The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1896-03-05
WILL ACCEPT.
Hon, William e. Lee has Com
sented to Enter the Race.
He will Engage I'm am Active Cam
didacy for Governor.
A Man of the People he Appears
with Confidence to the
People.

with Coincidence to the
people.
For the past two or three weeks the
HERALDbas urged the candidacy OF Hon.
William E. Lee for governor of Mime
sofa. because it believed fully and firmly
in the man. Along and intimate ac-
quaintance with him in DO tn private and
public life lead it to speak with conf
deuce as to his availability and fitness.
He is not only equipped for the multi
fold duties of the responsible office. but
his close sympathy with the great mass
of the people suggested him as strong
candidate. Yielding to the strong pres.
sure brought to bear upon him from
strong men in every quarter of the state.
Mr.. Lee. in recent interview in the
Pioneer Press saws:
II cannot afford to sit idly by and see
my friends continue to boom my name
for the governorship. A response one
way or the other is absolutely necessary
to be made at this time. And after Civ
ing the matter the most careful and con-
scientious consideration and with the
advice and corporation of those who
have been my lifelong political and per-
sonal friends, have decided on the
course to be pursued. That course is to
be a candidate for the office, not in the
interest OF any faction, not to aid the
candidacy of any other worthy asplrant
for the Office, but simply to comply with
the expressed wishes OF the great mum
Der of my friends who have repeatedly
urged me to enter the fight. fully I'M
derstand what this move means, it is no
leap IN the dark, but the result of care
fnl SCI utiny OF the prevailing conditions.
l hope am not oyer Sangulne. / trust
that my information of the situation is
not gained from any but the most reli-
able resources. In justice to those who
have so long supported me Tor office,
could not longer maintain silence in re-
spect to the subernatorial situation.
From now on shall be in the fight to
win. ! shall conduct campaign free
from abuse and viliffcatIon of all other
candidates, but shall make campaign
that will count. One thing on which I
shall rely more than any other is the
feeling of friendllness of which am as
sured from men who are best known and
highly respected throughout the state.
He takes the view that he cannot
longer ignore the demands from promi-
nent Republicans all over the great state
of Minnesota to become a candidate.
To do so would be bad faith to them,
and he complies with the demand.
Since his resignation from the superin-
tendency of the reformatory, and which
was made with the single object of re-
turning to his old home at Long Prairie
and re-engaging in the banking business,
men prominent III the councils OF the
party not only from his immediate home
district but from many counties in the
southern part of the state, have written
him and gone to St. Clond to see him in
person with the one object OF securing
his consent to enter the race for the
2overnorshIp. Thew have urged him to
allow the use of his name bv the con-
vention and at last he has consented.
For the following brief biographical
sketch OF MIN the HERALD is endebted to
the Journal-Press;
William Edward Lee first saw the
light of day IN the city of Alton, Illinois,
forty-four years ago. At the age OF FIVE
his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Lee,
removed to Minnesota, settling at the
then comparatively frontier town of
Little Falls. 1t was here that the boy
he meaere schooling provided
in pioneer days to the children of the
common people, and it was here that he
first began life for himself. His father
was millwright by trade, but at the
breaking out of the rebellion lett his
family at Little Falls and enlisted in
Hatch's Battalion, Minnesota Volun-
teers. Young Lee Was married at
GAINESVILLE, Todd county, his bride be-
ing Miss Eva A. Gibson, daughter of A.
H. Gibson, a we'll known farmer of that
town. They have three children, all
boys. The eldest is student at .he
state university and the two younger
lads are pupils of the St. Cloud Norma al
school.
Mr. Lee first came into public life by
his election as register OF deeds OF Todd
county and he was re-elected at the txt
election. In 1885 he was sent by his
constituents to the legislature. being re-
turned in 1887. The year 1898 toand
him again member of the house and at
this session he was by handsome ma
jority of the republican caucus chosen
as speaker of that branch of the legis-
lature. His services as speaker are too
recent IN the minds OF the people OF Mn
nesota to require any chronicle OF them
at the hands OF this paper, Suffice it to
say. that no ADLER man ever sat in the
chair Of the house of representatives.
His rulings were noteworthy in their
his treatment OF members
OF the three parties represented was
commented upon again and again as
being emjnen,ly fair. and the only fault
found with Speaker Lee was his refusal
to come at the party beck on and throw
aside honesty and fairness for partisan
ship AS speaker he saw many measures
which he had originally drafted, framed
into laws and put on the tax levy. He
left the halls OF legislation for private
life with an unspotted reputation as q
member of the law.making body and
with the good will Of every member OF
the house of representatives. That the
friends that ne made in the years of his
legislative experience will be glad to ex-
tend helping hand and give him The
/, omination for governor none will
d ,ubt.
Lee vas next brought into prominenc.
l,y his appointment by the board Of
Il Al