The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-01-25
SENATOR WASHBURN'S DEFEAT.

The senatorial contest came sud-
denly, and to one at this this distance,
unexpectedly to an end in the joint ses-
sion at noon today, by the election of
Gov. Nelson, who received 102 out of
the total 167 votes which were cast for
United States senator. After the
ballot yesterday by the two houses,
| it became apparent that the cause of
| Senator Washburn for reelection was
hopeless one and the result today
confirms such a view, and Minnesota
loses the services of a man who has
served her we'll, been faithful to her
every interest, and who by experience
and influence would have been able to
do more for her than any other man
during the next six years, and have
been a foremost figure in the coun-
ellis of the nation.
Senator Washburn deserved better
than this of his party. The eminent
services which he has rendered the
state should have entitled him to
greater consideration and far better
treatment than being thus ruthlessly
turned down. And we believe that
the people of this state when they
have had time to think the matter
over calmly will agree that he has
not been accorded that fair treatment
which his fidelity to the interests of
his state and his party should have
won for him.
Since entering upon the contest
before the legislature, Senator Wash
burn has been obliged to struggle
against obstacles which would have
overwhelmed a less courageous man
at almost the outset. There was an
element opposed to him that cared
not particularly who won, so
that Washburn was beaten. Then
came the announcement that Gov.
Nelson had taken the field, and the
entire official machinery at his COM
mand was bent to the one object of
defeating Washburn and elevating
Nelson to the senate. 1t was thrust
ing complete organization into the
field, which it would have taken weeks
of work to have competed with, and
which then would have been at dis
advantage because the members of
Nelson's organization had direct
personal interest in promoting his
election. Against such formidable
obstacles any man would have strug-
gled in vain.
But Senator Washburn accepts his
defeat philosophically and exhibits no
soreness whatever. He has made
clean, manly, able campaign, one upon
which he can look back and review
without any regret whatever. He has
the satisfaction of knowing that the
business interests of the state without
hardly an exception, were for him and
in the greater portion of the state
were backed up by the people. But
under the pressure brought to bear,
the legislature has seen fit to do other
wise. In this struggle the ST. Paul
delegation was placed in a peculiar
embarrassing position. While natur-
ally their support should have,
and under ordinary circumstances
would have gone to Senator Wash
burn, the threats of defeating the new
capitol measure forced them to do
otherwise,
But while the opponents of Senator
Washburn are glorying over the fact
that he is politically dead, they should
not reckon without their host, for
they will wake up at no distant day
to find him a most lively political
corpse and most important factor in
the political affairs of Minnesota.