St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-13
MINNEAPOLIS.
POLITICAL CHATTER.
A Secret Meeting in Minneap-
oils in Opposition to
Merriam.
r. B. Langdon Had the Strong
Q est Support in Opp0-
Siti0n.
The Prohibition Incubus and
The Prohibition Incubus and
Means to Shake 1t Off
Discussed.
An Amusing Story About a
Prohibition Member Of
- the Legislature.

A meeting or Minneapolis Republican
politicians, to compass ways and means
by which Gov. Merriam can be defeated
for reelection, was recently held lat a
law Office i'm the Flour City. 1t was in
tended that the meeting and its object
should remain profound secret among
those present, but the usual leak oc-
cured, and most of what took place in
the meeting is in the possession of the
GLOBE. The present incumbent of the
governors chair would be surprised if
he could cast his eye over list of those
who were present. 1t included some
who were bis warmest friends last year.
On the question that the denomination
of Gov. Merriam would, in view of re-
cent results of elections in other states
be highly imp0litic and dangerous, the
meeting was unanimous. A ballot was
taken upon that question, and it was SO
decided without dissenting voice.
When it came to the choice of can
didate in place of Mr.. Merriam there
was wide difference of opinion. but Il.
B. Langdon had the most adherents. al
though some of his friends were fearful
that it would not be safe to head the
ticket with the name of any resident of
either St. Paul or Minneapolis. A large
number of names were discussed, in
GLIDING those of Lieut.. Gov. Rice, State
Auditor Braden, FL. B. Strait, ID. M.
Sabin, A. ID. Reyes. of WinOna; M. j.
Daniels, of Rochester; L. b. Clement,
of Faribault, and others. The meeting
was unanimous on another point, viz:
That no pronounced friend of the Win
dOm-W ashburn combine should be NOM
I'D fnr in
the election of Mir. Window
Davis. This meeting was merely
A preliminary one. 1t is to be followed
by others, and an effort will be made to
combine the opposition to Gov. Merriam
on an available candidate. OF those
mentioned outside of the Twin Cities
the name of MIR. Clement, of Faribault,
was received with the most favor. An
objection was made to him that re is a
banker, and, hence, would not be a
strong candidate among the farmers.
A gentleman present said that this is
great mistake; that, while MIR. Clement
is banker, he is a liberal, public
spirited man, and has mole friends
among the farmers of Rice county than
any other Republican in Feribault, as
has frequently been demonstrated when
he has been candidate for Office. The
question of prohibition was discussed at
some length and those present felici-
tated themselves ON the fact that the
last legislature did not submit the pro-
hibition amendment. There was no
difference of opinion on this subject,
nor upon another one, viz: That there
must hereafter be no joining of hands
with the Prohibitionists.
Speaking about prohibition recalls
SOME amusing things about the way in
which the prohibition question was
treated in the house last winter. The
committee on the subject was set up
against prohibition as matter of fact.
No sooner was it appointed than the
rooms of the members were filled up
with goodly arrays of tempting bottles
of all kinds of IntoXicants, and the sup
ply never failed while the legislature
was in session. 1t may be that some of
the members who were known to be
pronounced prOhibitionists did not re-
ceive any of these little tokens of atfec--
ton and regard, but the majority did.
A mistake was made in one instance,
however. A member OF the committee
was surprised one day on going to his
room by finding deposited therein a
gallon jug marked "Old Rye" and bear
lnS Ills dutuIcSS. nc was luilOuS anu
declared mis- intention of sending it back
Immediately to the donor, whose card it
bore, with letter telling the generous
firm what he thought of its contents.
He sat down. wrote an indignant letter
and went to his supper. While he was
gone some of the boys drew the cork,
emptied the contents into another jug,
filled the first one up with water and
departed with the rye. When the leglS-
tor returned to his room he brought
with him a messenger boy, gave him the
letter and the jug and congratulated
himself on having indicated his princi-
Piles. The next day he received let
ter from the firm thanking him for the
prompt return of the jug, but saying
that they had no use for the water with
which it was filled. To this day he does
not know where the joke came in.