St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-01
TOO RAPID FOR HIM.
The Reason Why Knute Nell
son Was for the Mills
Bill.
He Didn't Suppose a Party
Could Change It's Prin-
ciples
In Less Time Than He Re-
quired to Travel From
Washington Home.
How Gen. Baker Worked for
Free Tpade--SteenerSOn
or Hay?

Is Knute Nelson sincere low-tariff
man, and would he have voted for the
Mills bill in the last congress had he
known the wonderful change of front
the Republican party of Minnesota was
about to take on the tariff question in
the Harrison-Cleyeland campaign?
TO the majority this question may
seem absurd, and L confess it so seemed
to me until had read the ridiculous
speech made by Mr.. Nelson at ratifica-
ton meeting held in Alexandria after
the election of President Harrison. At
that time recalled an interview 1 had
had with prominent Fifth district Re-
publican politician, shortly before the
close of the campaign of 1888, in which
Mr.. Nelson's position on the tariff QueS-
ton was discussed. To my surprise
this politician expressed himself some
what as follows:
'DO you know Knute Nelson has been
kicking himself for his vote in favor of
the Mills bill ever since he returned to
Minnesota? At the time he cast that
vote he never for moment doubted but
that his position would be Endorsed by
the great majority of tine Republican,
voters of the state. Like many others
he did not imagine that the Republic
cans of Minnesota could or would climb
onto the high tariff band wagons,a and in
case they refused so to do, he. Knute
Nelson. as the champion of the low tar
iff Republicans. would be pushed right
to the front, and in the event the
Western Republicans would fall into
line on the tariff question he would be-
come the leader, not only of the party in
Minnesota, but also throughout the
West. 1t was splendid scheme, and
early in the summer of 1883, with the
record of the Republican party of Min
nesota for at least a dozen years on the
tariff question before him. it was not
surprising that Mr.. Nelson should have
pursued the course he did"
"Then in your opinion Mr.. Nelson is
a Republican rather than tariff re-
places his Republicanism before any
thing else, even when he radically diff
ferS with the party Oh question of
principie?"
That's exactly my opinion" was the
answer. "And | know that Knute was
not at all pleased when he found that
his low tariff speeches were being circu-
lated as Democratic campaign docu-
ments; nor was the continued praise of
the Democratic press at all satisfactory
to him."
The above interview was had over
year ago, and numerous chats with
Fifth district politicians since have con-
WINGED me that Mr.. Nelson's position
was well stated. Sudden and uneX-
pected as political changes of base often
have been, it is safe to say that no po-
litical party in any state in the Union
6pCprtn6 nd
utterly as the low tariff (so-caileO Re-
publicanS of Minnesota did Knute Mel
son in the presidential campaign of
1883.
Was it at all strange, under the cir
cumstances, that Mr.. Nelson was I'M
able to regain OF recover his breath
until the election had been decided in
favor of Harrison and the war tariff?
There were several reasons why it
was policy for Mr.. Nelson to keep very
quiet until the great HarriSon-C Cleveland
political duel was over, outside and be-
yond the theory that he was in sympathy
with the DemOcratS-the latter theory
being unteuable in view of Mr.. Nelson's
political utterances since that time. For
had Cleveland been reelected and Min
neso:a gone Republican by small ma
jority, nothing could have prevented
the honorable Knute's installation as
dictator Of what would then have be-
come the dominant faction of the Re-
publican party of Minnesota.
Upon the whole, did the presidential
election of 1888 result just as Knute
Nelson would have had it end?
HEATWOLE NOT SUPPRESSED.
The appointment of s. LOWenstein,
of this city, to position in the internal
revenue department, as gauger at the
South st. Paul distillery, shows that
over year ago Mr.. Lowenstein. who
had been staunch supporter of Albert
Scheffer, refused to follow the kickerS
in the fight against Merriam, and Joel
and Mr.. LOwenstein then became quite
intimate. and it is to HeatwOle and his
friends that Mr.. Lowenstein'S appoint
ment is due. HeatwOIe's kicks at the
Twin Cities hoggishness in the matter
of government appointments only
apply when an appointment is
made that Joel doesn't like. But
be this as it may, Joel is mighty good
fellow, and he has one virtue that most
of the other Republican leaders OF the
state haven't got, and that is in the way
he sticks to his friends. Congressman
"Dar" Hall and Maj. Strait, for whom
''Dar" kindly holds proxy, had best
keep a careful eye on the young North
field editor, for it won't be many years
before he will be giving them close
race for seat in the national house of
representatives.
Gen. j. II. Baker, who is now report
ed to be lying seriously ill at his coun-
try home, Oak Cliff farm, near Man.
kato, has been prominent and some
what picturesque figure in Minnesota
politics for more than thirty years. for
the last few of which he has been one |
of the leaders of the lOw-tariff element |
of the party. But last year, like the |
rest of that faction. he deserted his |
colors. and made speeches all over the |
Second district. where he was known as |
low-tariff man. The way he eXtri- |
Gated himself from his predlcament was |
amusing. He declared that he was sup |
porting the Republican candidates and |
platform because he was a free-trader, |
ana the senate tariff bill was better |
free trade measure than the Mills bill. |
The general didn't add much to his rep
utation in the Harrison campaign, and |
it is said that he is now as sore on Har- |
rison as he is on Merriam.
Ever and anon comes rumbling from |
the Scandinavian strongholds of the |
state that strikes terror to the heart of |
the average Republican politician of |
of Minnesota. Now the friends of ex-
Senator HalvOr STEVENSON, of Crooks |
ton, are making themselves heard, and |
many and dire are the prophecies of |
of what will happen in case Eugene |
Hay beats Senator Halvor's time for |
the responsible. lucrative and honora- |
BILE position of United States district |
attorney for Minnesota. 1t certainly is |
a pity that in great state like Mime |
sofa there are only two men. Steiner |
son and Hay, who are considered big |
enough for that office. Shortly after |
the election year ago, the best candi- |
date yet mentioned was trotted out by |
Judge Williams, of Fergus Falls, in the |