The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-21
Here, There, Everywhere.

The story of the battle of Virden and of
the steps which led UP to 1t has taken SO
much space that we have no room for ex-
tended comment. We commend to those
who consider the relations of the races in
the United States a mere ''parochial ques-
ton, " and who think that We have so much
civilization to spare that we should "eXtend
its blessings" to savages whom we may
conquer the other side of the globe, a
careful consideration Of the issues involved
in the bloody engagement Of yesterday in
one of the oldest states in the heart of this
nation, and Of the government enjoyed by
the late wards of the nation in the COM
monwealth which sent to Washington the
author of the emancipation proclamation
New York Evening Post.
TIE main business Of a secretary Of war
is to protect the army from politics, and he
ought to be just enough of a politician to do
that But when there comes along an ami
malcule of a politician like Gen. Alger, who
does not care a straw about the army, and
whose only desire Is to increase his hold
upon the pensioners, fraudulent and other
wise, and gets a weak president to make
him secretary Of war, he can, as we see, do
frightful mischief. He not only does not try
to keep politics out of the army. He Is per-
tics as possible into the army.-New York
Times.
The Charlton declaration Of President Nc
Kinley concerning new territory and the flag
is as impressive-and as vague-as an utter
ance Of the oracle of DeIphos.
Territory" said the president, "some-
times comes to us when we go to war in a
holy cause, and whenever it does the banner
of liberty will feat over it and bring, 1
trust, blessings and benefits to all of the
people" rs 81
That was sententious utterance, a we'll
sounding utterance, a statement with a world
of meaning-if it could be ascertained what
was meant by it. 1t Is not surprising that
the crowd threw up their hats and shouted
Keep it,"
Had they any idea as to what President
Mckinley thought we ought to keep?
What did the president mean by his orac-
ular utterance, anyway ?-Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
The contention between Gen. Miles and the
secretary of war appears to have run into q
chronic character. The irrepressible quality
in It is, perhaps, somewhat on both sides, but
just now it would appear that the secretary
is the more enterprising in crowdng upon
the general The former is snubbing the lat
ter right and left, according to the report
from Washington. The existing feeling be-
tween the two men in high position as far as
1T is allowed to come to the knowledge of the
public, is hardly creditable to either party.
We think the general opinion in the nation Ia
more in sympathy with the general than the
secretary, but that there should be open diff
| fculties Of this character is peculiarly I'M
| fortunate. 1t is a subject for national morti-
| fcation, and If continued, its effects may be
| detrimental to the military service.-Boston
| Herald.
| Perhaps silence On the part Of the chief
magistrate would be golden under existing
| circumstances. But if we cannot have silence
we may accept the silver of harmless gen.
! erallties and vague truisms as decidedly pref
cradle to a blunt and reckless exposure of all
! the views and purposes Of the administration
! We can gather all need to know from the
| very well understood character and views OF
| the American commissioners in Paris.-Chi-
| cago Chronicle.