St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-08
WILLIAM WALLACE BRADEN
Who will he onr newt governorp

This is question now being dis
cussed by the politicians of the state in
a manner that would seem to indicate
that gubernatOrial timber is exceedingly
scarce in Minnesota. But such is not
the case. Were the people consulted
they would agree in saying that there's
any quantity of tirst-class material in
the commonwealth of Minnesota to fill
the office of governor outside the three
OF four names so often mentioned.
The prominent and able men of state
are rightly the pride of its people. and,
while these men may be Of different
political parties. whatever of distinction
or renown they may have won in public
or private life, rebounds TO the credit of
the entire state. Minnesota has many
neil in both political parties who would
be credit to the state were they placed
in the highest executive Office of the
state by the people. 1t is the intention
of the GLOBE to mention q few of
these leading citizens in series
OF articles, giving a brief biography,
and enumerating any elemen Of
strength that the candidate under
2siScusSiOn may possess. These articles
will be strictly nOn-partlsan, and the
subjects will be taken alternately from
CdCli Vi SlCdl Pal LILO HlSp
piece Of gubernatOrial timber passed
upon will be a Republican, and his
name is William Wallace Bradeu, the
present auditor of Minnesota.
Auditor Braden to-day stands in the
front rank of the Republican leaders
OF the state, and is striking ref uta-
ton OF the opinion, so often expressed,
that man to be successful in public
life must be non-committal and shilly-
shally sort of individual. w. w.
Braden is man who has
cOnvictionsand in his long public career
has never been afraid to express them,
whether they affected his political party
Or not. When treasurer of Fillmore
county he, in common with hosts of the
leading Republicans of the First dis
trict, idiSapproved of the course Of Con-
gresham Dunnell. and a movement
was started that finally eliminated in
the defeat of the veteran sandhauler in
the district congressional convention of
1882. At the time this hight was
begun the OwatOnna congress-
man was intrenched as never
politician was before or since. His
heelers filed the federal offices and ran
all conventions. His party had sure
and overwhelming majority in the dis
trict. But all his power had no terrors
for Capt. Braden, and he resolutely ell
tered the field and fl ught Dunnellism
to the end. Capt. Braden," said an
old Minnesotian, twas q brave soldier
In time. of war, and he is fair fighter
in politics in time of peace"
William Wallace BradeD was born in
Iberia. o., fifty-four years ago, and
came of good old Democratic family,
which became infected with free-soil
tendencies, and finally drifted
into tie ranks of the Re-
publican party on its organization.
The father of the subject of this sketch
was a farmer, and like SO many Ohioans
of that time decided to go further West.
In 1852 the family removed to Northern
Indiana; not being satisfied with In
diana, the Bradens, in 1854, removed to
Minnesota and located at Lenora, in
Fillmore county. The present state
auditor was then seventeen years of
gagged, in farming. In the spring of
1862 he enlisted in Company X of the
Sixth Minnesota infantry, and was
elected first lieutenant ON the
organization of the company. He
took part In both of Gen.
Sibley's celebrated campaigns against
the Sioux Indians, and was promoted to
the captaincy of his company in Janu-
airy. 1868. In the spring of 1864 the
Sixth Minnesota was ordered South, and
Capt. Braden spent the next six months
at Helena, Ark. The reg iment was
then ordered TO st. Louis, and later
south 10 New Orleans, but the "powers
that were" had other plans for the
young captain and he was made provost
marshal for the district of Southwestern
Missouri. with headquarters at Spring
field in that State-a part of which time
he was really aide on the staff of Gen.
Sanborn, of st. Paul.
But the war finally came to an end,
ana Capt. Braden was mustered out of
the service in September. 1865. He at
once returned to his farm in Fillmore
county. He had entered the service of
the United States young, and compar-
atiyely inexperienced farmers boy: he
came out man, fully equipped to enter
the struggle of life and make his mark.
Even IN those days the people of Fill
more county appreciated his worth. and a
year later, in 1866, Mr.. Braden was chosen
as one of Fillmore's representatives in
the state legislature. His course at st.
Paul was SO satisfactory TO his constitu-
entS that he was returned to the house
IN 1861. Six years later he was elected
treasurer of the county and continued
to fill that office until he was elected
state auditor in 1881.
AS auditor of Minnesota Capt. Braden
has made an eDviable record, and
in 1856 led the Republican state
ticket by several thousands. He is
eX-otfici0 land commissioner. and in
that position. so full of oppor-
tunties for fraud and corruption,
he has Won deserved reputation as the
unrelenting foe of the timber stealer. as
well as Of those who would seek to rob
the commonwealth of her rich mineral
lands and broad and fertile prairies.
His record as treasurer of Fillmore
county was urged when he was pre-
sented as a candidate for the Republic
can nomination for auditor, and his rec
ord as auditor and land commissioner
may yet give him n nomination for gov
ernor.
"The people of Minnesota" said a
prominent aud well-informed man, not
politician. some time since, do not
and have not fully apprec lated the
services Auditor Rraden has per-
formed for The state. Some time they
will rise up and 'call Him blessed i'll
deed for the course he has pursued III
reference to the state mineral lands in
the Vermillion range. lie hiss ""iusrd
all oyerturcs in the pas. 20 arpraise
these lands and place them In :te mar
ket 9t O minimum price OF s. per acre,
as he could by law Lave done,
and he has thus saved TO the
state snnrce Of income That cannot yet
be estimated. A corrupt or weak mar in
that Office during tho last nine years
would have damaged the state untold
millicns.''
Capt. Braden Is member Of the
Loyal Legion and the Grand Army. and
is extremely popular among the MEM