St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-18
POLITICS IN HENNEPIN.
Republicans Already on the Run, Seeing
Defeat Facing Them in the
Distance.
Loren Fletcher's Little Boom-Tom An
keny and John Willis Named
for Congress.
Alleged Combinations on Foot--Scan-
dinavian Candidates Taking
the Field.
Gossip of Politics and Politicians
Livery Day Rumors Heard on
the Sidewalk.
POLITICS IN HENNEPIN
Republican Hopes Fleeing.

Considering the fact that not conven-
ton is in sight, and only one committee
has been called together, the political situa-
ton in Hennepin is interesting and the
campaign is opening up in style altogether
lively. Republican candidates for every
office to be filled are holding daily sidewalk
conventions, and it is very humble Re-
publican bonnet that is not the home of an
entire swarm of buzzing official bees. The
Democrats, on the other hand, while do
Ing their share of the nominating. are re-
markably quiescent, and their candidates,
for the most part, are keeping their hands
and aspirations below the surface. 1t is
entirely safe to say the Democrats are con-
tldent OF their ability to change the long
standing Republican hue of Hennepin
county. and equally safe to affirm the Re-
puollcanS themselves are fearful of the
same result. The great factor in this re-
suit is the labor vote, which now seems per-
manently allied to the Democratic party
and will remain there unless severed by
some rude and unexpected shock. In
the recent municipal campaign which
landed DR.. Ames in the mayors chair,
the labor vote spoke with no uncertain
sound. The platform was essentially a
labor platform, but its declarations were
full OF meaning and intention. Every
promise made by Mayor Ames and in that
platform has been carried out in good faith,
though every step was met and scotched by
Republican majority in council and the
water board. The short-hou system failed
to become law because of the votes of
Republican members of those two bodies,
and as councilmen are directly anSwera BILE
to the people. the latter will report in the
coming elections. The county of Henne-
pin. outside of the city, is Republican by
only few hundred majority, under ordi-
nary circumstances, but it is now held to
be doubtful whether the towns would not
return Democratic majority, though,
should they not, the city vote will probably
heavily reverse the small majority. A con-
sideration of these questions has led many
unusually sanguine Republicans to
regard their prospects in anything
but a rose-colored light, and they
will not be devOured with surprise if the
Democracy should make clean sweep of
the county and legislative offices. There is
one other potent factor not to be despised
III this connection, VIZ: the Scandinavian
vote Of Minneapolis. The Republicans
have long regarded the Scandinavians, as
they always have the colored people, so
many voting cattle, but the last elections
changed their views. Their heavy vote
was cast for the Democratic ticket, and the
gulf made between them and the Republi-
can party is widening hourly. Nor is the
feeling confined to Minneapolis alone, but
is drifting all over the state, and Republi-
cans have changed the viewing with
alarm" which is staple in their plat
forms, to private viewing with alarm,
which is entirely genuine.