St. Paul daily globe., 1889-01-08
THE SENATORIAL CONTEST.

The first round in the Minnesota SEN
atorial contest was fought at the Re
publican legislative caucus last night.
1t was the first time in the history OF
the state that the speakership of the
house has been involved in the SEN
atorial contest, and as Mr.. WAsHBURN
was responsible for forcing the issue,
and also the greatest sufferer by the re-
suit, it is not likely his example will be
followed by future aspirants.
Both Col. GRAVES, of Duluth, and
Hon. d. f. MORGAN, of Albert Lea, the
respective contestants, claimed upon
entering the field that they did so un-
trammeled upon the senatorship, and
not as the representative of any sena-
torial candidate. There is no doubt
that this was the fact, and the desire OF
both of the candidates to be so regarded
was earnest and sincere. Of course,
certain local interests rallied to the sup
port of each one, but at first Mr.. MORGAN
had his opponent at decided dlsad-
vantage. While Col. GRAVES is gen.
tleman of popularity and ability, Mr..
MORGAN is his peer, and in some re-
spects, through his professional attain
ments, perhaps his superior. Added to
this was the fact that he comes from
Southern Minnesota, where the largest
representation in the legislature exists.
The state not having been appor-
toned since 1880, Col. GRAVES
location in the northern part gave him
as local basis only such representa-
ton as the comparatively small north
ern population of nine years ago war
ranted. Hence, if it had been local
issue purely, gentleman Of Mr.. NOR
CAMS excellent attainments, unsullied
record and personal popularity would
have had much the better prospect.
Thinking to take advantage of this
situation, Mr.. WAsHBURN decided to
espouse Mr.. MoRGAN'S cause. Though
Mr.. MORGAN could, and did. truthfully
disclaim that he was committed to Mr..
WAsHBURN's political fortunes, Mr..
WAsHBURN thought he saw an oppor-
tunity to better his own, and thus be-
came the veritable ''Old Man of the
Sea-" clinging to Mr.. MoRGAN's neck.
At first it looked as though MORGAN
would be able to shake off his fatal load
and still be able to save himself. There
were three other candidates for speaker
(Messrs. FLYNN, DAVIS and Estes
besides himself and Col. GRAVES, and
this gave some opportunity for claim
ing that the speakership was not simply
a fight between Mr.. WAsHBURN and
the field. WAsHBURN finally issued
a general order to his lieutenants that
Col. GRAVES must be defeated at all
hazards. because he (WAsHBURN) re-
garded him as friend of Senator
SABIN, and that MoRGAN's election
was equally an absolute essential.
With the lines thus drawn the oppo-
nents of Mr.. WAsHBURN accepted the
issue. The other candidates Withdrew,
and the battle was squarely fought;
MORGAN, though not committed to that
element, representing WAsHBURN, and
GRAVES the anti-WAsHBURN element.
The result was the nomination of Col.
GRAVES over Mr.. MORGAN by vote of
so to Sc. To Mr.. MORGAN personally
the result can carry no sting, for he can
in no sense regard it as personal de-
feat. Ii he could have kept an aspiring
politician from loading himself upon
his campaign, he might have won on
local and personal grounds combined.
but his defeat represents hostility to
Mr.. WAsHBURN, and that alone.
Whether MIR. WAsHBURN will longer
remain in the field after his Waterloo of
last night we are not advised. Even if
he does his campaign for the United
States senate is practically ended
strangled almost in its birth by his own
blundering hand