The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-01-11
THE GRAVES FIGHT.
Superior Generalship Scores Vic
tory for Duluth and Sabin.

Superior GeneralShip Scores VIC
tory for Duluth and Sabin.
Monday morning opened with the
Graves men more than confident of src-
cess. The gains made by them Saturday
and Sunday had so thoroughly exposed
the weakness of their opponent that the
order went along the line to push his
forces into a corner from which there
should be no escape. AS Graves man
SAID early in the morning to Morgan
advocate: There is no quarter in this
fight until you either withdraw or are
beaten outright in the caucus"
Ii was the misfortune of Mr.. Morgan
from the first of the contest to be placed
in a position which was false to his best
interests. Whether lack of political sa-
gacity or dire necessity led to this, is a
matter for conjecture. But Mr.. Morgan's
fatal error lay in his alliance however
it was formed) with the Washburn force.
By so doing, he forced an issue which
contributed largely to his defeat. Early
in December, it will be remembered
that the Sabin men made it manifest
that they were quite willing not to in
volve the senatorial contest In that for
speaker. The candidacy of Messrs.
Morgan, FLYNN, Graves and Estes was
announced, and Senator Buchanan, who
had assumed charge of Senator Sabin's
interests, good-naturedly said, "Let the
boys fight it out among themselves" In
accordance with this idea Col. Graves
announced his independence of the sem
atorial matter, and Mr.. Morgan did the
same thing. Had the situation remain
ed unchanged there might have been
different ending to the contest.
Whether with Mr.. Morgan's consent
or not the Washburn men conceived the
idea that because Senator Sabin seemed
the weakest in Southern Minnesota
they might deal him deadly blow by
forcing a fight between Southern and
Northern Minnesota - Morgan vs.
Graves. Carried away with admiration
of their own brilliant plot they began to
boom Morgan for all that was in sight.
They boldly threw off the mask and
championed him for speaker. In innu-
merable ways they made itapparent that
the vote for speaker would be test Of
the strength of the two senatorial candi-
dates in the house. Until last Thursday
they had their own way without definite
opposition from the Sabin forces. They
induced Estes to withdraw, and made a
flatfooted claim of ffty-four votes for
Morgan on the first ballot. Every
county in Southern Minnesota proper
was represented to be with them; also
Hennepin and Ramsey. In pursuing
this course the Washburn men did not
do so with entire harmony in their
camp. There were those who opposed
this complication with the speakership,
but they were not strong enough to
overcome the "Indlana idea," with
which Gen. Washburn had become in
fatuated, and which bob" Evans is
said to be the father of. Mr.. Evans
knowledge of Minnesota politics is linn
tied, and his theory that what could be
done in Indiana could be successfully
operated here has proved serious mis-
take. Nevertheless, he had his own
way, despite all councils to the con-
trary.
Thursday morning, on the arrival of
J. G.. FLYNN and his withdrawal from the
fight in favor of Col. Graves the Sabin
men held several caucuses, and finally
decided that, since Gen. Washburn had
forced the issue, they would not refuse
to pick up the gauntlet thus thrown
down. They took up the candidacy of
Col. GRAY es. and in the face of what was
considered to be sure defeat, met the
Morgan forces. They called into play
every resource, and, with generalship
such as Senator Sabin is famous for, at
tackled so we'll that at 3 o'clock yester-
day afternoon poll of Southern Mime
sofa revealed that there was not a
county there which contained solid
Morgan delegation. They completely
unmasked the pretensions of Gen.
Washburn as to his claim of a solid
South, and in some instances demon
strated that where votes had been
claimed by him, members had never
even been approached.