The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-28
Crist Of the
Political Mill

The present predicament of Senator
Knute Nelson, coupled with the devel-
opments of a year and the temper OF
his friends. proves, if there were nc
other proof, that the life Of a politician
even in the exalted position of a
United States senator is not always be-
streWn with bright hued roses.
. =
1t isn't nice to be a member of the
American house of lords and have
nothing to say about the distribution
of. federal favors in ones own state
Especially, it is not nice if the state
be one that for years has existed in a
frenz1ed sort of fear Of that same SEN
ator. 1t is not a nice sensation to feel
that one has been used even by a ma
tional administration after wearing the
laureis of political king for a decade
or more.
Senator Nelson is not rushing into
print with his views upon the short
comings Of the Roosevelt administra-
ton, but If the lacerated feelings of his
friends and henchmen, generally only
reflective of his own state of mind,
count for anything, the senior senator
from Minnesota is not happy.
q q
Viewed from a standpoint Of practi-
cal personal politics, Senator Nelson
Is entirely justified in his lack-luster
opinion of the administration, which his
friends intimate has been influenced by
Joel Heatwole. And it's the Heatwole
idea that serves a sort of a salt in the
wound application.
q 6
Senator Nelson took up the COM
merce bill. A new place in the cabinet
was to be created. Senator Nelson was
patted on the back Told the measure
was his bill. Of course the place in
the cabinet should be his. But it dij
not come out that way. Probably much
against his will or personal inclina-
ton, the president was made to see
that 1t would not do to give a fourth
cabinet portfolio to the Northwest. His
attention was called to the center of
industrial population. Cortelyou got
the place. Administration political
writer's speak of Senator Nelson as a
member of the second class of senators
who may some time by chance or death
of some Eastern senator break into the
first class.
ra'- u q
C1app got the district attorney and
the bank examiner. Nelson's friends
rather opine that he should have had
something to say about the selection
of the civil service commissioner. Some
of them believe he would if the presi-
dent had not turned to Joel Heatwole
for advice about Minnesota and it's
situation political. Heatwole may
have had nothing to do with the proffer
of a civil service commission berth to
Fudge" Heffelfinger. Certainly Mel
son did not That means the closing
of his cOmmissary if it is to become
the practice of the president and the
results are not pleasant to contem-
plate. Loss Of a cabinet portfolio is a
simple grief compared to that Of a
senator without patronage.
y q q
j. d. Jones before leaving for Cass
Lake to assume the duties of register
of the new land office remarked that
there would be no immediate change
in the price of homesteads.
q q
Jadam Bede has not entirely mas
tered the Spanish language, which he
went to Washington to study, but the
appointment of a Duluth man to the
civil service commission Indicates that
the new cos<ressman speaks turkey in
a manner altogether creditable for
novice. George A. VanSnith.