St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-16
Friends Of the Senior Senator
Force a Bargain With
Gov. Merriam.
A Second Term for Davis and
Merriam to Succeed to
His Toga.
Great Strength Developed by
AmeS Since His Conven-
ton Speech.
The Democratic State Com
mittee Called for a Con-
fab on Thursday.

There was some little wonderment
expressed at the time of the late Repub-
llcan county convention at the unanim-
ity with which the resolution pledging
the senatorial delegation to G. K. Davis
was Endorsed. For months it had been
the current belief and the general un-
~derstanding that Gov. Merriam was
blessed with a vaulting ambition, and
that the gubernatOrial chair was with
him simply the means to al end. The
urbane and popular Mr.. Merriam long
desired to ornament the national senate,
and this fact was known everywhere.
When William B. Dean was nominated
for senator from the Hill district, it was
whispered about that Merriam had
driven a nail in CuSh Davis senatorial
coffin, as Dean was well known as an
anti-Davls man. Therefore it was a
matter of surprise to many that the
Davis resolutions went through the con-
ventiOn without murmur. Buttbereby
hangs a tale. A friend of the governor,
who sits very near the head of the table
when a political conference is in prog
reSS, gives the following Sa tisfactory
explanation:
The nomination of Dean was like the
sound of the tOcSln in the arS of the
Davis men and aroused them to a sense
of their danger. They fully realized
then that, unless something occurred to
prevent, Merriam would make his cam
paign fcr governor, and, if elected.
would oust Davis in 1898. They accord
ingly got to work, and in a very short
time brought the governor to terms.
'IEaU vary nnCItty y anrncnnfn1 fhnf tho
declaration of war came from the Mer-
riam side and that, if they accepted the
challenge, Minnesota would elect a
Democratic governor in 1890. Merriam
saw the force of the reasoning, and an
armiStice was agreed upon. Merriam is
to wait until 1899 to be senator, which
he can easily do. being a young man,
and give Davis a second term, al the
end of which he is to come off the perch.
But in the meantime Merriam is 10 go
into training. When his second term as
governor is ~over-always providing he
is not slaughtered-he will run for con-
greSS and serve two terms in the lower
house. He will then be in shape to
tackle the senate when the time comes.
This is the deal, as outlined by the
Republican advisers. But there may be
some unexpected obstacles. If Merriam
shall fall by the wayside this year, he is
to regard it as his congo in politics, and
hereafter devote himself to his bank and
state fairs. There is another little OBJ.
stacle to the intermediate course pro-
posed. Under the new congressional
apportiOnment, when Minnesota gets
three more congressman, st. Paul will
be in a solid Democratic district. A
Republican legislature will find its
hQDdC fnIl in c n nnrrrf a mr. mi n m fhn
state as to locate Ramsey county in any
thing but a Democratic district. If an
effort is made to avoid this, two other
districts must be made p%erilOuSly close,
and that cannOt be afforded. 1t is almost
absolutely certain that in 1892 st. Paul
will be in a Democratic district, in
which case the Merriam plans will be
rudely overturned. Besides that, time
may work changes that will not be
smooth sailing even for Mr.. DAVIS, with
his tariff Oh wheat" in 1893.
Why Gov. Merriam should not make
his senatorial fight to succeed Wash
burn in 1895 is very clear. WaShburn's
| successor will not be Washburn, unless
the present temper of the state changes
very materially, and while st. Paul was
responsible for Washburn's election
over which fact she now sits in sack
cloth and aShes-MinneapOliS will have
as much to say as to his successor. and
Minneapolis is not in love with the gov
II at this writing. The state at large
will insist on the senator next time, and
the Twin Cities must allow term to
elapSe before anybody car press his
claims. Gov. Merriam knows this and
will wisely bide his time, taking his
congressional training meanwhile.
A certain prominent citizen of Mime
apOliS, while at the Merchants yester-
day, Interestingly expressed himself as
follows:
Il have been a Democrat all my life,
AID have belonged to what is called the
anti-AmcS wing in that city. | have not
been a Kelly and Doran man, but have
simply been opposed to DR.. Ames; but
L want to say right here that l never
saw Ames in sc fine a light as at the late
state convention. He seemed a perfectly
manly man, and made more friends than
he ever had before. l heard prominent
men who were there, and who had al
ways opposed him, say they never be-
fore fully appreciated him. / believe
now that if he had gone into the cam
paign two years ago for Eugene Wilson
nothing could have beaten him this
year. [ believe that if he takes the
stump for Tom Wilson this year.
not only will Wilson be elected,
but nothing will be too good for
Ames hereafter. After the new appor-
tionment for congress Hennepin county
will be a district itself, and if Ames
goes out this year the man Toes not live
who could beat him for congress. Oh
year or off year."
William NJ. Campbell has lust re-
turned from a flying trip to Duluth. in
the course of which he visited several
intermediate points. OF course, he
talked politics everywhere, and if his
information is correct the Merriam de-
lection is very great in that entire sec
ton. Duluth has absolutely no use for
his excellency, and the country through
Carlton, Pine and Kanabec counties is
in about the same situation. Gov. Mer.
RAM recently visited Duluth and poured
oil on the troubled waters, but from all
accounts the angry waves declined to
down. HIS excellency should try a lit
tie soap"
The Democratic state central commit.
tee will meet at the Merchants OF
Thursday at 2 o'clock for the purpose Of
organizing and preparing for the cam
paign. Chairman Campbell yesterda,
sent out notices of this meeting to al
members of the committee, and a full
attendance is expected. Judge Wilson
and all the other nominees have beer
invited to attend the meeting.
What has become of the ''committet
of 1902" 1t will be remembered that a
the close of its deliberations, when thu
legislative ticket was given to the gazt
of an admiring community, the resolu
tions ended with a dire and solemn
threat. 1t was assured, with all the
solemnity the occasion warranted, tina
If the Democratic or Republican county
conventions failed to indorse this tickle
the committee of 1907 would prompt,
put an independent ticket in the field
Well, both conventions failed to so i'm
dorse the full ticket and it is time fo
the committee OF 1902 to fulfill it,
threat.