The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-26
DOESN'T WANT VOTES
M. WESENBERG EXPOSES THE
METHODS OF MID-ROAD Pop
ULIST MANAGERS
REFUSED TO MAKE THE RACE

And Protested Time and Again, but
Somebody Paid His Fee and Got
HIS Name ON the BaIIOt-Ap-
Dea1s to His Friends to- Cast
Their Votes for julius j. Helm
rich for Secretary of State.
M. Wesenberg, editor of the "Du-
luth Skandinav," whose name appears
on the state ticket as Mid road Popu-
list candidate for secretary Of state,
has made public a lot of correspondence
and facts about his candidacy which
are surprising. In spite of all his pro-
tests his name was put on the ballot
the fee paid by somebody unknown
to him, and he Is officially made to ap-
pear as a candidate for the SURFACES
of the people. But he isn't, and he
urges that all votes that might have
been cast for him be cast for Julius J.
Heinrich, the union candidate for the
position. In. his appeal to the public,
Mr.. WeSenberg, after calling attention
to the supreme court decision, says:
With all due respect for the highest court
in the state, / believe that that decision is
based upon a misapprehension of facts, and
upon false testimony of interested parties
and, while the decision, of course, leaves my
name on the ticket, 1 appeal the case to the
court above all courtS-to the sovereign
people, believing that upon a fair and just
presentation they Will reverse the decision
and treat the ballot as if my name were not
upon the same-not cast single vote for a
man who has been compelled against his will
to remain upon the ticket. With decent
regard for the opinion Of true Populists and
in justice to myself, 1 present the case for
their consideration.
Mr.. Wesenberg then recites the his
tory of the Populist convention and
subsequent efforts, including his re-
fUsal to accept a place on the ticket.
Continuing, he says:
Imagine my surprise when a short time
afterwards I received from Secretary Dr..
H. B. Fay, Of our state central committee, a
letter intimating that would have to go
ON the ticket by petition, and asking fer my
view in regard to such a step. Besides haV-
ing been nominated for secretary OF stale,
had also been placed on the state central
committee, and no meeting of that commit
tee had been held, that 1 knew Of, where
such a policy of petition had been adopted
and. If it had, it would have been in viola
ton Of the views Of the convention, which
created the committee.
SENT ANOTHER PROTEST.
I Immediately wrote DR.. Fay, positively
protesting and Directing to such petitions,
stating that 1 for one would not be a can
didate by petition; if we were to be Peoples
party candidates, We must fight it out in the
courts and secure our right to the Peoples
party name and organization. / would not
be party to any proceeding by petition.
DR.. Fay, however, Mr.. Wesenberg
goes on to tell, paid no attention to the
protests but had the assumption to
write and ask Mr.. Wesenberg to send
his acceptance of the nomination be-
fore getting signatures to the petitions.
Mr.. WeSenberg'S reply was that he
couldn't accept anything that had not
been offered to him. Continuing, he
says:
On the 9th of July DR.. Christian Johnson,
of Willmar. wrote me as follows:
FWillmar Mimi, July q, 1S9S.-M. WeSsen
berg, Duluth. Minn.-Dear Sir and Friend:
l am of the opinion now that we had better
withdraw ticket from the field and let
fusionists hang themselves this fall. If we
stay in the field we shall be charged with
Linds defeat. and shall never hear the last
of it. What do you think of the situation?
Very truly yours,
At the ate convention on the 18th of June
there had been no more jealous advocate Of
regular Peoples party ticket than DR..
Christian Johnson himself, indeed so strong
ly- did he impress his views upon the con-
vention that only the m ct strenuous exer-
tons on his rart prevented his nomination
as head of the ticket. And yet, two months
later, he writes as above DR.. Johnson Is
enc OF the brainiest men in the Peoples
party in Minnesota. and he hes never yet
From his own writing DR.. Johnson I ow-
adopted my view OF the case at the state con
vent.on.
On the Sd of August Mr.. Secretary Fay
sent me the following formal notification Of
my nomination for the office OF CT try OF
state:
Minneapolis, Mimi, Aug. 8. 1SsS.-Hon.
NJ. Wesenberg. -Dulu. h. Minn.-My Dear Sir:
1 have the honor officially to inform you
Of your nomination for secretary of state by
the convention, which met at Minneapolis
June Is. 1898, and will herewith ask you
to send at your earliest convenience your
letter of acceptance. so that the state cen
trail committee can fl any vacancies if they
o oc99r not later than ATy b. rd By order ex
Secretary fer the State Central Committee"
PRODUCE THE ACCEPTANCE.
If the secretary can produce any accept
ance by me in answer to this notification,
trust he will publish the same at once. This
was the formal notification CT nomination,
and l have never accepted it, for the reason
already given. I would not 60 on the ticket
by petition The ticket nominated on the
18th of June was either a regular Peoples
party ticket, CT it. was not. If it was a
regular Peoples party ticket it should stand
by its colors and fight for lawful recogni-
ton. If it was not regular Peoples party
ticket it had no business in the field. This
and is my standpoint.
On the 20th Of September I received
package of blank petitions from Mr.. -Secre-
tary Fay with the information that the sec
rotary Of state required these petitions with
Geo Signatures, and volunteering the add
tional inf rma ion that 1.-The petitions are
for the same candidates nominated at the
Midroad PCpu;ist convention, June &c."
This was the first CTicial notice l had that
the convention of June 16 was not regular
Peoples party convention, but a midroad
POpulist convention. l am POpulist who
desires to see al, honest and true PopuIsts
united in one solid phalanx, without the
slightest regard to whether they only &C
cupy the narrow strip of the middle of the
road or fill the whole road to it's entire
width. For reasons already set forth, 1 have
not touched these petitions, have not asked a
single person to sign them.
Another package Of petitions was sent to
Capt. Hubbard, with a similar request for
signatures. Capt. Hibbard also was present
st the 10th Of June convention and Cam
of the situation as myself, for he informs
me he has neither asked for a single sigma
ture.
WEOTE TO Mr.. LONG
On the 1st of October I wrote to L. c.
Long, the head Of the ticket nominated on
the 18th of June, enclosing DR.. Johnson's let
ter and suggesting that we would d. better
service for the Peoples party by withdrawing
from the field and thereby prepare the way
for a reunion OF all honest Populsts.
asked for his views, and suggested that he
didates for an exchange of views. To my
mind We would build the Peoples party
stronger by withdraw and give the fusion
element an opportunity to determine its
ing in the field. Here is Mr.. Longs answer:
Magnolia, Mimi. Oct. 6.-Brother Wes-
enberg. Duluth. Mimi: Yours Of the 1st re-
ceived. Dr.. J, has bsen writing me the same
have written in the same line. have laid
the matter before Mr. Donnelly but he tie Is