St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-01
JOHN {. WISE.


be a Democrat?
Good politicians, among them many
Republicans of more than local promi-
hence, concede that nothing but the
grOssest Encouragement of the coming
state campaign by the Democracy can
prevent the latter's electing the next
chief executive of the state. The DEM
Ocratic party has an abundance of fiji ST
class material to fill the office as it
hasn't been filed for many years. The
only question to be considered by the
convention will be that of avail
ability and strength. If the old.
fashioned, but nevertheless good
seek the man and not the man the
Office" were to prevail at that gathering
of JefferSOnianS. the convention could
do no better than to go to MankatO for
Its candidate. 1t would find popular.
worthy and deserving servant Of the
party In the person of Hon. John Z.
Wise, of that city, who would poll a
vote in Southwestern Minnesota that
could be reached by no other man. 1t
will be noticed that from Gen. Sibley to
Hon. E. NJ. Wilson, down through the
long line of prominent Democrats who
have led the hosts of the Democracy in
fought for that office since the adj
mission of the state, that portion of
the commonwealth which now makesup
the Second congressional district has
never had candidate. Mr.. Wise has
been president of Minnesota since 1859,
and is known and admired by all the
early settlers of that section Of the state.
John c, Wise was born at Hagers-
town, Washington county, Md, Sept. 4,
1884, and is consequently not quite fifty
six years of age. He attended school
until he was thirteen pears of age, when
he entered printing office, serving all
apprenticeship of four years. The next
year, when barely eighteen years of
age, he started and published his
Maryland, supporting ardently during
the campaign of 1852 the election of
Gen. Winfield Scott to the presidency
This was about the last Of the old Wing
party, and in the disruption of parties
that followed Mr.. Wise became Demo
crat. From 1853 to 1855 he was en-
ployed In the Congressional Globe Office
at Washington, during the greater part
of that time occupying the position OF
makeup on the Globe.
But young Wise was too bright and
ambitious to remain at Washington
rush to the West in general, and in
particular TO the sites of the present
cities of Duluth and Superior. In COM
pany with Washington Ashton, of Balti-
more, Mr.. Wise went to Superior, Wis,
in that year, and at once commenced
the publication of the Superior
Chronicle. This was the first paper
published at the head of Lake Superior.
and was one of the best weeklies
ever printed there. During the time
that Messrs. Wise & Ashton were pub
fishing the Superior Chronicle the
city Of Duluth was laid out. and the
the Zenith City appeared in the ChrOn-
tcle. Here MI. Wise remained until
1858, when he sold his interest to MIR.
Ashton ana returned tn Washington.
A year later, in 1850. MIR. Wise again
came West and commenced the publica-
tiOn of the MankatO Record, the first
Democratic paper published in South.
western Minnesota. A year later the
paper was changed from a weekly to q
semi-weekly, and was the first publica'
ton of the kind in the state. In
this form 1t was continued
until the Sioux massacre In 1862, when
the whole country south and west OF
Mankato was depOpulated by the Indian
outbreak, When the weekly publication
was resumed and continued until 1865
when The Record was sold to D. Brown
and its politics changed to Republican
During the Indian war the Record de-
voted its space largely to news pertain.
Ing to that campaign, the position OF
MankatO as headquarters affording espe
eial facilities for that purpose. To-day
the most complete history of that
great disaster can be found in the
flies of Mr.. Wise's old paper
after brief respite, and in the spring
Mr.. Wise started the Mankato Review
of which, in 1870, he became sole pro
Drietor and editor, and up to date tina
paper has been under his editorial con
troll. The Review is one of the very
few papers in Minnesota under the same
continuous management and control fol
twenty years.
During his newspaper career Of TWEEN
ty-fve years, Mr.. Wise never missed
publication, never issued q half sheet
never used patent inside or outside
printing his entire paper at home. ant
his newspaper enterprises were invari
ably pecuniarly successful. His pape
paper in Southwestern Minnesota, and
consequently, circulated largely anon!
the Democrats throughout that section
Mr.. Wise's different papers have AWAY
preached that sound Democracy whiel
is always pleasing to Democrats an,
never offensive 10 those holding OppO
site political views.
During his residence in the West. Mr.
Wise has never sought public position
In 1856 he was appointed but declined
the office of clerk of the circuit court O
Douglas county, Wisconsin. He served
number of years as member OF thu
board of education, one term as trustee
under the first village organization o.
MankatO in 1864. He has been con
tinuously connected with the MankatC
board of trade for the past twenty-five
wears. being one of its original incor
porators In 1868, and for several year,
president of the organization. DetWicC
represented the Democrats of Minnesot;
In national conventions. in 1872 ant
1884, serving as member OF The
committee of credentials in the
first, and on the committee on resolu
tions In the latter; and twice served or
the Democratic electoral ticket. Ii
1867 he was appointed by Gov. Mar
shall as one of the commissioners t.
dispense aid to the settlers in the from
tier counties whose crops were de-
stroyed by hail; and in lS74-75 was APP
pointed by Gov. Davis member of the
state commission to investigate the
grassh0pper ravages of this state. He
was appointed postmaster at Mankato
in 1885 by President Cleveland, AND
held the office for thirteen months, his
confirmation being rejected through the
ehurts of Senator Sanin. on personal
grounds. lie was candidate for the