St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-01
His Political History One
Long Story Of Trading
on Nationality.
Jealous of the Ignorant and
NarpoW-Minded Toward
the Educated.
DenOminated as a Whining,
Self-Seeking Dema-
gogue.

The following letter is from a Repub-
liaan who is evidently familiar with
Knute Nelson. 1t was written To Re-
publican friend in st. Paul by George
Hanscom, who will be remembered by
most Republicans as committee clerk
at Washington when Nelson was in
congress. Hanscom wrote the letter to
friend here, and that friend, himself
Republican. will not vote for Nelson,
and gives the letter to the GLOBE for
publication:
NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 1892.
Friend If the people
of Minnesota have any respect for
themselves or care for the interests Of
their state they will send that traitor to
the principles of his party and arch
demagogue back to Alexandria and
private life as quickly as possible, and
in so emphatic manner as to forbid
any possibility of his return to politics
for years to come. The history of his
whole connection with politics has been
Cne long story of trading on his nation
a1itY, betrayal of friends, seeking after
newspaper notoriety and narrow-minded
jealousy of every man who was ever IN
politics with him. With such man at
the head of the state government, il
would be nothing but n big political
machine used for the sole purpose of
placing Nelson in the senate in place of
either Davis or Washburn, both of
whom he has hated with that hatred
only born of the jealousy of the ignorant
and narrow-minded toward the educated
and generous. How, with all of Dris-
coils and Joseph Wheelock's for
mer loathing and contempt for the
man and his career, they can
willingly support him uow for the chief
executive office of the state is beyond
my comprehension, but If memory
serves me this firm of the Pioneer Press
has had so many dishes of crow set be-
fore 1t in years past that even its
aristocratic palate has grown tough.
And Merriam Good God. is that exemp-
lar of the exquisitely fastidious support
ing this man, Ne!son! This, William,
is the man who constantly conspired
while in congress to get away from his
colleagues every iota Of credit for every
measure passed affecting his state; this
is the man who conspired to prevent
your nomination to the gOvernorship,
and who in his anxiety to take the
United States senatorshIp away from
Sabin turned 1t over to Washburn and
locked both you and himself out of it.
This is the man who crawled daily on
his belly for newspaper notices to keep
him before the people OF his state, and
as constantly whined that not paper
in the state did him justice; this Is the
man who attempted to influence news
paper men to backcap his colleagues in
the house and senate in dozen ways,
and this is the man who. refusing TO
state absolutely his position on the
tariff, finally deserted his party so
soon as he found himself in
sufficient company to prevent his being
afraid in the dark. The congressman
who voted with him are now in the
Democratic party. while Nelson is nom
mated for governor by the Republican
party. How long before he will back
cap and betray every friend. Norwegian
and otherwise, who votes with him now?
How proud the Republican leaders, who
four years ago never had good word to
say of Nelson, must feel of the candi-
date now before them. Republican, as
l always have been, say it is better to
put Democrat in Office than to put the
power of state government into the
hands of this whining, self-seeking
demagogue, who never gave his party,
his state, his people or his constituency
one thought single from himself.
GEO. HANSCOM.