St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-17
lCoNeREss1oNAL CONTESTS.

There is a peculiar fascination IN a con-
greSsional career which invariably tempts
the aspiring politician to seek the position
of congressman. And striking peculiar
ity of it is that, when an individual once
tastes of the sweets of congressional life he
rarely if ever abandonS it of his own free
will. The congressional itch is a blood
disease with politicians. which can never be
wholly eradicated from the system. Conse-
quently it is no matter of surprise that in
the multitude of political combinations now
being formed in this state there should be
an eager scramble for the congressi onal
nominations.
On the Republican side the nominations
have been settled by early conventions in
two of the five districts. In the upper
district NELSON was so securely seated
in the saddle that none of his
rivals had the courage to at
tempt to unhorse him. although it is
safe to say that if the Brainerd convention
had been postponed month later Mr..
NELSON would have found his congress
sonal Jordan hard road to travel. The
independence displayed by four of the five
Minnesota members in the present congress
has been very offensive to the Republican
bosses at Washington. Three of them
voted for the MORRISON tariff bill,
and another one-Mr. WHITE of
the First distrlct-kicked entirely out
of the party traces on the silver
question. 1t is not generally known that
a bill of accommodation against the
heretical Minnesota congressman was issued
h,rf hn ot oh rrto
and instructions sent to the Republican
bosses IN Minnesota to see that none of
them were returned to congress. The in
/ structions came too late to defeat Mr.. MEL
! SONS nomination. The convention had
: been called, and Mr.. NELSON had all the
primaries well in hand before the
decapitating order was issued. There
was some Wailing and crashing of teeth
among the local bosses IN MINNESOTA
when it was discovered that they had been
tricked out of NELSON'S defeat Conse-
quently the next best thing they could do
was to turn their batteries on Mr.. WAKE
FIELD, in whose district the next conven-
ton was to be held. The representative of
the Second district knew that he was pow
erless against the combinations against
him, and wisely concluded not to suffer
himself to be slaughtered in conven-
ton. His withdrawal from the canvass
did not appease the wrath of the irate
bosses. He must be Inundated for his in
dependence, and Inundated he was by not
even so much as having his name or his
services mentioned by the nominating con-
Yention.
Now the fight is transferred to the re-
naming districts, and it wakes warm in the
districts represented by the other two
congressional heretics. Mr. STRAIT at
tempts to shield himself from the
wrath of the bosses by adopting Mr..
WAKEFIELD's dodge of declining nom
ination in advance of its being rendered
while in the First district Mr.. Milo WHITE
preserves his independence by taking the
bull by the horns and going in on straight
fight for denomination. However ad-
mirable Mr.. WHITES pluck, we commits
serate his helpless condition. He is making
gallant fight against tremendous odds,
but the ground on which he stands is very
slippery. 1t looks as if he was to
be crushed between the upper and neither
millStoneS of DUNNELLS and LovELY's
WHITE has is in the assertion by his Re-
publican constituency of that spirit of indie
pendence which seems to prevail upon the
waters of the political deep at this time.
In the Third district the situation is the
most complicated of all. The leading can
didate for the Republican nomination is
Editor HERBERT OF the Red Wing Repub-
lican. with apparently a fair show to knock
the coveted plum. Mr.. REED of Glencoe
whose armless sleeve appeals to a tender
sentiment is after Mr.. HERBERT with a
sharp. stick. There are lightning rods I'D
all over the district. but the most active
work is being done by REED and HERBERT
The contingencies, however, which compli
cate the situation in that district are the
possible candidates. Of Mai. STRAIT and
Gov. HUBBARD. The fact that the nomi
mating convention has been postponed
until after the state convention gives
rise to the suspicion that there
is some hidden hand making moves
On the political chess board in that district.
The question is whether it is the board of
STRAIT or the board of HUBBARD. HER
BERT is probably as unpopular with the
machine bosses as STRAIT. He has
eyinced degree of independence in the
past which is not calculated to elevate him
in the esteem of the machine He is an
outspoken revenue reformer and if elected
to congress will vote just as STRAIT voted.
Consequently the bosses would like to down
him and the only available man that
they can pick upon TO defeat both STRAIT
Id HEKBERT would be Gov. HUE