The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-05

1t is rather an unfortunate and alto
gether regrettable circumstance that poll
tics has played any part in the arrange
ments made for the return and reception
Of the Thirteenth regiment. Such has
been the case, however, in many more di-
rections than one; and with not few of
those identified with the public proceed
ings, party political considerations have
dominated all the way through.
In the organization of the regiment,
and indeed, of all the regiments, here
and elsewhere, politics has been a con-
trolling factor. No reasonable exception
could be taken to the action of any state
executive in giving his party, if not his
personal friends, certain advantages,
and in that way applying the political
test to affairs. There never has been
any disposition on the part of Democrats
to criticize this phase of things in rela-
ton to the recruiting of the regiments
All the distribution Of commissions 1t
has been only when the party political
considerations have been made to control
beyond all reason that exception has been
taken.
No one will say that either individuals
or newspapers holding to Democratic
views have been distinguished by any
disposition to criticize the progress of
events. Indeed the people generally have
chosen to ignore many somewhat dis
creditable things in which politics has
been the moving influence both in the
regiment and out of it.
The latest expression given to this prin-
ciple Of political bigotry in the city Of
Minneapolis however, is utterly intolera-
bic. The exclusion of Mayor Gray from
MS rightful relationship toward the re-
ception of the regiment is, of course, de-
signed as a political stroke. AS matter
OF fact it Is a very contemplate affair,
and involves an insult not to Mayor Gray,
but to the city of Minneapolis and its
people.
In all that has been done thus far to
honor the heroes of the late war, wher-
ever it has been done, the leading char
aoter has been the mayor of the COM
munity in which the proceedings have
been held. It has been so in San Fran
cisco throughout It was so in New York.
And when the city of Chicago conveyed
to Admiral Dewey its desire that he
should partake of it's hospitality the
mouthpiece of the city in conveying the
invitation was very properly Mayor Har-
. rison
All accepted notions of, decency and
propriety, public and private, have ap-
parently been cast aside in MINNEAPOLIS
in relegating Mayor Gray to an obscure
position in the arrangements for the re-
ception of the regiment Of all the ex-
pressions of party political bigotry to
which Republican politicians and news
papers have treated the public from the
beginning-and they have been many and
petty in this vicinity-there has been
none so ignoble as that which the local
committee in Minneapolis has furnished.
We hope that 1t will be found that
'Aeie is some power lodged somewhere
which will save those who have made
the return of the regiment as a body
possible, and especially the city of
Minneapolis, from the exhibition of mis-
cradle party jealousy and spite which it
contemplated. No one believes that Presi-
dent Northrop would voluntarily be a
party to such a proceeding If his atten.
ton should be called to the petty indig-
nity intended for the mayor of Minneapo-
lis through his personality.