St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-26

Ollie was not long allowed 10 remain IN
private life, however, for in that same
year he was called upon to lead the
Democracy of the state in what proved
tor the time to be just as forlorn hope
as it had been for many years.. 1t was
in that year that the young men got
possession of the management of the
party, however, and the upbuildlng OF
the present organization was COM
menced. Mr.. Russell was defeated for
governor by Gov. Ames by plurality
of 2S,069. In the following year Russell
was again nominated, and very vigOr-
Gus fight was made. He was defeated
by Josiah Quincy Adams Bracket by
only 6, 775 votes. a decided gain for the
Democrats. In 1899 he was again nomi-
mated, and to the CONSERVATION of his
opponents elected by 1858 plurality.
MIR. Russell was ren0minated last year
and again elected by large plurality.
1t was during the four state campaigns
that Mr.. Russell developed his great
personality, or. at least, showed the PEG
pie who and what he is. His capacity
for hard work is surprising, and through
those campaigns he went up and down
the state, night and day, talking every
where and to every one. His speeches,
hurriedly prepared good many times,
were full of Democratic doctrine, hard
argument and intense loyalty to his
state and his cause. He made friends
by the thousands. Men who thought it
sacriege to nominate so young a man
met him. talked with him, and they
parted firm friends. He went down to
Gloucester, the greatest fishing port in
the world, and delivered speech to the
fishermen --hard-headed, calm, unrea-
soning "doWn-East Yankees land when
the returns came in from that district it
was found that the Democratic gain had
been enormous.
Never Made a Political Mistake.
One of the most singular and ever
surprising facts about this man, the
youngest governor but one the state
ever had, is this: He has never yet
made political mistake. In the state
and national campaign of 1888 he made
fifty-five public speeches on the tariff
issue. Not to this day has a Republican
orator or Republican newspaper
proved the political falsity of one state
ment made in those speeches.
During his first term as governor he
made more than 260 executive appoint
ments. Challenged to a public debate
last October, Henry Cabot Lodge, repre-
senting the Republicans, i'll Music hall,
Boston, spoke on the Democratic state
administration. OF the appointments
he found only three to criticise. The
Democratic speaker who followed read
more than dozen letters from Repub-
liean politicians asking that two of those
three appointments be made, and the
third was shown to have been beyond
the control of Mr.. Russell.
Gov. Russell cannot be termed great
T.; 81 atf = hi 1.. l,r.
been so much interrupted by his pollti-
cal life that he really has as yet had no
opportunity to display great talent.
His activity as politician, however,
has given him great familiarity with
the constitution, both of the United
States and of the New England states,
and the laws relating closely thereto,
and the corporation business of the
firm of which he is still member has
made him capable of handling ques-
tions of state legislation with alertness,
intelligence and rapidity. During his
early active connection with the prac-
tice of law he developed considerable
sagacity, and III number of cases he
was made to show a great deal of
ability.
Personally Mr.. Russell is very at
tractive man. He is not especially mag
netie; but his easy grace of converse
ton and entire sympathy with whatever
one is talking about make him at once
liked. He is we'll built man of about
the average height, little inclined to
be spare and of very active move
ment. He is always clean-shaven; his
hair looks as il just brushed; his voice
is clear and auckland entirely free from
meditative mood. You enter his cham
Der, and, if you are known to him, he
reaches out. grasps your hand warmly,
and at once indicates that he is busy by
his manner. but is quite willing TO listen
il you will not take too much of his
time. While you talk he listens atten-
lively, answers questions promptly,
makes no promises; and. when you rise
to CO. you feel that you have had salts