New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1896-05-27
WANTS TO BE BOSS.
William e. Merriam and His Far-reaching
Schemes.
BOSS.
How the Goyernorship Fight Will Affect
the senatorship Later.
The Blight of Friendship. It has Been
Treaeherously used to Do Up
Glapp's Candidacy.

Inc republican parry III MlnnesoId It
approaching crisis in its history. The
convention called for Wednesday, July
1st, to nominate candidate for governor
will he the most important, In many
ways, in the later political history OF
the state; for, upon it will depend, as
has depended upon no former State con-
vention, the good name Minnesota has
had for so long time in the sisterhood
of states, and, in very large way, our
peace at home for years to come. That
convention will redeem the Republican
party, and take it, as all right-minded
Republicans hope, forever out of the
dangerous hands of an unscrupulous and
selfsceking coterie of professional poll
ticians, or will allow that coterie more
securely than ever before to fasten itself
upon the party and state. Which shall
it be?
This is no nightmare or idle talk, but
note of warning to the state, and a
prophecy of what the future will br1ng
forth, unless Republicans arouse them
selves to meet the enemy like brave men.
For eight years the political reputation
of this state has been in the keeping of
the same coterie, but not without being
dragged through the mire. What those
years have brought in the way of strife
and bitterness, of defeat of the will of
the people, and of blunted molal SEN
sibility in public places, need not be re-
hearsed here. The first nomination of
William..R Merriam for governor marked
the beginning of this unfortunate rule,
and his second nomination saw it in the
heyday Of his success. That the machine
was still in splendid working order the
election of Knute Nelson to the United
States senate last year plainly showed,
and that it is not yet n thing of the past,
the effort to secure the nomination of D.
NJ. Clough for governor this year proves
beyond any question of doubt.
The game IS for high stakes, and the
ring is playing it as if human lives were
depending upon the result. I have moth
ing against Mr.. Clough, whose candidacy
is only incidental to the main plan. As
an individual he is not the principal is
sue in this campaign, and has no connec-
ton whatever with the Merriam scheme.
Merriam is in position where he can
drop him at a moments notice, if occa-
sion requires. What Merriam wants now
more than he wants Clough, or any 9TH
er individual, is to be able to name the
nominee. If it happens to be Clough,
all we'll and good, but if it happens to
be somebody else, he will be equally
we'll pleased, providing always that Mer-
RAM men have brought about the result
This fact should be forced home upon
the Republicans of Minnesota, so as to
influence them when they meet at the
primaries and in county conventions,
and insure the selection of delegates,
who, no matter whom they may favor
Or oppose,will oppose the Merriam COM
bination, no matter in what form it NAV
present itself in the state convention.
The good name of the stateis at stake; the
future of the Republican party in the state
hangs trembling in the balance. The
success of the scheme will mean return
to the methods of which the party saw
something at the time of the second Mer-
rlam convention, and may mean g vote in
November which will again be perilous-
ly near the point of defeat.
Does this sound like strong language?
I wish, indeed, that it were-that it we're
in my power to so command the English
language as to represent the situation as
| sincerely believe it exists today-toso
speak as to bring the rank and file of the
party, the plain people, if you will, to a
realizing sense of their duty and power
to so speak as to insure the defeat Of
what believe to be one of the most vii
famous political conspiracies ever
Matched in the northwest. Fol mo-
ment look at it See how cunningly the
scheme has been devised, and with what
perfect system and order its various de-
tails are being attended to. See the a.
gencies which are at work in behalf Of
this man Merriam, and with what superb
generalship he directs his forces.
Eight years ago Merriam wanted to
Jump from the speakership Of the house
of representatives in this state to the no.
sition of governor. The stake Was q rea-
sonably large one, and the plans to Sc
cure it were reasonably well laid. Two
years afterwards he wanted second