The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-10-09

the city of Minneapolis over the nomi-
nation Of a Republican candidate for
alderman of the ward. There were
two candidates, both active, aggressive
and determined, and for long time it
seemed that an interminable deadlock
would be the result The friends of
the respective candidates were eXerting
themselves to the utmost, and it soon
became apparent that whichever of
the two secured the nomination the
other would carry a grievance, and the
result would probably be defeat for the
nominee.
At this time Fred BarroWS, an old
time friend of CloTgE's, came into the
camp and began to discuss the posi-
bility of a compromise, and declared,
with peculiar discernment and discre-
ton, that both parties were in on a
dry branch, and that if they wa'a't
blocked out into the main river,
b'goSh, the whole drive would be hung
up till next spring" With this lucid
and practical statement of the case he
proposed as a compromise, that the
party nominate Dave" Clough to be
alderman, and the proposition was i'm
mediately hailed as decree from the
court Of Solomon. Dave was out of
the city, and knew nothing of what
had been done, but Burrows ''stOod
good for'' him, and he was elected by
an easy majority.
This was the beginning of political
career which has been, thus far, at
least, one of the most remarkable in
the history of the state. Following
his election to the council, Gov. ClOugh
was rapidly promoted to the presiden-
cy of that body; then to the upper
upper house of the state legislature, to
the presidency of the senate, and final
ly to the position which he now Occu-
pies.
Educational Qualifications
During the long winter nights spent
in the lumber camp, the ISanti county
farmer boy devoted the hours which
his associates spent in card-playing or
reading to the requirement of Il rudi-
mental education, laying foundation
upon which was subsequently built,
by the same patient and pains taking
process, fund of useful information,
which frequently surprises men who
are prone to regard him as an unedu-
Gated man. True, his speech betrays
no familiarity with the classics, and
his state letters partake more of the
nature of business correspondence
than of diplomatic evasion; but he is
never at Il loss for language to make
himself clearly understood, and when
he,WriteS down q statement it means
one thing, and one thing only.
How He Governs
Since the elevation of Gov. Clough to
his present position he has frequently
disappointed politicians and laymen.
When the celebrated anti-pool bill
passed the legislature it was general
ly supposed that the governor would
veto it. He was q lover and an owner
of fast horses. The bill had been ped
died around the legislature all winter,
and had finally been passed, it was
understood, simply because the race
horse men and booksellers had not
thought it worth while to put up a
fight against it. When the governor
got hold of the bill he submitted it to
the opinion of the attorney general
for decision as to it's constitutional
ity, and when that point was decided
affirmatively he promptly signed it.
The gamblers had been selling pools
on the result of his action, giving odds
that the bill would not be signed. and,
stN' NdNNA'iy htppShHo, tbC ohOI HOl DC
won.
Other instances are not wanting of
his close discernment and the firmness
of a Puritan in standing by position
which he has taken and which he has
decided to be the right.
Aside from the prominence of D. NJ.
Clough in the domain of politics he
has been prominent factor in the
business development of Minnesota.
Entering actively into business almost
as soon as he was of legal age, lie
soon demonstrated that he possessed
business ability of very high order;
and he had no difficulty whatever in
commanding all the capital necessary
to launch him into the lumber bust
ness on large scale. So successful
was every move and investment he
made that mis- business career was
rounded out as president of the Bank
OF Minneapolis, one of the greatest in
the Northwest, at an age when most
self-made men are just beginning to