The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-01-18
THE MoMENrous QUESTION.

ST. PAUL, Jan. 17-If surface = indica-
tons and the talk of the lobby are worth
as prognosticating the result OF
the senatorial contest, Senator Sabin
will be his own successor by an easy vic
tory. Ia fact, some of Gen.s Washburn's
have already privately con-
coded this result. One OF them said to
a Sabn man last night: "You have got
us beaten, butl'm going to stand around
here and look wise until it is all over.
We are doing this to save funeral expen-
ses." Last night several sports were
around trying to place even money on
Sabin and big odds against Washburn,
but failed to find takers for a single cent.
Not less than $25, 900 were in the Mer-
chants last night to put up in this way.
Representative Husher gives signs of
being in favor of Merriam as means of
making Rice governor. He was lament
ing in the lobby last night the fact that
no Scandinavian has yet been governor
of the state. The Washburn men have
taken advantage of this TO loudly talk Of
the Merriam BOOM" II is well-knOwn
they do this with view to making trou-
Die between the Governor and Senator
Sabin. But as the latter are both men
of good sound sense the Washburnites
will not be gratitied.
Donnelly claims 30 votes on the first
ballot. 1t is thought by some that he
will get Oh the start the votes of most of
those who do not want either Sabin or
Washburn, but who will take refuge I'M
der Donnelly's coat. tails until such time
as a promising dark horse presents
himself. Others think that Donnelly e
vote will be less than 20. We are OF
the opinion that his real strength, that
is, the members who prefer him to any
one else, will not exceed that number
| if, indeed it reaches those figures
He was never.known 10 underestimate
his strength.
FIGURING ON THE RESULT.
The tuation is toss up as to what il
going to be done tonight. The call fol
a caucus does not constitute meeting o
the caucus, and there is no human agen
cy which can force men to 90 to the stat,
capital tonight. There are l24 Repub
lican members of the legislature, includ
ing the alliance men. If they all attent
(which it is known will not be the case
the senatorial question will be settle,
without much trouble. If only 100 at
tend and there were bets made las
night that that would be the case, tn
outcome is doubtful. Senator Sabin ma
the lead by all odds, fact conceded b.
the best judges of the situation. 1t is con
ceded as we'll at the Merchants by thos
best posted that, caucus or no caucus
Gen. Washburn is beaten as far as hi
personal candidacy is concerned. Th
highest bona fide claim made for hir
Yesterday was forty-three votes, an
that with the reservation that it Nigh
} be only forty. No dark horse has bee
trotted out yet, and in the opinion {
many none can be now. Assuming thi
to be the case, 1t is then reasonable
suppose that, if caucns is held, Senate
, Sabin will be nominated, and that i
any event he will control majority c
} the votes in it. Gen. Washburn's sur
porters talk and look desperately, bu
the Sabin forces profess calm disregar
of their Vaccinations and assert pos
lively that nothing they can do ca
change the final result.
, THE GOVERNOR TALKS.
~ am entirely ignorant of any actio
} or the part of ANYBODY looking towar
my rumored candidacy for the Unite
States senatorship. am not a cand
date in any sense of the word. l al
abstaining from any participation in tn
fight whatever. l feel friendly towar
all the candidates. l am grateful 70
ali the honors heaped upon me by. tn
Republican party of the state, and coul,
not consistently ask any further evi
dence of its confidence at this time.
have no knowledge whatever of tn
newspaper articles that have appeared
regarding my rumored candidacy, o
how they were inspired, and knew moth
ing of them until l read them to-day.