St. Paul daily globe., 1890-01-29
| THIS is DISTRESSING,
The Republican State League
Deep in the Nine
Hole.
It Owes Some $4,000, With
No Available Assets
Visible. n
Tams Bixby Will Call a Meet
ing Of the Executive Com
mittee. y
Tim Byrnes Hysterieal Over
the Fiasco, and Resents
Insinuations. p

1t has been an open secret for a year;
past that the silk stocking organization
known as the Minnesota Republican
league, which was used as a sort of
vehicle to ride certain young Republi-
cans into notoriety and office, has not
paid its debts. Tim E. Byrnes, at pres
ent appointment clerk at Washington.
was the president and prime mover.
Local leagues were organized through
out the state, and there was state con-.
vention, to which delegates in clean
collars and cuffs, Prince Albert coats
and plug hats were sent. There was {:
great deal of bombastic talk at
the convention, and great deal
of fiery oratory from earnest
thoughtful and consistent young Re-
publicans who had begun the practice
of the law and saw that politics was the
shortest road to reputation and glory.
A headquarters was established in the
Tribune building, and force of clerks
was employed which did up newspapers
and campaign documents which were
unloaded through the mails upon the
defenseless farmer, mechanic and mer-
chant. There was seeming hustle all
along the line to keep up the appear
ance Of doing something. A fake auc-
ton store with ''pluggers" and dunn
mics to carry out the idea that an eX-
tenSive business was being transacted
hardly affords comparison to Illus
trate
THE INTENSITY OF THE STRUGGLE
that was constantly maintained to ere
ate the impression that the league was
a mighty fact in Minneapolis politics.
The members used to buttonhole each
ether cOnspicuousIy on the streets,
hi IL, 04h 11 to-.
iOuSly and consult the old wheel horses
as to what policy should be adopted. At
the campaign meetings they occupied
front seats and applauded with an
earnestness that cracked their hands
and split their throats. Tim Byrnes
was, to all appearances, the busiest
man In Minnesota. His brows were
pursed and his shoulders were bent
with the weight of responsibility that
rested upon him. "If can only keep
up until the polls close" he used to say.
''that is all l ask" and would smile re-
signedly, as if he meant my life is for
the. sacred cause. Inspired by his lofty
and patriotic example the young law
yerS rushed out to crossroads meetings
and nightly were heard advising gray
haired men how to vote. 1t is graveIy
suspected some of them purposely con-
tracted colds, so they could talk
hoarsely and make people believe they
had worn their voices out for Har-
rison and protection. After cleo
tiOn these noble representatives of
the ''nation's integrity'' and eXponents
of the beauty of protection shortly
dropped out of sight. Many of them
tried to get offices as rewards of merit;
some failed, and few caughton, When
the bill collectors came around, they
yUprnn;f n hn fnnnA Einollu 10
muring of the unpaid hirelings deepened
to roar, which has became louder and
louder, and now it can no longer be
silenced.
THE LEAGUE OWES 1000
or thereabOuts, and people want their
money. Secretary Tams Bixby was to
have a salary of 81, 200 a year and wants
his pay. w. E. Lee, the treasurer, it
has developed, never had the handling
of any funds. Tim Byrnes attended
to the finances. himself. Nobody
much was collected and how much was
spent, except Tim Byrnes. BiXby once
got hold of 5000, but he paid out 1926 in
expenses. and is just S26 out, in ad-
dition to his salary and loss of time. He
was asked yesterday: "How much
money was spent in the campaign?"
Nobody knows, That is, nobody but
Tim Byrnes."
Chow much was contributed p"
Nobody knows but Tim Byrnes.'
GLOW much did it cost to run the
campaign, in your opinion?'
"Well, | should say somewhere in the
neighborhood of $4,000"
"How much aid was received from
outside the state?"
-Four thousand dollars came from the
national cOmmittae''
"What do you think was the cost of
running the affairs of the league?"
''Well, as | say, | cannot tell. There
were seven or eight clerks employed at
from S4 to IS a week for about three
months; there was postage and ex-
pressage. large item, too; there
was rent and the cost of office
furniture, expenses of speakers, etc.,
and my salary - which 1 didn't
any pay but for their actual expenses.
Byrnes told me at one time that about
$1,000 had been raised, which included
the $4,000 from outside the state"
''TO whom was the accounting made
for the various receipts and eXpendi-
tures?''
"To no one. The executive commit
tee was to have had charge of the
finances of the club as sort of auditing
committee. They have never received
any showing of any kind as to
how much money has been received
nor have they had any figures to show
them how much money has been spent.
Neither has Treasurer W. E. Lee any
idea whatever of the amount of money
that has been received or spent. Mr..
Lee is banker, and he naturally feels
very much worked up over the matter.
Before three months had passed he in
sisted that showing should be made
as to how much money had been re-
ceived and paid out, but he could not
get it. Mr.. ByrneS talked the matter
over with the committee and convinced
them that everything was all right"
AS an upshOt of the muddle, or;
rather a possible way out of it, Mr..
BiXby is going to call meeting of the
executive committee, petition signed
by five members for that purpose haY-
ing been secured.
BUT THE SADDEST VAIL
comes from Washington, and it is from
Tim Byrnes. 1t is no longer Col. Tim
E. Byrnes, with a smile; nor Tim
Byrnes, the gallant leader, scaling the
ramparts of the enemy and waving the
flag in the very teeth of the defiant foe.
But it is Tim Byrnes who is sick, and
very much distressed at the turn things
have taken. He says he was practically
the Republican league himself in Min
nesota. He organized it, neglected his
business for year; he advanced every
cent for months and more than half the
leagues expenses. He bore the brunt
OF everything. There was never any
money in the treasury because the league
was always in debt to him. In fact, the
league owes him $1,000 to-day. 1t did
owe him $1,000 at the close of the cam
paign, but $4,000 came in after that.
He has vouchers to show for every dol
lar expended, and wants an accounting,
state convention and meeting of the
executive committee. He will be pres
ent. If he has to come on a stretcher.