St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-04
POLITICS IN WISCONSIN.
Col. Knight Thinks That Villas Is Not
Popular
WITH BADGER STATE BOYS.
Democrats United and Hopeful of Vic
tory---Some Convention
Echoes.

Madison Special: Your correspondent
met Col. J. ii. Knight, of Ashland, the
millionaire lumberman, and partner of
William F. Villas.
"How do you account for the fact that
you so narrowly escaped defeat as
candidate for delegate at large to st.
Louise" was asked.
''Well, got there all right, but the
opposition, think, arose from variety
of causes. For one thing, | am from
section of the state which has gained
notoriety as the supply depot for what
the papers call the prostitution dens of
Northern Wisconsin, Then l was run
ming against a very popular German,
Theodore kerSten, and annother point
of opposition was my business relations
with Mr.. Villas, who, l am sorry to say.
doesn't seem to be very popular with
the boys Just now. Rooms at st. Louis?
Oh, yes. I'm solid on that point. l was
at Los Angeles when the news came of
the action of the national Democratic
committee, and | at once sent on and
secured good apartments at the South
ern. Made them give me written con-
tract, too"
Fred Horn, of Cedarbug. also fingers
here. He is giant in size, has dark
hair and wears a waXed mustache and
imperial, which suggests resemblance
to the late Emperor Napoleon. Mr..
Horn is probably the best posted man
on political matters in the state OF WIS
consin, and, despite the fact that he is
seventy-three years old ne flies about
among the boys with the vim and en-
ergy of kid Democrat. He it was
who arranged the editorial convention
which met here Monday evening.
SiXty-Seven proprietorS or managers of
Wisconsin papers took part i'll the pro-
ceedings. and as result of their dellb-
erations it was resolved to boom Cleve-
land and stand up for tariff reform.
The general sentiment was: Give the
laborer an untaXed shirt, but if he
wants drink of whisky let him pay for
it," W. I. Giles, of the Monroe Daily
Gazette, is another Democratic wheel
horse who still fingers here and looks
fondly from the hotel window at the
capitol building, specializing on when
he shall see governor ascend the steps
who is not a Republican and who will
wipe out the stain now impressed on the
otherwise promising young cities OF
Northern Wisconsin.
''Who do | favor for the gubernatorial
nominations said Mr.. Giles. "Well,
any one who. like Cleveland, can get
JHcTe. MI. 11OIu. uuuclSttliu, 10, VI
has been, strongly in favor of John
Johnston, of Milwaukee. Mr.. John
stOn would make splendid standard
bearer, but it is said that he has written
letter requesting that his name be not
used in this connection. Then there is
Judge David S. Rose, of Darlington: or,
perhaps | should say of Milwaukee, for
understand he has moved and sent in
his resignation as judge yesterday. He
is young man of fine legal education
and remarkable powers as an orator. In
fact, regard him as the best stump
speaker on our side in the entire state.
Dave agrees with me, that the Democ-
racy, well organized, ought to win this
fall, but he won't listen to the proposal
that he head the ticket. The state CEN
tral committee talked the situation over
last evening, and the general belief
seemed to be that John Winans, OF
GAINESVILLE, was as available a man as
could be found"
No more firm and enthusiastic believer
in the triumph of the Wisconsin Demo
cracy can be found to-day than eX-GoV-
ernOr Nelson Dewey, of Grant county,
who was the first chief executive of the
state. He is nearly ninety years of age,
and dresses in the courtly fashion of
long ago. With his snOw-white hair
and beard, his elegantly made. but
quantity cut coat, and the big collar to
his ruffied shirt rolling over on his
shoulders, he makes figure which
would at the same time attract curiosity
and command respect. The esteem in
which he is held by the young leaders
of the party was we'll shown yesterday
when the old war horse was placed at
the head of the electoral ticket by the
unanimous vote of the convention. His
eye is as bright and his hand as firm as
if, instead of being nonogenarian, he
had not passed the milestone of middle
age. He does not reverence the men,
ory of the late president of the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul railroad, for,
speaking of former campaigns, he cited
two or three instances when ''we might
have licked 'em if it hadn't been for
Aleck Mitchell.'
In general way it may be said that
the Democracy of Wisconsin was never
more united and more hopeful of vic
tory than at the present time.