The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-23
yellow dog" year and it doesn't make
any difference who is nominated
The Work of the Plunderbund.

the Republicans yesterday there is not
a solitary member who was elected on
any other than the ground of party
eXpediency. Personal fitness for office
did not in the least enter into the cal
culationS Of those who made up the
ticket. 1t was named by active poiiti-
cal seekers after office, and so far did
this matter of politics go in the conven-
ton that even in the nominating
speeches there was no reference made
to the fitness Of the men. The candi-
dates were put forward on the ground
that such a ward or such a man had
done well by the Republican party and
deserved the reward that was asked Of
the convention. There was never a
more shameless Plunderbund formed
No pretense was made of selecting
proper men for public office. The con-
vention was held solely to divide the
offices among the politicians. Fortu-
nately the people have the right of veto.
and they are very likely to exercise that
power in November The ticket cannot
be said to be a strong one; it was formed
as the result of a few combinations, and
in the making of it there were engen-
dered hatreds that it will take some
thing more than the usual application
of the party whip to heal. Men who
have been conspicuous in the party for
years, and who have the respect and
good will of the people who do not deal
in politics professionally, were turned
down ruthlessly, and notice was served
on the decent element that its men,
bers had not done any of the machine
work and therefore need not expect to
enjoy any of the spOils.
Ed Rogers was renominated for clerk
of court without opposition. Mr.. ROg
ers is practical in his politics. He has
filled his office with deputies who can
be depended on to take care of their
wards. One of his deputies was chair
man Of the First ward delegation in
the convention, another was chairman
of the Fifth ward, a third was secre-
tary of the convention, a fourth is a
member of the state committee, and
the chief deputy was a conspicuous
candidate for office himself. Mr.. Rogers
knows how to surround himself pOliti-
cally, and no one had the temerity to
oppose his nomination.
Billy JOnIlSOH, d pSI6uuldi SSShCI
after office, was named Tor county au-
ditor. Johnson makes a profession Of
politics; he has no other profession.
He served a couple of terms in the as
sembly; at every city and county con-
vention for years he has been cand1-
date for something; he was beaten for
city treasurer in the last city conven-
ton, then he became a candidate for
clerk of the municipal court, but did
not get the place. He was next heard
Of as a candidate for sheriff, and finally
he came out under the auspices or
Mayor Kiefer for auditor, Bill Ames
being put into the campaign to protect
Johnson by beating Fitzgerald. John
son is a shrewd POLITICAL manipulation,
and his nomination was made easy
when he got the Eighth ward to trade
on That he has no strength outside
of the practical politicians in his par
ty has been demonstrated repeatedly
In his defeat for nomination in cOnven-
ton.
O. H. Arosin has been in city politics
for some years and is now, by appoint
ment, president of the fire board. He
is one of the men who know how to
make the administration Of Office that
is not salaried pay. He is practical in
his politics, and there was no ques-
ton of his fitness considered in making
him the nominee. He stampeded the
convention by sharp deals, and got his
nomination in such a manner that the
hitherto invincibIe First ward is likely
to remember It.
George Irish, the nominee for sheriff,
was forced on the convention by an
agreement that the nomination must go
to the Fourth ward. The sort Of deal
by which he got rid Of the Libby OPP
position need not here be considered,
but the Republican party in the city
is not going to accept him without
question. He was the chief deputy iE
the office Of the sheriff under Chapel,
and was taken as the political legatee
of Chapel, carrying all the odium of his
administration with him. He has been
campaigning for the office for four
months.
Horace Bigelow, who has been ad-
mitted to the bar, is the nominee for
county attorney. He was nominated
in the echo of Kissing directed at the
present Republican incumbent of that
office. Anderson was applauded as
much two years ago as Bigelow was
yesterday. Republicans e<ungrateful
as we'll as republics. and when Ander-
sons name was mentioned yesterday
1t was Kissed. Mr.. BigelOw is unlikely
to be Kissed because of the things he
failed to do in the office of county at
torney, for there is not much likelihood
Of the people again entrusting that Of
fee to Republican incompetency Mr..
Bigelow cannot be said to have any
peculiar fitness for the Office, and it
went to him because he lives in the
egates to trade on.
E. G. Krahmer was made the nomi-
nee for register Of deeds because he
holds that place at present and his
deputies were distributed properly
about the various wards.
And so it goes on through the entire
list. That sort Of practical politics that
recognizes in the party worker, the
man who can be depended on to carry
his precinct or his ward, the necessary
qualifications for any office dominated
the convention. Among the men con-
spicuous on the floor of the convention
there was not one who is prominent in
the business world. They were office
holders, officeseekers or small law
yers. An exception might be made in the
case of a couple of men who delight in
politics as a game, and who ask moth
ing for themselves. But there was not
q man in the lot whose business talent
is recognized in the city. Yet the con-