The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-29

The people of Iowa are to be con-
graduated upon their action in turning
deaf car to the pleadings of Conger for
political preferment. The good sense of
d people revolts against this practice of
coming notoriety into political capital.
Dewey thought that insomuch as the
people talked Of him and his deeds as an
admiral it would be the easiest thing in
the world to go after and capture the
nomination of at least one of the great
all right as commander of fleets, but
as president, the people would nave none
of him.
Conger conceived the idea that all he
would have to do was to ccme home in
the nick of time, fresh from the Orient
with all his blusntng honors thick upon
him" and the good people of his native
state would nominate him for governor in
spite of his protests. Here he found him
self in error. The people were interested
in Conger as the man who stood WITH
others the siege of the legations at
Pekin, but there was nothing in that to
recommend him as especially fitted for
the governorshtp of Iowa. He found
himself a very ordinary citizen with
peculiar experience to relate, that was
all
There is little doubt that Mr.. Conger
counted upon the powerful support of the
church on account of his missionary
record. Here he evinced a lack of judg-.
ment Characteristic OF him. Tt was on
this missionary rock that his diplomatic
boat split. 1t was because of his evil
dent prejudice that he became useless as
a minister of a foreign power in China
The great mass of the voters in Iowa as
we'll as of any other state, are not in
sympathy with the action of the foreign
missions in China. Conger's open alli-
ance with and dependence on that ele-
rnent rendered him an object of sus-
picion-he was thought to be an unsafe
man. The slump Of the Conger guber-
material boom will have the effect to en-
barrass the administration. President
Mckinley and Secretary Hay, do not
want him to return to Pekin. His ad-
ministration there was not in the high
est sense diplomatic. He seems not large
enough TO sink his personal feelings in
the larger questions of public national
policy. He fails to realize the fact that
the United States is in China for COM
mercial purposes and not to Christianize
the heathen The object which our diplo
matte policy has always In view, is in
ternal development and trade, rather
than protection of missionaries in the in
terror and the building of churches. Just
now the United States needs it's most
consummate diplomat at Pelzln. No
pot-house politician like the present con-
sui to Shanghai, not a time serving
favorite like the special commissioner
now there should fill the Office of min
lister. The trouble with the whole Chi
nese situation is that it has been bungled
by lot Of diplomatic novices, and this
remark is not confined to the representa-
tives of the United States. If such
man as President Angel could be induced
to accept the mission, the influence of
the United States in the concert would
be multiplied A place, however, should
be made for Conger, one where he could
give his attention to missionary work
without endangering our international re-
lations Why not send him to Turkey?