The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-01-09
BhDLY S6hRED.
WASHBURN ORGANS JUMPING
ON GOV. NELSON.
They Think He Has No Rig int to Be
a Candidate.
The Minneapolis Tribune of Wed
nesday last printed the following:

The Minneapolis Tribune of We'd
nesday last printed the following:
IT'S not the many oaths that make the truth.
But the plain single vow that is vowed true.
Shakespeare.
Gov. Knute Nelson has been spending the
holidays at his home in Alexandria, and 1t
is not q little significant that concurrently
with his visit his home paper, the Alexan-
dria Post-News, comes out with warm
eulogy and Endorsement of s. G. Com
stocks candidacy for the United States
senate. COmstock is known to be long
headed man and a good politician, and 1t
is not likely that ne would have precipi-
tated himself into the senatorial fight with
out assurances of good backing; and we
have it from a straight source that this
assurance was furnished him by Gov. Mel
son. Comstock has said, within the past
week, that Gov. Nelson has promised to
array all the influences at his command in
his (COmstock's) favor.
THE TRIBUNE leaves honorable men to
characterize this conduct of Gov. Nelson
as it deserves. Every man familiar with
the course of the late campaign in this
state knows that Nelson would have been
defeated, in spite of the Republican tidal
wave, had not Senator Washburn and his
friends worked for him with will. Had
it been understood that he was hostile to
Senator WaShburn's reelection Henne-
pin county would have given plurality of
10000 against him, and his vote in other
counties would have fallen off in a manner
that would have made him exceedingly
weary. But Nelson had given Washburn
personal assurances that he was friendly,
and at Albert Lea he proclaimed, in a pub
lie speech, that he would serve out his term
as governor if elected, conveying the i'm
preston that he was friendly to Mr..
Washburn, who sat on the platform with
him. Washburn's friends took this as an
assurance of Nelson's loyalty, and from
that moment those who had been suspicious
and oictr fin he
undivided and energetic support, staying
the tide which had set in against him, and
which threa tened his defeat.
Now how does Gov. Nelson repay this
service and redeem his pledge virtually
given? By fetching puppet into the field
against Washburn and promising to aid
| the puppet by every means in his power.
Whether Nelson intends at the proper mo-
ment to pull Comstock in and himself
come forward as a candidate, or to stand
! by Comstock to the end. makes no differ
| ence in the character of the act 1t is
piece of arrant treachery and bad faith,
and will be so viewed by all men who
| at all particular about keeping their
pledges.
On the same day the Minneapolis
Times expressed itself as follows:
| "The man of all men who is attract
ing the most watching in this whole
campaign, and the man whom the
most Republicans, in Minneapolis, at
| least, believe could settle the sena-
torial fight if he would, is Gov. Knute
Nelson. Nelson to all outward ap-
pearances is the most innocent of in
dividuals. but innocent as he may
seem, the inside indications are
against him, and if he is not playing a
strong hand against Washburn, he is
isjudged man. Further than this.
if he is not playing a game In connec-
tiOn with S. G. Comstock he is still
further misjudged, Nelson, IL he kept
his promises and did the square thing
at all, would be found heartily sup
porting Washburn. He pretends to be
keeping his mouth shut, but at the
same time he is the man whom the
anti Washburn men hope and expect
to elect to succeed Washburn. Mel
son, they think, is the only man who
can secure enough strength to make
things interesting, and make Wash
burn spend some money. This Wash
burn says he will not do, and it is not
believed that it can be turned into a
Doodle campaign.
ut is generally believed that Nelson
and Comstock have an understanding
with each other. Comstock can never
be elected, and even some of his friends
do not seem to take his candidacy Sc
riously. The same objections that are
used against Washburn could be used
against him, and he is not the man
who will beat Washburn, if Washburn
is defeated. Then what is CONS took
playing for? Simply to keep the op-
position going and encourage it. If
Nelson through ComstOck and Sabin
can stir up enough trouble in the Re-
publican camp to defeat Washburn,
why, don't you see, they would turn
to Gov. Nelson as the compromise can
didate All Nelson has to do is to sit
back and let his minions stir up the
dissa tisfaction. The more candidates
the better for him, for the more need
will there be Of compromise candi-
date"
Now, the fact Of the matter is Gov
Nelson has never pledged himself to
Washburn. On the contrary, he has
carefully refrained from doing so. II
the names Of Gov. Nelson and w. D
Washburn were submitted to popu
lar vote in this state for senator, Gov
, Nelson would win by 100000 majority
The people do not want Washburn
The Republican party will make ;
. great mistake if it forces him bacl
, into the senate.