The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-19
A YANKEE IN LONDON

Col. Tom Johnson is a bright man.
This much must be conceded by all who
have watched his career, both in politics
and business. Like most bright men,
he long ago cast aside the delusion that
everybody ought to agree with him in his
opinions. Indeed, their agreement or
non-agreement has always appeared to
be matter of less concern to him than
to anybody else.
The scheme which is outlined in our
news columns today of a tramway sys-
tenn uniting the heart of London and
the great watering place of Brighton,
and projecting a cheaper and speedier
means of communication between given
points in the big British metropolis IT.
self, is entirely typical of American push
and enterprise. It's protector surely
ought to succeed. If the Anglo-Saxon
brother is intent on showing his great
regard for his beloved kindred on this
side the Atlantic, it will succeed.
The mere matter of a sixty-year franz
chise ought not to cause the noble
Briton to balk. Sixty years is but
brief span at best in the life of a big
community like London. And, besides,
Col. Tom Johnson will be in a position
to point out that it is the merest baga-
telle when taken into consideration with
the innumerable franchises which
number of the descendants of former
great Britons now enjoy, free of all in
cumbrances as to duration and royal
ties, in the British metropolis. There
are ground rents and water rents, and
bus privileges and lighting and heating
and toll privileges ad infinitum under
and sweat from time inamemorial with
out a murmur, in view, we suppose, OF
the sublime family origin of those who
mostly hold them.
There is a material difference between
u shillings and y pence. The latter, we
believe, IS just ore-twelfth of the former.
Col. Johnson proposes to enable the slow
going Cockney to travel to Brighton in
the utmost personal comfort at the rate
Of a mile a minute, once his untamable
trolley leaves the boundaries of the
metropolis. OF course, the rate of speed
may turn the head of the ordinary British
traveller, but if he takes violent excep-
ton, the colonel has announced that he
has provided his trolleys with con-
trolers, as he calls them, and may re-
duce his momentum so as to meet the
demands of even the most serene old
dowager who seeks to disport herself
on the sands of Brighton
Let us all take off our hats Respectfully
to Thomas and Albert Johnson, these
two interesting types Of American nerve
and enterprise. They have surely
bearded the lion in his den They have
taught the noble animal what 1t is to get
a move on himself
1t is not possible to say lust how gem
erously Col Johnson has provided him
self with what a New York statesman
has recently designated Iubricating ma
terial for his rushing trolleys. There
is board of aldermen In London. "a
we'll as in Detroit Mich, and the famous
case of Ernest Hooley is not yet wholly
forgotten. Americans will be glad Of
the coiOnePs success and will be dis
posed to forgive him even the most lib
eral use of his lubricant, If only he
avoids the foolish example of the la
mented Hooley, and of his own former
countryman. Col Astor, in being too
precfpitate in seeking to enroll himself
in the British aristocracy.