St. Paul daily globe., 1892-10-28
A SAMPLE SHOWING.
The Old Republican Vote Of Min
nesota Split to Frag-
ments.
Not Over Ten Per Cent in Many
Counties Left to
Nelson.

Polk county. the whilom stronghold OF
Repubiicanism, has undergone such g
complete political change Of heart that
the Republicans could not with a brass
band scrape up enough men in il tC
erect flag pole The evidences of this
fact are apparent Oh every hand, and
there is no longer a reason to doubt it.
Prominent Republican speakers who
have campaigned the county spoke to
empty houses everywhere. One pOpu-
lar Scandinavian who, four years ago,
spoke to crowded houses all over the
county says that al one point he had an
audience of SIX, at another point only
three, and the largest audience he met
any place was twenty-five. His meet
IngS had been extensively advertised,
and ar every place every man. woman
and child knew of the meeting. AT
some of the points where he had almost
nobody out he made appointments to
speak again. and set on foot the best
means possible 10 get the-peOple Out, but
in every case he met the identical few
who were present at his first appear
ance. He was so completely surprised
that lie quit speaking and went out
among the houses to labor with the peo-
pie personally. He was not able to
bring man back to the fold.
Other speakers, both Scandinavian
and American, met the same experience.
The Republicans have practically given
that county up as lost and, 50 far as
cali be learned, not a Republican is
speaking any Place in the county.
10 be doubiy assured of the great
political flop, Andrew TrovatsOn, of Me
lntosh, has made a house to house can
yaSS of many portions of the county.
lie was in ST. Paul yesterday and gave
couple of samples of the situation. In
the town of knute, which was named in
honor OF knuJe Nelson, he found only
ten men who still adhere to the RepuiJ-
lican party. and Furthermore they are
the only men i'll the town who will vote
for Knute Nelson. In the village of
SIetton lie found only three adherents
TO the old party, and they are the only
men in the village who will vote for
Nelson. He says that in both these
places four years ago the Republican
party made clean sweep, not a man
voting any other ticket. Two years ago
the republican party received hand
some majority in both places. These,
he says, are fair samples of the situation
ali over the county. He estimates that
the Republican ticket, including Nelson
Will Rot receive at the outside over 10
per cent of the vote OF the county: the
rest will be divided between Lawler and
Donnelly.
The situation IN Polk county makes
certain two things: The Norwegians.
also the Swedes, have gone back not
only on the Republican party, but Knute
Nelson. They have not only done so in
Polk county. but they have done so al
most everywhere in the state. The dis
affection is due to many things. but
principally TO the determination of the
farmers to be rid of the wheat ring and
railroad domination. The Republicans
are trying 10 lay it upon others reasons,
and are maintaining that the Scandina-
Wan and other farmers are not opposed
to the Mckinley bill: but Mr.. Troyatson
finds that the Scandinavians, and farm
ers generally, of Polk county believe
that this Dill is one of the most damag-
ing measures TO the interests of the
farmer that has ever been set on foot in
this country.