The Saint Paul globe., 1896-11-30
CAMPAIGN IN NORTH DAKOTA
CENTERs AROUND THE SEN
ATORSHIP.
HANsBR0UGH HAS THE LEAD,
BUT HIS RECORD ON THE MONEY
QUESTION CREATES DIsSAT-
ISFACTION.
IG FIELD OF OPPONENTS.
Make His Reelection No Easy
Matter.

Special to the Globe.
FARGO, N. D., Nov. 29-The most
talked-of subject in North Dakota poll
tics at the present time is the senator
ial contest. Never in the history of
North Dakota politics has there been
such an interest shown in this one of
the most important matters that the
North Dakota body of lawmakers has
to deal with at the next session Of the
legislature, which convenes at Bis
marck on the 1st of January. The
real fight has not by any means just
cropped out, but there has been the
most cunning political trickery dis
played all through the past campaign,
which, if sifted down. will be found to
center entirely about this one subject,
the senatorial honors
The position of United States sena-
tor from this state. now held by H. c.
Hansbrough, and much sought after
by a dozen others, is by far the most
important and influential one in the
state. The man who goes to Washing
ton gives the color of the people that
he represents on all matters pertaining
to national and political questions.
This being the logical conclusion makes
the fight in North Dakota this year the
most intense, for the people have at
the last election asserted themselves on
about what they think to be the right
course to persue.
The fight for the senatorial chair ia
simply this: H. c. Hansbreugh has
announced himself as a candidate to
succeed himself, and he has a whole
a. Of o,~d
buck. Dozens of men have been
named, who seem to be well equipped
in every particular to fill Mr.. Hans
brough's shoes, but there has not been
a man mentioned yet on whom all
judges have passed satisfactorily.
Tne main objection to Hansbroughs 8
reelection is his view on the money
question. OF course, he has succeeded
in degree to make himself right with
the administration on this question.
but 1T is doubtful if he will be able to
win over the majority of the members
OF the legislature. He made his play
at the first Republican convention held
IN this state this year. It was at the
convention held in this city to elect del
| egates to the national convention.
Hansbrough and his friends went into
4 the convention at that time and fought
bfavely and strongly along the lines Of
free silver. OF course they did not
make the fight openly in the convention
but at the preliminaries they worked
with might and main. Their cause
was defeated, for as soon as the con-
Venti0n was called a sound money
chairman was named and the sound
money representation put up one of
the strongest combinations ever known
in the state. 1t froze Hansbrough
clean out.
After the convention Hansbrough
was too cunning to come out in public
and declare himself against the ac-
tions Of that meeting. He was wide
| awake enough to declare himself at
peace with the world and had the news
paper men write up interviews from
him to the Associated and United
Presses declaring himself in favor of
anything that the national convention
would adopt. OF course on the bare
face of it, 1t was plain to be seen that
Hans was fishing.
In the senate he has openly fought
| for free silver measures, and for this
reason the people Of North Dakota
a state that went over 5000 majority
| for a sound money administration, do
not want its policy on the money ques-
ton reflected to the world by man Of
| free silver beliefs. The capitalists of
| the East are watching the actions Of
the senators from the younger states
and 1t will depend largely on the ac-
| ton of these senators whether or not
investors and capitalists will dare en-
ter the confines of the state.
Other candidates being pushed to the
! front at the present time by the press
OF the state are: w. F. Ball, of Fargo;
w. H Robinson, of Mayville; Lieut..
| Gov. Worst, of Fargo, and ex-senator
L. r. Casey, of jamestown. These gen.
| tlemen are all sound money men, and
as they are all on friendly terms, it Is
thought that a truce will be patched
| I'D whereby the strength Of the whole
will be thrown to one man. Col. w. H.
Robinson of Mayville, is considered
very strong candidate. He is at pres
ent national committeeman and is
very influential man in the state.
North Dakota's next legislature will
consist Of thirty-one senators and six
tv-two representatives. or the senators
| fourteen are "hold-OverS," and of these
| twelve are Republicans and two are
Democrats. OF the newly elected SEN
ators eleven are Republicans and six
| are fusionists giving the Republicans
an aggregate of twenty-three members
| in the senate. In the lower house for
| ty-four are Republicans and eighteen
are fusionists. On joint ballot the Re
publicans will have majority or Tor
| ty-one, which ought to give them any
| thing they want.
The silver men will probably be on
deck with a man for United States
senator. H. F. Miller, of this city, will
probably do the honors in accepting a
Complimentary vote from the fusionists.
| Miller is the man who came within
| one vote Of being elected by the Re
publicans four years ago.
There will be a short fight for the
speakership of the house. The only
announced candidate at the present
| time is E. A Williams, Of Bismarck.
He is a Hansbrough man. Other names
mentioned are L. B. Hanna, OF Page,
and O. w. Francis, of Fargo.