuous man it does
not follow that he was really great in
| by the standard Of greatness. Mr..
| Gladstone was a man Of tremendous in
tellectual power. There have been few
men during the closing century who
equaled him in this respect But intel
lectuality and real practical greatness
are distinct propositions The solid
strength Of the original Duke of MARI
borough, Of George Washington, of An
drew jackson, of Abraham Lincoln, of
Gen. U. S. Grant and Of Lord Salisbury
in the present crisis, afford proper
measurements in acquiring the true
standard Of Mr.. Gladstone with refer
ence to his connection with the affairs
of the world.
1t Is always pleasant when man
dies, to put the coppers on his eyes
with an expression of approval that
his has been a well-spent life Mr..
Gladstone has lived in a halo Of false
glory during the past twenty years,
and for the reason that he was a the
oretical rather than a practical states
man. His plans with reference to the
home rule Of Ireland miscarried simply
because they were impracticabIe. He
constantly looked into the clouds. in
his religious fervor, for justification
of his acts, but he was obliged at last
to come down to the cold earth for ap-
man of strong sympathies, and there
Is no question but that he was perfect
ly honest in the distribution of those
sympathies; but he was powerless to
bring that great nation into the line
OF his own thought; and had he done
| so he would probably have gone off
into one corner and shed bitter tears
over the folly of thinking too much
about good things and not paying
enough attention to the real conditions
which inevitably control the destinies
OF the world. He was entirely lacking
in Judgment, always ready to apollo
gize for his errors; thoroughly good
in his impulses, but utterly incapable
as the guide and manager of a great
| people.
The world will honor Mr.. GIadstone's
memory for ages to come, not so much
for what he accomplished as for the
ideas which he advanced and the the
cries which he advocated He was an
| eloquent man, persuasive in speech.
lie dealt more with emotions than
with stern facts. His eye was always
set upon the great star of the destiny
! of empires, wreathed in the congregation
OF happy community. He lived close
! to his God and his Father; he followed
the Divine Will as closely as any man
could follow it in his position, and he
passes out of this world one Of the most
honored representatives Of the century.
Mr.. Gladstone, however, as time goes
on, will not be classed among the
! greatest men Of his time He has left
nothing behind him to justify the high
mark which sentiment and emotion
alone will temporarily accord him.
He scattered his intellect over so much
ground, and seemingly attempted to
be so great, that, in the end, he has
dropped out Of sight; and above his
remains can only rest the obituary
notice that he lived good life; that he
was useful in his day, but that, through
his tendency to compass everything
for good, he accomplished little or
nothing in the direction of the promo
ton of the welfare of the empire which
he represented. or Of the world at large.
What ST. Paul Is Coming To.
The schools of Minneapolis closed
April 80 and $4,000 school children are