St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-30
FIRST OF THE FIGHTS.
Republican Congressional Caucusss
This Evening.
REA OR SNIDER, WHICH?
Sehmitz Declares Himself---The Her
riam-MCGiiI Deal Done Fer
a Bluff.

While the Republican congressional
fight may be settled by the primary
elections to be held in Hennepin county
assured. The fight is practically all in
this county and the nominee, whoever
he may be, will come from Minneapolis,
but it is long time between primaries
and conventions, and things seen by
the candle light of the caucus do not
always look the same in the glare of the
convention. There is very pretty
fight Oh. The opposing candidates are
Capt. Sam P. Snider, the millionaire
mine owner of the Gogebic, and, pre-
sumably, Capt. John p. Rea, Judge of
the district court, and commander-in-
chief of the national Grand Army of
the Republic. Capt. Snider is an
avowed candidate and has that advant-
age. Judge Rea is bound down by his
office, and is not at liberty to an
nounce himself. He is, therefore,
at disadvantage, tonight though his
friends may work for him without vio-
Iation of rules and ethics. He is repre-
sented in the campaign by Loren
Fletcher, and that hustler has not let
the grass grow beneath his feet.
Fletcher owns the congressional COM
mittee and has the date of the conven-
tion set for Sept. 1S, away off at Anoka,
for the purpose of allowing Rea's term
to expire, as commander, and give him
political liberty. That was Fletcher's
coup for Rea. But Snider contests the
county committee and had the primaries
set for Aug. 80, so that Rea is still in
thralldom.
There is every reason to believe that
the black muStache of the gallant cap
train will wave in triumph over to-
nights primaries. Not only is this
claimed by his henchmen and lieuten-
ants, whose name is legion, but it is
conceded by all the independents. and
doubted only by the opposition. Snider
has not the full support of the court
house ring, but there is some indefnable
bond between .Snider and Merriam that
VIII come to the support of the former
tonight. 1t seems sure that Snider
will tonight elect a majority of the
delegates; but what may transpire in
the two weeks before the county con-
VentlOn is another matter. 1t is by no
means novelty to have Hennepin
county express herself one way in the
primaries and another at the cOnven-
ton, when deft Republicans are at the
helm. Two years ago, the county was
divided between Gibbs and Gilman for
governor, but when the delegation came
to show up at st. Paul. behold, McGill
lead all the rest.
There is one other factor to be con-
sidered, and that is the dark horse. 1t
is rumored, that in case Snider turns
up at Anoka, with more delegates than
Rea, that an effort will be made to
stampede the convention to a new man,
who will look not unlike T. F. Davis.
But the fact is. that as Davis has been
suggested as the dark horse actor in
every political drama, from governor to
senator, this kind of talk proves trife
stale. AS Loren Fletcher is supposed
to have long knife ground to a razor
edge for Snider's scalp. he will endeav-
or to. give the death whoop in the con-
vention and falling there, may be ex-
pected to materialize as dark avenger
at the polls.
But meanwhile, the Hennepin pri-
maries will be held, and the outlook is
very Snlderesque at this time.