The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-02
OUT OF PLACE IN POLITICS
Sixth District Man Discusses j
Adam Rede

To the Editor of the Globe:
Will you kindly permit a voter in the
Sixth congressional district to utter a few
words on the subject of ]. Adam Bede?
VIII historians have to say Of him. as
Byron said of Tasso: Twas his in life
and death to be the mark where Wrong
aimed with her poisoned arrows, but to
miss As Macaulay said of Robert Wal
pole, it is not fair to expect a man to be
too far above the standard of the age in
which he Hves-Or words to that effect
The love of derision is still so strong in
our 1nconoclastic people that they out
Her0d Herod in their prurient efforts to
belittle Bede's buffOonery. In an age
when almost every man feels secres%g
that to cultivate optimism as a flower will
surely save the nation. Bede is ostra-
clzed for being an cptimist. He is called
names. He is branded a clown He ia
a man whom | should not have expected
to find in politics, though our political
world needs more such men. In the DAYS
gone by the testers We're among the cIev-
crest people. They were a power behind
the throne. Hence the adage that 1.-The
truth Is often spoken in jest" Minneso-
ia, pre-eminent in so many respects
among the states, is she to descend to the
common level by traducing her own
prophets? This man Bede has a national
reputation. He is not "a pig at home
travel from Minnesota you are
made to feel proud by She
encomiums which you will hear
uttered regarding him. He is called
witty, brainy, intrepid, imperturbable, re-
sourceful, irrepressible, illimitable in HIS
fund of good nature, unconquerabe in
debate. Had he not have entered poll
ties he would never have been called
names, for his kindness is as boundless
as the sea; even those whom his satire
awakens are not wounded. Few nren in
politics escape with as mild punishment
as being called a clown.
Bede is but flesh and blood, and so,
like his friend Charlie Towne, the Re-
publican party once drifted away from
him. But in these days of advance
shifting is not counted a mortal sin
Bede's entrance into politics is a good
omen, as was his advent in Journalism
He was banished from Duluth for fight
ing against murder most foul in the me-
dunn of our drinking water. Duluth
should recall him with open arms for the
same reason, lest some day she be in the
position of Florence, who 'begs her
banished dead and weeps.
Bede sacrificed himself for a political
friend. l have it from an inside source
that the president would have ignored
Bede's resignation from the United
States marshalship had the MARTYR not
DCNA- CESAA
resignation to the Associated Press But
a cowardly, secret resignation was not
the thing for Bede. The spirit of rs
which is in him would not have it that
way What he does is done openly and
above board. We often hear brags that
such is the American way! Bede is an
Ideal American. We have never admit
ted that hoOdlumism is really American
ism. Bedeism is the opposite Of hoodlum-
ism. Fools make the fashions and wise
men follow them. 1t was the fool ele-
ment which first called Bede a fool A
few Of the wiser ones. ashamed to fol-
low such leadership, changed the word
to clown" Bede accepts the epithet
with thanks.
l do not contend that Bede is omnipo-
tent. But have scanned the horizon of
politics for sign. and I accept Bede as
harbinger Of better things From the
cut Of his jib L should call him politi-
cal flying machine. made to rise on adj
verse currents. am not much at guess
ing a big hand at poker. or a winner in
the prize ring. But I have never failed
when trying to pick out a mascot in poll
tics. If Adam Bede isn't great man
and coming man, then 81 lose NV
swear" Hugh A. Wetmore.