St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-25
IS STILL SQU|RMING
Governor Nelson Adopts q
Supplemental Line of
Defense.
MORE OF HIS TRICKERY,
Attempts to Lay the Blama
on Attorney General
Childs.
STATE COMMITTEE IN A HOLE
Everything to Be Sacrificed
for the Head Of the
Ticket.
STATE COMMITTEE IN HOLE

The damaging disclosures made by
the GLOBE, showing Gov. Nelson as ths
active and efficient agent of the Great
Northern road in its design of securing
all the valuable timber lands of the
state, have had the effect of stopping all
other lines OF work by the Republican
state central committee and centering
every effort of the committee on saving
the governor from the wrath of the
people. Immediate notice was served
on Attorney General Childs that he
should under no circumstances render
an opinion OH the question at issue
until after election. and a consultation
OF the committee was called to devise
some means of stopping the landslide
away from the general ticket. 1t was
very quickly agreed upon that there
was only one line of defense open, and
that was in trying to convince the peo-
pie that the land sought to be conveyed
by Auditor Biermann to the Great
Northern was something very valuable,
and Chairman Bixby, the Napo-
leon of Minnesota politics, bold
ly proposed to take the bull
by the horns and charge Audi
tor Biermann with trying to compel the
Great Northern company. against its
wishes and after it mad filed its claim
with its FREUD, the governor, to accept
other tracts of land which were still
more valuable. In other words, 1t Il
proposed to convince the people that
Auditor Bierrann. after the Great
Northern had spent $4,000 TO defeat
him because of his refusal to give iE
what was demanded, has found some-
thing still more valuable, and proposes
to donate this to the Great Northern in
revenge for the opposition of that conf
pauy.
To this end careful statement has
been drawn up for publication in the
chicago Scandinavian papers. in which
the Minnesota campaign is being con-
Quoted, setting forth the facts above
cited. The campaign speakers were
called i'll or instructed by other means
In the new line of defense. and it was
agreed that from this time on all would
act upon the assumption that the sand
barrens covered by the deed which
Auditor Biermann has prepared for the
Great Northern are about the most
valuable property on the face of the
globe. This is bold stroke and a
risky one, for it is liable to be knocked
galley west" on either of two PROPOSE
tions. In the first place it may be as
sumed that il the land is so valuable as
MIR. Nelson pretends TO believe, Mr..
Hill would probably not object 10 re-
celving it. Now, if this is tile case,
there need be no further discussion
about it. Let Mr.. Hill signify his will
ingness to accept the land selected for
him by Mr.. .Blermann. and put this agree
ment i'll writing: then let Mr.. Nelson
sign an agreement to the effect that he
will sign the deed to this land, if upon
investigation he becomes satisfied that
the land is such as the state can spare;
then MI. Biermann will comply with the
governors wish TO drop The matter
until the campaign is over, WI thdraW
the deed for thirty days and relieve the
governor from his present embarrass.
ment. Suppose, on the other hand,
that the attorney general should step
In at an lnopportune moment and sup
port the position OF the auditor in an
opinion to the effect that Mr.. Biermann
should select these lands just as he has
done. Where then would the commit
tee and the governor find themselves
Attorney General ChilGs is being
crowded closer and closer to the wall
every day, and if he delays
much longer his opinion in this
case he will be in as bad
a boat as the governor. 1t Is not be.
lieved by those who know him best
that he will sacrifice either his integ-
rity or his chance of reelection
by protecting the governor in this case.
So far the committee has rested easy in
the confidence of its ability to control
Mr.. Childs, but the people are begins
ming to murmur, and some who take a
deeper interest in Mr.. Childs' personal
welfare than in the chance of Gov. Mel
sons election have advised him to pre-
pare and transmit an immediate reply
to the governors demand for an opin-
ion, and in this event also Gov. Nell
son would not have leg left 10 stand
upon.
When he wrote his communication to
Mr.. Childs Gov. Nelson was seized with
one of his most thrilling inspirations of
and instead of simply
asking for the attorney generals opin-
ion, which was all he had a right to ask,
he says, "Will you kindly examine ALL
THE STATUTES AND RECORDS OF THE
STATE relating to this subject, and, at
your earliest convenience, FURNISH ME
WITH A COMPLETE SYNOPSIS OF THE
SAME, together with your opinion as to
the amount of land to which the COM
pany is entitled; the proper method OF
selection; time within which selections
must be made; the form of conveyance
to be used, If any be required" etc.
Now, is there sensible man ON earth
who will read all these senseless re-
luirements and doubt for moment
that the sole purpose of the governor
was to gain time, as he states in his de-
tense he wants until the campaign Is
over2"
In his supreme selfshneSs he does
not hesitate moment to place upon
Mr.. Childs whatever of odium there