St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-05
THE TODD LETTER.

methods by which the present admins
tration secured ascendency. 1t makes
interesting reading from the fact that
Mr.. TODD is bright light in the Re-
publican sanhedrim, and, having been
for six months a member of Gov. MER-
RAMS official household, he is presumed
to know what he is talking about. We
do not undertake to commend that
false sense of propriety which led
to the publication Of this letter.
When one gentleman accepts the
hospitality of another gentleman, it
is understood that whatever trans
pres in the latter's domestic circle
during the formers stay is to be kept
matter of profound secrecy. The same
is as true of official intercourse as it is
of the private relations. Having re-
manned under the executive roof as a
member of the executive Official house
hold, it occurs to us that it would have
been more becoming in the eX-inSurance
commissioner to have kept the secrets
of the executive family to himself. But
that is his business and not ours, so we
pass on to a discussion of what he saw
and heard during his official connection
with the state administration.
Mr.. TODD starts out by saying that
unprecedented power and unprece-
denied weaknesses are the distinguish
ing features of the MERRIAM admins
tration. This is saying a good deal,
considering that there have been some
very autocratic administrations in this
state, with exceedingly weak men at the
head of them. He then defines the weak
ness of the administration to be 1.-The
weakness of inexperience, ignorance
and general incompetency." In illus
tration Of this point he tells the story of
an applicant who was candidate for
position in the United States mail serv-
ice calling upon the governor for an in
dorsement The latter read the
paper, and, throwing it at the
man, said: II hain't reached
that class of appointments yet" This
is rather tough story, in view of the
fact that the governor is college grad
uate; and it either speaks badly for a
college education or it is an evidence of
the incapacity Of man who has been
kicked out of Office for dealing squarely
with the man who kicked him out. But
that is matter for Mr.. TODD and Gov.
MERRIAM to settle between themselves.
The point that Mr.. TODD dwells on at
most length, and the one in which the
public are most interested, is the matter
of locating the source of the governors
arrogant and dictatorial power. 1t is
money, money, money! That's the
whole thing in nutshell. He reviews
the governors political career, and as
serts that he bought every office he ever
held. When the Democratic papers
used to talk that way all the Re-
publican bosses, including Mr.. TODD,
called 1t campaign lie. Now that it
comes from the other side, and from one
whose position entitled him to know the
facts, possibly the Republican voters
will give more earnest attention to the
accusation. He devotes a lengthy
statement to the methods employed
by the governor and his friends for
buying up the Republican press, and
thus manufacturing political sentiment
favorable to his nomination. Then he
has word to say about how the nomi-
mating convention was manipulated by
the money power, but he is so sparing
in details on this point one is led to suS-
pect that the eX-commiSSiOner knows a
good deal more than he cares to tell,
and for prudential reasons says as little
as is consistent with the plan of his
general onslaught on the governor. In
one sentence he diSpoSeS of the time
intervening between the convention and
the election by saying: "But by
methods peculiarly his own MERRIAM
was nominated, and the natural Repub-
lican majority of the presidential year
elected him." If one-half Of what Mr..
TODD has been telling up to this time is
true, it only goes to confirm the ante
election statement accredited to Auditor
BRADEN, that "a mighty mean man
could be elected on the Republican
ticket in Minnesota"
The remainder of the letter is prin-
| cipally devoted to description of the
governors autocratic bearing in the gu
bernatorial office. "His Arbitrary power
permeateS every branch and depart
ment of the state government" says
Mr.. TODD. 1.-THE fact is, all of MERRI-
| ANS appointees are afraid of him.
| When his subordinateS and appointees
see him coming they jump and
rear like lot of trained dogs under
their masters whip" Having him.
| self got out from under the Ie-
strictions of the gubernatorial training
process, Mr.. TODD feels free to tell how
things are done at executive audiences.
when the governor comes into the
building in the morning he is met at the
door by his colored porter, who takes
| his hat and cane" continues MI. TODD.
HE then goes to his private room, and
when the door is shut it requires as
much ceremony to get an audience with
INN as with the queen of England. 1t
is matter of common talk that man
who is known to have lots of money
goes in always, poor man very sell
DOM" Mr.. TODD closes his remarkable
letter with the prediction that if Gov.
MERRIAM is renominated he will be de-
feated at the polls.
We have given the substance of the
TODD letter as matter of public inter-
est, and not because we indorSe the
spirit which prompted its publication.
The facts which he retails relating to
the methods by which the Republican
nominating convention was controlled,
| and the election of the state ticket Sc
| cured, were as we'll known to the ex-
deputy insurance commissioner six
months ago as they are now. The fact
that he kept his lips closed until he was
turned out of Office does not suggest
that he is now actuated by desire to
purify Republican politics in Mime
sofa. The things which have happened
are likely to happen again, so long as
the voters of the state permit them
selves to be blinded by partisan preju-
dice to the dangers of commercial poll
tics. AS long as the Republican voters
indorse bought nomination as freely
| 10 Ia% 10