New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1898-03-23
Van SAINT S
w kness,
Jerry ]. Gives His Reasons For Thinking
that John Lind Would Beat Him.

I f
Jerry ]. Gives His Reasons For Thinking
that John Lind Would Beat Him.
In answer to q query as to what con.
istitutes Van SAINTS elements Of weakness,
4 Jerry j. of the Minneapolis journal
says:
There are many republ men who
are not unfriendly to Van Sant-who
think either Collins or Eustis would
make q stronger campaign and poll a
larger vote than Van SAINT. nv own
Judgment is that Eustis would be per-
Ihaps the best vote gettcr of the three,
although Collins would not be far be-
hind him. Eustis is one Of the most mag
netic speakers III the state, and as can
didate for governor would inject into
the campaign an enthusiasm, an energy,
zeal for party, that might increase the
total republican strength thousands Of
votes. Van SAINT is the poorest speaker
and least magnetic man of the three. He
has his strong points as a ascampaigner,
but it is a question whether they would
count for their full value in contest
with man like John Lind.
Lind is an orator, man of we'll
trained mind, logical, forcefuk and clear.
He made the silver argument in 1896
more forcibly than any other fusionist
in Minnesota, with the possible excep-
ton of c. A. Towne. The candidate of
the fusionists this year, one of the first
things he would do would be to chal-
lenge Van SAINT to a joint debate. Van
ISant would be compelled to decline.
The fact that he is not frst-class
speaker would, as look at it, mean a
greatmany votes lost to the republican
Icause.g This much on the issue. Now.
as to more serious matter than what
has been mentioned.
i Lind is Swede. In spite of all that
could be said and done in 1896, presi-
dental year, he polled very large pro-
portion of the Swede vote Of the State,
This is All off year, and the chances are
that he will be stronger with these peo-
ple than ever. Not only is there no ma
tlonal issue to hold them in line, but 10.
cal causes have contributed to increase
their friendship for Lind. One or two ol
these will mention briefly. The poor
est appointment which Governor Clougl
has made, from political point of view
was that of j. S. O'Brien to be surveyor
general of logs at Saltwater. In making
this appointment, he turned down Johr
G.Nelson, one of the best known Swedish
republicans of the state, a man who haG
done as much effective work for Clougt
as any man of that nationality. That
turning down will be resented. There
). are indications of this wherever ont
| looks. The governor also failed to re-
: appoint A. E. Engstrom of Cannon
Falls, member Of the board Of norma
: school directors. The first intimatior
!, Engstrom had that he was not to stay OF
r the board was when he saw a notice il
the paper of the appointment of his sue
g cessor. Both of these appointments hav,
!. paved the way to trouble for the Clougl
candidate for governor this year. Thes
may seem to be trivial matters to th
reading public, but their importanc
: should not be underestlmated. In Good
! hue county, at the present time, it j
said the republican party could not pol
within thousand of as many votes 70
8 Igovernor as it polled IN 1896. SKoul,
9 the opposition insist upon making
campaign of state issues this year, there
by losing sight ct the national issue an,
relaxing party discipline, there will b
all the more danger that Lind woul,
T poll practically the solid vote Of Iii
8 countrymen.
Another source Of weakness for Va
SAINT is the support Of Governor Clough
As candidate for governor, he would b
compelled to carry al Tile sins Of the 81.
republi lican machine -bs sort Of . scape
goat for Marian, Ciough, Bixby an.
G II 7. gsgp
Nelson. This fact, id djed to the fact tina
he cannot make : strong campaign .,
the stump, may amount to 9 very seri
lous handicap.
The going into effect Of the new con
Istitional amendment egulating the fr.n
ch,se, will perhaps cut down the repub
lican vote all over the stats, but jus
how much cannot be known. Man,
lgood party men think the republicans
and fusionists will lose IN about equa
! numbers, but this visw IS not accsptet
!, lbY members of the stats central commit
Z tee, who have had long experience i,