Warren sheaf., 1892-08-11
OUR NEXT GOVERNOR.

! OUR NEXT GOVERNOR.
ONE OF the greatest glories OF this
republic is that here men can rise to
eminelIce and power Independently
Of tho accident of birth. No blue
ulood is recognized among US except
that which thrcbs through honest
hearts to nourish healthy brains,
and the Only success men achieve is
founded upon what il within them
selves. 1t is the lot Of most men
who have risen to prominent posi-
tiOns in the state and nation that
they were born poor, and in curly
| life had tO struggle against poverty.
These obstacles in most every other
country would prevent the
lnn jority OF men from ris-
ing above their surroundings,
but in a republic they stimulate men
to activity, thereby developing their
character and inbOrn powers.
knute Nelson. the subject OF this
short sketch, has had no aids except
those that God has given him and
the opportunities thrown open to
him in this country. He was born in
the parish Of Voss, near Bergen, Nor
wny, Feb. 2, l843. His parents
were farmers. When knute was six
years old his parents immigrated to
the United States, locating ut first il
Chicago, but in the fall of 1850 they
moved to Walworth Co., Wisconsin,
where they remained until 1852,
when they settled in Dane County i'm
the same state. At the age OF Is he
started out to attend school at the
Albion Academy in that county.
Arrayed in clothing grown, spun,
woven and made on the farm, he pre-
sented himself to the principal OF this
academy And told him he wanted to
60 to school. Although the tuition
was but u tew dollars term Knute
did not have the money to pay it.
The principal however arranged it 80
that he could DO some chores for his
tuition. Referring to this period OF
his life Dir. Nelson says: II was great
iy pleased with the arrangement
which had made with the professor.
| hired a room where boarded N.Y.
self. went home and with our OK
team hauled my fuel and took such
supplies as could carry in an old
Norwegian chest. l hired a woman
near the academy to bake my bread,
and l earned the money to buy my
books by splitting and carrying in
the wood for some OF the girls who
attended the academy. By working
at home in the summer l managed
to attend the Albion academy for
three years"
MIR. Nelson was a student at the
academy when the war broke out,
and though he was but 18 wears old
at the time, he. with number OF
other students. enlisted ia llp Fonrtl.
Wisr"'lsin regiment, to fight III de-
lenst. at the stars and stripes, TIN.
dag Of Ills adopted country. Hew
shot III the leg ia tho great charge OF
the 14tl, of June. 1863, at Port Hud-
son, La, when within a few yards of
the parapets. He remained on the
held all day and ut night when the
union troops fell back, the rebels
picked him up and Carried him with
III the fortification. He was kept n
pri o'cr IN the rebel hospital for
twenty-five days until the place sur
rendered from exhaustion and lack
OF food. During the last ten DAYS."
says MIR. Nelson, II got nothing but
mule meat aud corn bread, but an
tfIe rebels had to live on the same
could not complain"
After more than three years SER
vice he returned home and re-entered
the acndHmy from which he gradu-
tted in 1865. Soon after he COM
menced to study law in the law of-
tice OF W. F. Villas, now u. S. senator
OF Wisconsin, and was admitted to
the bar in 1857. That same wear.
~, being only at the age Of "a, was
elected q member OF the Wiscon-
sin assembly and reelected the fol
lowing year.
/ MIR. Nelson's attention was turned
towards Minnesota in 1871, and up-
on the advise Of Mr. l.. X. Aaker.
who had gone from Dane county to
take charge OF the U. s. Land Office
at Alexandria, he decided to remove
to this state. He took up home
stead Of 12O acres adjoining the now
village limits OF Alexandria, and up-
on this homestead he has ever since
continued to reside. He was elected
county attorney Of Douglass county
IN 1872 and served until 1874 when
le WAS elected stute senator from the
S6tlr district then composed OF the
counties OF Douglass, Grant. Pone.
Stevens and Big Stone. When the
Fifth congressional district was Or
lganized Kuuts Nelson was chosen to
represent 1t after one of the most
bitter political contests ever carried
on IN the state. The republican con
ventiOR which was held in Detroit
split In two factions, one nominat-
Ing Nelson and the other C.. +. Kin
dred OF Brainerd, who by the most
dlsreputatle methods attempted to
hoist himself into congress. The
democrats made a vigorous cam.
paiga Tor p. r. .Barnum OF Sauk Cen
tire, hoping to slip in between the two
republican contestants. But Mr..
Nelson won by q plurality of $500
votes. In 1854, two years later. hy
defeated Judge Baxter, his demo-
cratic opponent, by 10000 votes. In
1885 his only opponent was J.. III.
Long, prOhibitiOnist, whom Nelson
defeated BY 10000 votes. He refused
G0 fO 4 z;