St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-16
HE KNEW HIS WEAKNESS.
And Would Not Allow the Is
sue to Be Made in State
Convention.
HE STILL KNOWS IT WELL,
And Seeks Safety in the Pro-
lection Of a Secret Bal
lot Caucus.

For some time the Washburn organs
have been making the persistent and
ridiculous plea that. to use their own
language, "Washburn was just as much
candidate before the people as the
candidates on the state ticket" The
different changes on this abb
surd proposition have been rung
until about everything has been
exhausted that can be said. As mat
ter of serious fact, WaShburn was not
IN any sense a candidate "before the
people," and the question OF his pros-
pectiye candidacy before the legislature
was one ID which the people took no
interest whatever apparently, for it was
ignored in every county and legislative
convention i'll the state with very few
notable exceptions.
In the campaign of 1892 c. K. Davis
was candidate before the people in
the sense that the WashDurn men claim
Washburn was in the campaign OF 1894,
but in the case of Davis there was SUBJ
stantial ground for the claim in the fact
that the state convention and nearly
every county and legislative convention
held that year indorsed Mr.. Davis can
dldacy and pledged their support to
him. In the state convention resolu-
tion was introduced making Davis the
nominee of the party for United States
senator, and 1t was passed without dis
sent. In the Ramsey county c0nyen-
ton especially was the preference for
Davis announced and formally adopted.
Coy. Merriam, who, it was supposed,
was ambitious to succeed Davis was
worked into the convention. and placed
in such position that he found it expe-
dent and convenient to second and ap-
ps2ad thesexpressed will of the conven-
ton and pledge his support to Davis.
He subsequently refused to allow the
use Of his name as candidate against
Davis, although there were many st.
Paul and outside members who would
have espoused his cause, and there is
little doubt that he could have made
winning fight even then.
In the case of Washburn, however,
It's Different.
His friends in various localities made
earnest, but Intellectual, attempts to rail!
road resolutions through county con-
ventions, but failed i'll nearly every
instance. At the state convention, and
for week previous, the Washburn men
discussed among themselves the adj
Instability of attempting to pass Wash
burn resolution, but the sentiment
against Washburn was so pronounced
and so unanimous that they abandoned
1t of their own accord. 1t was wise that
they did so, for resolution of this kind
would have been turned down by vote
which would have disclosed with fatal
dIstinctnesS the weakness of Washburn.
The leading Republican papers of the
state, among them many which are to-
day supporting Washburn, were out
spoken in their opposition to the WASH
burn resolution, the leading Washburn
organ of st. Paul being one of the num-
Der.
Previous to the calling of the state
convention many members Of the state
central committee favored an express
sion of sentiment at the state conVen-
ton, urging that such a course would
be step in the direction of election of
senators by the people, but even at this
early date Mr.. Washburn recognized
the
Weakness OF His Cause,
and realized that resolutions favoring
him in the convention could not be
adopted If the people knew of it in time
to mass their opposition. That Senator
WaShburn knew this to be the case is
evidenced by his personal letters to
members of the state central committee
protesting against the proposed plan.
Such letters were written by him, and
are still in existence. When it was
pointed out to him that his course would
be step in the direction of election by
popular vote, he declared that that was
his objection to the plan.
Notwitb standing Mr.. Wash burns re-
fhsa1 to allow the issue to be made in
the call, his fri ends, as before stated,
did try to work up sentiment in favor
Of his Endorsement by the con vention,
and dcsisted only when they found it
could not be done. Ever in Minneap-
els it las found possible to pass in,
struetions in only few of the districts.
while in the state at large the only del
egations instructed were those from
Anoka and Mankato.
Tie weakness of Mr.. Washburn's
cause is apparent in many directions,
bat no more startling confession of
weakness can be pointed out than the
fact that the Washburn forces are now
max ing a desperate attempt to
Defeat the Open Caucus
and proceed to nomination by secret
ballot. If he has the number of votes
lie claims, or any number even approxi-
mating it, why should he fear an open
vote? There can be only one reason,
and that is that he knows his own
weakness and desires secret vote in
order that the cry of treachery and
fraud may be raised to cover his defeat.
,Ehepositicn Of ths Washburn men in
the matter of caucus is an absurd one.
First they went around daring the op~
position to caucus, aud then, when the |
bluff was promptly called, they
threw every obstacle in the way of aD
immediate caucus. Finally. when
forced to make show of readiness, the
attempt is made to secure secret bal~ |
let, aud it will surprise many politicians |
II the Washburn forces do not nlti-