St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-11
MOVE FOR MERRIAM.
The Early Convention a Ger
tain Scheme in His
Interest.
Decided Protest From st.
Paul Republicans Filed
Yesterday.
Merriam and His Organ Op-
posed by the Kiefer
Cohorts.
A Probability That Senator
Stevenson Put His Foot
In 1t.
It is Merriam. is il?

1t is Merriam. is it?
The rather sudden desire for an early
Republican state convention on the part
Of Gov. Merriam, by his official repre-
sentatives, Stanford Newell and the
Pioneer Press, has excited no little dis.
cussion in Republican circles through
out the city. There are many loyal Re-
pubIicans in st. Paul who object. and
that very seriously, to the Pioneer Press
assuming the role of party dictator so
soon after its gross betrayal Of the whole
Republican ticket in the recent MUM
cipal election. But in Yesterdays issue
of that sheet appeared column. evil
IDENTITY inspired by Stanford Newell. de-
voted to demonstrating that an early
convention would be the proper as we'll
as the best thing for the interests of the
Republican party. Coupled with the
announcement that call had been is
sued by Chairman Newell for meeting
of the state committee on Wednesday
next, came the astounding assertion
that the state convention would be neld
in June. OF at the fartheSt early in July.
is this official, and do Gov. Merriam
and the Pioneer Press intend to force
this scheme through on "Wednesday?
"Who will be nominated" said the
Pioneer Press yesterday. ''WelI, as to
the governorship." it continued, the
question seems easy to answer by say
ing w. Il. Merriam. At this writing
there is not apparent any crystalliZed
opposition to the denomination Of the
present chief executive"
Exactly so. There is at present ''no
crystalized opposition" to Gov. Mer-
,Cf tn fh1a.7
taliZatiOn of the opposition that this
snap convention is advocated at such
length and with so much earnestness by
Stanford Newell and the Pioneer Press?
1t certainly looks that way, for by hold
ing the convention five or six weeks
hence the governor and his advisers
figure out that they can secure the nom
ination Of Merriam with ease, and with
out the expenditure Of very large
amount of cash which can he used to
better advantage later on in the
coming campaign. The argument that
the farmers of the state can participate
in electing delegates in June OF july is
absurd, for the fact is that this portion
of the citizens of Minnesota can better
spare the necessary time in September
or in the latter part OF August than at
the earlier period named.
But will Newell and the Pioneer Press
be able to carry their point at the meet
ing of the committee on Wednesday?
1t certainly looks that way, for at the
time the members of this committee
were appointed none but trusty Mer-
riam capperS were named, and the en-
tire aggregation is wholly in control of
the governor. A number of them arc
holding down state offices of differ
ent kinds. while the interests of others
are so entWined with those of his eX-
cellency that his will cannot fail to be
law to them.
How will the Republican party as
whole take to this trick of the governor
and his tools?
1t will meet with the strongest kind
of opposition in st. Paul, and though
the governor will have the aid OF sub
Servient city committee, kindly picked
out for MIN by Walter Sanborn, he can
not carry the primaries of Ramsey
excited by the action of the Pioneer
in the late campaign, together with its
evident intention to again assume the
role of party dictator, a few words
dropped yesterday by one of the most
prominent Republican politicians IN st.
Paul may be interesting.
"Wno ever heard of an off-year con-
vention in Minnesota in June?' asked
this Republican. The Pioneer Press
and the governor may think that this is
wise scheme, but they will realize
their mistake later. The governor is
particularly foolish in allowing the Pho
neer Press to champion this plan of an
early convention, if he intends to work
in. that plan-for the Pioneer Press
can't dictate anything to the Republic
ans of St. Paul. Before making this
break Merriam had show of securing
the Ramsey county delegation this year,
but now he has none. His defeat at the
primaries this year will be more over
whelming than it was two years ago.
He will have this time not only the
open opposition of Albert Schetfer, but
also that of the loyal Republicans
who faithfully stood by Col. Kiefer
to large extent, for every one knows
that Gov. Merriam could have brought
the Pioneer into line for Kiefer, as he
did Tor Sam Nichols, if he had desired
to do so. Let them carry through their
little scheme, and see us snow Merriam
| under at the coming primaries for the
election of convention to choose dele
gates to the state convention"
But the feeling over this barefaced
| attempt to nominate Merriam before
those Republicans opposed to him have
| chance to organize or prepare for
the contest is not confined to RAM
sey county Republicans alone. One
of the leading Republican state senators
of southern Minnesota yesterday ex-
pressed himself very positively upon
| this point in an interview with GLOBE
reporter. lit won't do,'' he said. "tor
| the governor and his friends to press
| the opposition too hard this year. There
| is more or less dissatisfaction in the
party ranks in all parts of the state, and
the fight will be hard enough if we are
united | think the early convention
| scheme might insure Gov. Merriam's
denomination, but, as l stated before, we
who are anxious for the party's success
must look ahead a little farther than
the convention and the nomination OF
| this or that man for governor"
Will the "snap'' convention scheme
of the willy, oily Newell, the Pioneer
\ nd "a