St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-10
SPOlLS The OBJECT.
Harrison's Managers Prepar-
ing a Combine for Next
Year.
Senator Davis and Gov. Mer-
rism Are Both in It
Largely.
10 Quarter to Be Given
Washburn and the
Blainiacs.
Ex-senator "Gil" Pierce Look
ing Ahead for Him
self.

where not long since it had an absolute
majority of nearly 10000, its politicians
are betraying Il vast amount of energy
in fixing up combination that shall
control the politics of the state for the
next four years. This ombination has
for its first object the election of a Har-
rSon delegation to the national cOnven-
ton next year, and after that is done a
great many more things Will be attend
ed to. Senator Davis and Gov. NJ er-
riam may both be in the COM
bination, and so will eX-Sen-
ator Gil Pierce. Senator Washburn,
however, being stiff-necked supporter
of Secretary Blaine, and decidedly out
Of line with the administration, is not to
be taken into the fold.
OF course there are to be no end of fat
things promised to the boys, but the
main prizes will go to the principals
and their trusted lieutenants. Among
these are;
First-The gubernatorial nomination next
year.
Second-N NominationS for attorney general.
State treasurer ana lieutenant governor TO
succeed Messrs. Clapp, BobIeter and Ives,
who are quite sure to be ready to retire.
Third--A United States senator to succeed
Senator c. X. Davis.
Fourth--A place in the cabinet of Presi
dent Harrison, If that gentleman is re-
elected.
Fifth-The positions of state chairman and
national committeeman.
This is really quite
q Formidable Array
of desirable positions, and if the leaders
had confidence in the success of the
that it would succeed. Senator Davis
has made his peace with the admins
tration and is now basking in its smiles,
while the erstwhile favorite, Gen.
Washburn, is not in it little bit. Of
course, Senator Davis desires re-elec-
tiOn to the senate, but he may be
switched off with the peomise of being
made the next attorney general of the
United States. In this case, Gov. Mer-
rlam is to succeed him III the senate.
Gov. Merriam is a Harrison man, if
for no other reason because he is for
any one rather than Blaine. Then, too,
the Blaine Republicans of the state
have never been his eXcellency's strong
est supporters. In two successive con-
ventionS the city of Minneapolis, or
rather, Hennepin county, opposed the
nomination of Gov. Merriam, and at the
late election came near laying him on
the shelf forever as political figure.
Minneapolis is and has been the center
of the Blaine forces, and ii may remain
so in spite of the fact that the admins
tratiOn has the lips of the straight Re-
publican organs securely pad-lOcked.
Were Gen. WaShburn a more popular
leader there would be no doubt of the
defeat of the Harrison crowd. In the
case of drawn battle between the
lrIra n nd Ilnr I'll,
seems more than probable, the principal
federal officials Of the state will be
placed
In Il Horrible Fix.
They were nearly all appointed
through the influence of Gen. Wash
burn and will hardly like to desert him,
indeed several of them Will not do 50 if
1t costs them their positions.
Ex-senator Pierce is said to be look
ing forward four years to the time when
a successor to Senator Washburn will
have to be elected. If cabinet posi-
ton and one senatorSbip will keep Mer-
riam and Davis quiet, he figures that it
will be an exceedingly easy task for
him TO become United States senator
once more. The fact that he halls from
Indiana ought to go far toward convinc-
ing the public that there is nothing too
high for his vaulting ambition to soar
to.
Chairman Joel P. Heatwole, it is not
necessary to state, will not be mem
Der of this combination, and the next
state chairman will be some Staunch
Harrison man. On the national com
lnittee Bob" Evans will be succeeded,
perhaps, by Senator Pierce himself.
Col. Tim Byrnes may be a candidate,
but if he is he has no show of securing
the plum.
The Blaine Republicans of the state
are becoming decidedly uneasy. They
know that the morning Republican
organ of ST. Paul will be for Harrison
rather shan Blaine, and, knowing from
sad experience the success that attends
the political moves of the governor.
they are really alarmed. They are do
ing some talking, and propose to COM
mence fighting. If Blaine is in the
field next year it will take some very
Expert Manipulating
to keep him from securing the Mime
sofa delegation.
There Is more than possibility that
major portion of the goods mentioned
above can never be delivered. 1t is bv
no means certain that the next legisla-
ture will be Republican; but suppose it
is; can 1t be controlled in the interests
of Gov. Merriam or Senator Davis? 1t
is extremely doubtful. There is a feel
ing abroad throughout the state that it
is time that one of the senatorships
went to the country. 1t has been long
time since the agricultural sections OF
the state furnished a United States SEN
ator, and besides, it is not fair
that the counties of Hennepin and
Ramsey should corral the two senators
and congressman each, as they will in
1892. In the Fifty-third congress this
state will have nine representatives,
two senators and seven members of the
house Of representatives. AS the dis
trictS are divided it is ten to one that
st. Paul and Minneapolis will elect
both members of the lower house. and
as they now have the two senators,
they Will then. with joint population
OF less than 00,000, have almost half of
the congressional delegation represent
ing the 100000 people of the state.
This situation cannot continue much
lOnger-the farmers will not submit
to it.
Another thing that may assist in de-
featng the scheme of turning Blainish
Minnesota over to Harrison is the feel
ing that exists among the party work
erS that Harrison cannot be elected.
Then, too, there is host of disap-
pointed party workers, many of whom
had reasons to expect something from
the administration for faithful services.
TO say that they are sore over appoint
ments like that of Eugene Hay, Estes,
NettletOn and lot more of the same
stripe is putting it mildly. Influential
Republican papers like the Mankato
Daily Free Press are already making
warfare on the Harrison combine. and
scores of country papers eagerly copy
these articles.