New-York tribune., 1874-08-01
MINNESOTA POLITICS.
PROSPECTS IN THE COMING CAMPAIGN.

BILL KING-THE U. =. SENATORIAL BLhAiIoN'
PROM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRiBuSE'I
ST.. PAUL. Mimi, July &.-The reduction OF the
Republican majority in this State from 10000, which
it gave for Grant IN 1872 to 5000, by when uoV'
Davis probably the most popular candidate whom
the party could have nominated elected in 1873
combined with the uncertainty which peryades all
things political this year makes the campaign now
opennQ in Minnesota than ordinarily inter
estinR For the first time in many years the RepuD-
lcans find that they have serious work before them
TO save the State and return adberent OF the Ad
minIstration in the place of Ramsey, whose term III
the Senate expires the ith of next March. nave
already given my first impressions OF the state Oh
the canvass in the LIST District, where the salary
grabber Dunnell has secured a denomination.
DunnelPs success was a triumph of his Federal
office-holders in the district over the ST. FauI OF
Ramsey Ring" The latter, which has managed
the party in this State for years met with MS hst
great defeat in the State Convention of 1873 It's
candidate for the GovernOrship was WashDurn Oh
Minneapolis and he apparently had palh SAILING
until The ST. Paul Dispatch, Liberal Republican
independent Journal brought out DAVIS a DrlllahI
young lawyer, who had made himself very popuiH
bv the delivery of a lecture entitled Modern
Feudalism" in which he discussed the railroad ques-
ton with marked ability His nomination was a
was particularly exasperating because IL had been
brought about through the influence of men who
were not expected to support the nomination at the
polls. In the end it turned out very fortunate for
the Republicans that Davis was nominated TOR the
Anti MOnOpolists developed much unexpected
strength before election day that they chose their
candidate for the State Treasurership and would
have defeated WashDun had he been the RepuDll-
can candidate.
The Ring this year saw very clearly that the
denomination of Dunnell would be political mis-
take and attempted, during the late session Oh Con-
gress to weaken him in his district by defeating
some of his nominations The ~ Pdat Press, the
State organ of the party and of the King, made
most bitter upon him. and, OF course, lts eX-
ample was followed by the most vt the smaller Try
of Republican journals throughout the state. ms
forced Dunne TO make the fight, and a. he IS moth
ng if he is not a politician, it became question OF
political life or death with him. His friends argued
that it would be no worse for him 10 be beaten al
the polls than in the Convention while II he secured
the nomination, party discipline might still DE
strong enough to brug out the requisite votes to
elect him. The Federal otiice-holders in the dis
trict with one or two exceptions. were in the same
boat Dunnelrs defeat meant the loss of their
heads and so they entered the canvass with un-
usual earnestness
The Ist District gave Grant, in 1872, 10000 ma
jority; IN 1873 Davss majority IN the same counties
was only about 5000 Davis was one OF the most
popular men In the patty, strengthening the ticket
rather that weakening 1t; Dunneu Is intensely un-
popular IN all the more thckly settled counties Of
the district and will probably run behind his ticket
The natural inference is that he Will be defeated II
the opposition nominate 4 good man. as Mr.. Buell. Is
universally admitted 10 be. The only counties
where Dunnel is really strong those on the from
tier but they unfortunately for him east few votes,
In the Id Congressional District. Horace b. STRAIT
Republican. was elected in 1872 by a majority OF
about 1000. In 1873 the AntlNonopollss carried the
district by more than 3JO0 Theresult Of this Falls
election IN this district Is very doubtful. There s
no strong personal opposition to Strait he not
in Congress when the salarv-grab law was passed.
and although he has made no great reputation ne
showed considerab independence by voting against
the Civil Rights bill Several county conventions
have been held in the I'D District during the past
week and Mr.. Strait claims a large majority Of the
delegate, 50 far chosen II is possible that the nom
nation of a irst-class man by the Ana-Monopoists
might result in the defeat Of Strait. nut the Demo-
crats talk OF putting up man named Cox VINO
would probably be pretty heavy load for them 10
carry.
The contest i'm the lid District is one of the most
interesting m the West. The candidates for the Re-
publican nomination are Gen John I. Averill, who
now represents the District, and William :. King
formerly Postmaster of the House of Representa-
tiyes and one OF the Princes Of the Washington
lobby. Gen. AveTill a salary grabber who voted
for and took the back pay and has always defended
his course 10 the best of his ability every proper
occasion. In this way he has won many friends who
have denounced the whole business rs a scandal. but
d. .gs... hmm Ia i'm
self for an act which he believes was perfectly
proper On the question Of imitation Gen Averll, /
believe. went with the majority Of the Western
members In other respects he has been, to say the
least. respectable representative. "Blll King
needs no introduction. If there has been any big
lobby scheme since he has been in Washington-any
subsidy or land-rant bill, in which there was
large divide and he has not been reputed 20 be
interested in IT, do mt know what 10 is. On one OF
the very last days of the last session of Congress
after the Senate had passed resolution excluding
from the Senators lobby aud the marhe-room all
persons not entitled by the rules IN rhr privileges of
the door. saw Bill" King for houIs. in violation
of the rules on the hoor Of the senate lobbying for
bill TO relieve the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany from paying the cost OF surveying the lands
granted to it before receiving the patents The bill
was passed and is ! precedent for Other bills re-
lieving in the same way al other landgrant road
and thus depriving the q. :. Treasury If several
millions of revenue. His hastv departure from
Washington two years ago, when it was reported
that the Ways and Means Committee intended 10
examine him in regard to the expenditure oi money
in securing the last Pacific Mail subsidy, nas not
been forgotten.
But Col King has scores of influential friends
throughout the district who. while they know HIM
TO be totally unit TO 20 to Congress VIII give him
their support tie has used the wealth gained ia the
Washington lobby judciously. Among other things
L Ell. ~