St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-04-25
HENNEPIN POLITICS.
Indications That All Is Not
Harmony in the Repub-
lican Party.
How 1t Has Conspired Against
Scandinavian Office
Holders.
The Folketbladet Fires a Few
Shots That Take
Effect.
Dem and OF the Colored Men
for Recognition--Gen-
eral Politics. e.

Last Sunday morning the Gil ODE pnb-
lished All editorial extract from Scan
dinayian newspaper, and Republican in
politics, showing that the sons OF Morse
men are alive to the fact that the Scan
Misunderstanding Republican politicians
OF Hennepin county have been cOnspir-
ing against Scandinavian Ofiiceholders.
The omniscent Republican papers
quickly assured their readers that there
was nothing in 1t; that both Swedes
and NOrwegians were clamoring for the
degradation OF III. .. Peterson and +. T..
Swensen. OF course they knew all
about II. But the fact remains that the
Scandinayians are very much alive to
the nature Of this conspiracy. Not one
paper alone has mentioned, but several.
he Folketbladet, also Rcpu blican I'm
politics. in its issue for this week de-
votes three and a half columns TO an
court house matter. The following is a
translation Of the essential parts OF this
article:
"HATRED OF THE SCANDINAV-
IANS.
"There Is scarcely anything more
contemplate or more akin 10 barbar-
ism and 'scm-culture' than to desplse a
man on account of his birthplace Ii he
is honest and competent. 1t is not TO
the credit OF the American press III this
state and elsewhere that 1t permits Itself
to be used as tool by those
who seem to regard it as highly i'm
proper that Scandnavians should assert
their rights as American citizens and
accept public Offices. Every body CON
cedes that the Scandinayans constitute
the very cream Of immigration; that
they become Americanized quicker than
any other element: that they are we'll
educated, intelligent, industrious and
honest, and not infrequently more
American and broader In their views
than many who were born here.
But they have some faults. they are
Jealous OF their rights OF American CIT
izenship-sO much 50 that they even
consider themselves eligible TO pub
lie Offices; and they were not born
in this country. The last shortcomng
is unpardonable when 1t comes to the
question Of Offices or privileges. Even
an American like Knute Nelson, who
came here in his cradle, has to suffer on
this account. The daily press is con
stantly growing worse. Papers like the
Tribune and journal have nothing but
Sights and slnrs for our leading and
best citizens, if they happened to be
born i'm and Of the Scandinavian eOun-
tries, and occasionally they are enabled
to hire ScandinaYians TO do their dirty
work.
False, dishonest tactics are sure to
lead to violent reaction ere long. You
see clannishness will compel the Sean
dinayians to combine in order TO teach
the. press and the politicians the true
meaning of American institutions and
liberty.
"There is an abundance of material
for an eruption. The contemplate eff
forts of the American press to engender
jealousy between Norwegans and
Swedes on Nelson and Lind; its cow
ardly conduct in regard to the Supt.
Bradley matter. and its attack on the
board OF education because two mem
bers of the board happened to be Sean
dinaViaus, and its mean attacks OH H..
o. Peterson and T. Z. SwensOn because
one is Norwegian and the other a
SWede-aIl this IS seed that is sure to
sprout and ripen.
I'VE do not propose. in this con-
nection, to defend II. o. Peterson. But
we shall demonstrate the injustice done
10 Peterson by the press and the poll
ticlan, for no other reason, apparently,
than that he is a Scandiyian. The
Folketbladet never spared any Scandina
Wan official who had disgraced his
citizenship and his nationality. We al
WAYS opposed and ever shall oppose the
election of any man to public office sim
ply because he is Scandinavian. On
the other hand, we have been as ready
to censure the contemplate Yankee
narroWnesS which Will exclude citizen
from Office, irrespective OF his fitness,
if he only happens TO be Scandlna-
Wan.
at was surprise to many, of course,
that II. o. Peterson was elected county
treasurer, while another Scandinavian,
=. Il. Swcnson, was elected sheriff at
the same time. The responsible Office
of county treasurer had never before
| been held by a Scandinavian. FoT that
| reason the treasurer would become a
target for envy and race hatred. That
the Offices of city treasurer and treas
| urer Of the court house commission also
! happened to be held by Scandiuavians
was not calculated to improve matters.
Even if II. o. Peterson had been an
angel from heaven and the most popu-
! lar man in the county. he would, never
| theless, have had the Know Nothing
| element arraved against him. But he is
neither. He is business man Of aver
age ability, who is inclined to mind his
own business to the extent that he cares
nothing for others. That kind of people
do not make many friends, least of all
if they occupy the position of a treas
urer. But he is fully as com
petent. fully as honest and fully
as careful with his books as amy
of his predecessors have been
This Notwithstanding, the governor has
suspended hlm from office, in our opin-
ion without sufficient cause, and prob
ably yielding to the press of clique
who for a long time. under cover have
been preparing this coWardly attack
upon the treasurer because he is
Scandinavian, and, as they thought
without friends or support They con
sidered him easy prey, and hoped t
deal the Scandinavlans crushing blow
through him. All who have lead tht
American press have observed the
malicious eagerneSS the reporters hav,
shown in collecting everything tina
could be used to prejudice the commun
ity against Peterson. 1t is eviden
that their instruction read some
thing like this: Get everythin!
| tnal may DC uS6U W unutlI tlSI
son; he is a Scandinavian Everythin!
points to the
Existence of Conspiracy
with the papers as willing tools. Whel
the Republican slate for county office
shall be made public, the animus OF tn
war OH Ii. o. Peterson and p. p. Sven
son will be better understood-tha i
to say, if the programme can be carried
out, which is by no means certain.
The plan was very ingenious. j.
Brown made the first move by request
ing to be released from his bond. Tina
would result in whispers and questions
regarding PeterSOn's management OF hi
Office In this way his standing coulC
Ice undermined. That was done also il
true assassin style; no one dared Il
make any such charges through tht
public press.
1.-The next move was 10 be the release
of Brown by the county commissioners
who have aspirants for Office among
their numbers. The plan was to de
clare Peterson's bond invalid, and i
was hoped that his credit had aIread,
been undermined to such an extent tina