St. Paul daily globe., 1890-07-30
MERRIAM'S METHODS
Pen Picture Of the Republi-
can Nominee by a Chi
eago Paper.
His Machine Methods Graph
ieally Portrayed by the
Times Zodiak.
How He Made a Profit or
100000 on $4 a
Day. 4.
Powerless, Though Backed
by Corporations, This
Year.

16SIorQdy'S j OHlcdSO 1ihCp SOh's''A
the following interesting sketch on
Minnesota's chief executive: william
Rush Merriam, who was renominated
by the Republican state convention FOR
governor of Minnesota, has held the
office for two years, and got his renoml-
nation by those businesS-like methods
which usually prevail in machine poll
tics. When Mr.. Merriam was candl-
date two years ago the cry of "boodle"
was ringing in his ears through the
whole campaign, and as a result of the
outcry against his peculiar campaign
methods he fell $4,000 votes short of the
poll for Harrison. There is a popular
impression that if it had been an ''oH'
year in politics ne would have been con-
signed to the tomb of the Capulets. But
as it was he went in under Harrison's
coat-tail. He imagines that he IS more
popular now than ne was two years ago,
and thus iustifes his action in forcing
himself upon the party again.
By virtue of his own. his fathers and
his Uncle Wilder's bank accounts Mer-
riam has succeeded in establishing him
self as the chief mogul Of the machine,
and thus he manages to control the Re
publican organization in any direction
that he desires. Hence his splendid
success in renominating himself.
William r. Merriam is fOrty-two years
old, has hair as smooth as silk, which
he parts in the middle. lives in an ele-
CANT mansion on height overlooking
the city of his birth. and his checks
never go to protest in country editors
Office. He was born In bank, and
comes from a distinguished ancestry OF
government contractors and pine land
speculators. He is native of st. Paul,
for which Minneapolis will never for
give him, yet he is willing to mortgage
his birthplace for Cush Davis seat in
the senate. His father being wealthy,
Young Merriam received polite educa-
ton, which was finished off with two
years course of boat rowing at Yale.
When he came home from college the
old man called him into his back Office
and said: tHere. Billy, is my check
for $500, 200. Go in and make a million
aire of yourself"
1t is to Billy's credit that he did not
do as many rich mans son had done
before him and since-spend his money
in riotous living. He married lovely
Young women, a niece of Gen. Han
cock. and settled down to business. He
started bank, of which he was made
president, and then launched upon a
career of successful specializing. Good
fortune smiled on him from the begin
ming. and seems inclined to stay by him.
He has doubled and possibly trebled
the sum his father gave him, and if he
will get out of politics he may yet
realize the paternal expectation OF be-
Ing millionaire.
Coy. Merriam has peculiar faculty
of combining business with politics.
His first appearance in the political
arena, seven years ago, was as candi-
date for the legislature. 1t is said that
he expended about $4,000 in the cam
paign, but he got there. The only mark
of craftsmanship he displayed when
there was to engineer through bill
granting extraordinary franchises to
a street railway company of which he
held the principal stock. and which en-
abled him to sell out at profit of $780,
O0O. His next ESSAY at politics was to
run for mayor of st. Paul against the
late Edmund Rice, but he was buried
out of sight by the ballots of plebean
voters who wouldn't support man that
slept in silk nightshirt embroidered
with lilac-colored satin. Four years ago
Mr.. Merriam bobbed up as candidate
for the legislature again. He bad
learned wisdom from experience, and
instead of wasting money on the COM
mon herd he brought peculiarly per-
suasive argument to bear on his oppo-
nent, who had been elected, that in
duced the latter to waive all claim to
the seat. This time Merriam captured
the Republican legislative caucus and
was elected speaker of the house of del
egates, which became stepping-stone
for him to the governors chair, and
which in time he hopes to make step
ping-stone to the United States senate.
A good deal of the old talk of two
years ago is being revived against Mer-
fiam. His enemies are fond of speaking
of him as ''Ten-Dollar Bill" term to
signify boodleism. If half that is told
is true, the governorship has been a
most expensive luxury to him. Pub
lished statements have been made that
the canvass for the nomination two
years ago cost Merriam S250,0 ques-
tion the accuracy of this statement. 1t
puts the price Of Minnesota politicians
too high. | looked oyer the convention
the other day that renominatcd him.
and there wasn't man in it that l
would rate at over 81, and they say it
was higher-toned body than the former
convention. Besides, Gov. Merriam
isn't a man to throw bread on the
waters or to cast pearls before swine.
A dividend in actual cash must be in
Bight before he makes an investment.
He is as close-fiSted and hOrny-handed
as a granger when it comes to paying
out money. Still, they say that his
father and Uncle Wilder checked in
liberally towards Billy's campaign ex-
penSe account.
With all his political sins and lack of
stateSmanlike qualities, Gov. Merriam
Is good fellow socially. He is way
up club man, and is the recognized
leader of st. Paul society. He drives a
spanking team of bays, and makes the
negro coachman ride in the back seat
while he handles the ribbons. He can't
tell joke worth cent, but he likes to
laugh when some one else opens chest
nut burr. His coldnesS is largely on
the surface, and is chiefly confined to
business transactions. He thaws out in
good company and becomes as mellow
as the best of them.
His home life is an ideal one. The
man who loves his wife and children
and devotes his spare hours to the home
circle can't be a very bad sort of fel-
low. Ii is SAD commentary on the
evil tendencies of the times that such a
man should be drawn into the whirl OF
corrupt politics and justify the expendi
ture of money in debauching the ballot
on the ground that it is necessary tc
gain political distinction.
Gov. Merriam will not have Ben Har.
rison's coat tail to hang 10 in this can
vass, consequently he is going to have
hard shedding. He has made the mis-
take of posing as a Republican candi
date on a free trade platform. This
was done on the supposition that he
would catch the granger vote: but he
will miss it. The Farmers Alliance
folks are satisfied with both their caDdi
date and their platform. The Demo
Gratis will stick to their party. The old
line, dyed-in-the- Republicans are
disgusted with Merriam's attempt tc
cater to the free trade element. 1t is
hard for leader to close up the party
lines when he has himself repudiateO
the party principles. 1t is never good
politics for one party to build on anoth.
er party'S foundation.
Gov. Merriam is beset with another