The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-20

that about fifty Republican members
of the Maine legislature retired from
the hall in body when the vote for
the return of Senator Eugene Hale was
in progress. The act is styled a sting
ing rebute" to Mr.. Hale.
The delinquency on the part of the
legislators themselves in refusing to
vote is lost sight of entirely. If these
men were possessed of a modicum Of
the courage displayed by Senator Hale
in this matter they would have re-
manned and voted for some one else.
even though they knew he could not
be elected. They simply reflected their
own cowardly spirit by their action.
They were elected to choose a senator
and when the time came for the dis
charge of that duty they fiunked and
allowed those remaining to do their
work. Mr.. Hale was reelected, and
this fact should be sufficient to indicate
that majority sustained his course
in the senate; and this being country
in which the majority is supposed to
rule. the puerility of the retiring minor
ity, to say nothing of their exhibition Of
bad taste, becomes the more conspicu-
Gus.
Mr.. Hale was. from the first, persis-
tently opposed to interference by the
United States in. Spanish affairs in
Cuba. Some of his best friends thought
he was committing a great political
error. When the war came he did his
work manfully on the committee on ap
populations in reporting and voting
Ia
his duty in any instance. When the
inevitable victory came to our arms
and the nightmare Of territorial ex-
pansion seized upon our body polite he
managed to shake off it's influence and
to make his voice heard against the
impending dangers. He did all this in
the face Of the approaching expiration
of his term as senator and his I'M
doubted wish that he might be re-elect-
ed to the position which he has so long
and ably filled. Either his action was
splendid exhibition of manly courage,
or it was in obedience to his high sense
of duty to his constituents. 1t may
have been an instance in which he
knew that home opinion was almost
equally divided and he had no recourse
but to take his chances with the alter
native Of defeat. The results prove
that he acted wisely, and that he has
been sustained. Certainly his course
throughout has been consistent and his
certificate of reelection is his reward
for accurately interpreting the will of
the majority of the voters of his state.
These same claqueurs think they de-
tect singing rebuke" also to the
venerable Senator Hoar, of Massachu-
sets, in the fact that the Legislature
of that state voted unanimously to re-
turn Mr.. Lodge to the United States
senate. 1t is a very feeble cause, in
deed. which must, f1guratively speaking,
elevate its nose in the air to catch the
scent Of public opinion and start forth
on so cold a trail as this. The fact is
public opinion has not yet been sound
ed upon the important points involved
in all this expansion and annexation
business. No opportunity has as yet
been supplied therefor. If the elections
last fall of representatives to the
Fffty-siXth congress are to be accepted
as an index the margin was so close as
to leave no doubt that had the issue
been directly put before the people, a
negative vote would have confronted
the administration, and this might
easily have attained the proportions of
a "stinging rebuke."