New-York tribune., 1898-11-05
THE FIFTY-S1XTH CONGRESS.
ONLY TWO OF MINNEsOTA's SEVEN
DISTRICTS IN DOUBT.


not horse thieves, but every horse thief I am
sure Is a Democrat" This was Honest John
Lind's" opinion expressed after mature refec-
tion. some years ago before political gathering
In St Paul "Tempora mutantur," etc. They
must indeed for Honest John" is this year
once more the candidate for Governor OF that
party In which, according to his earlier impress
sions-and who shall gainsay that first mpres-
sons are not the best?-horse thieves play
conspicuous. not to say eminent. part. 1t is not.
OF course. and never was, the writer's judgment.
1t was. however, the deliberate judgment at one
time Of John Lind: and If he has modified it in
any way or recanted, that fact has. unluckily
for him. escaped public notice II might be we'll
perhaps, to bear this In mind.
This is likely to be year Of political surprises
for Minnesota Surprise No. ! may turn out
10 be a falling off In the vote next week Of
nearly 80 per cent as compared with that Of
1896 This is not due entirely to the political
lethargy Of an off year. though it is here as
elsewhere seriously felt by both parties but TO a
constitutional amendment adopted two years
ago. and now for the first time put into practical
operation. Heretofore newly arrived immigrants
were permitted to vote after declaring their In
tention merely Of becoming citizens. The new
amendment 10 the Constitution extends the
privileges of the franchise only TO those who
have taken out their second papers" In other
words five years residence Is required OF
every foreign born settler before he can vote.
To all intents and purposes the constitutional
amendment disfranchses thousands Of voters
who cast legal ballots at the election OF ISM.
How many thousands one seems to know.
Estimates differ widely. Each party asserts
that the other will be the larger sufferer. The
precise grounds on which these assertions are
based are trivial and sometimes even fantastic.
An impartial outsider is justified in assuming
that the losses will be equally divided or nearly
so. between the Republicans on the one hand
and the combined forces Of the Democrats and
Populists on the other. conservative estimate
Of the total loss as already indicated is that
il will reach - per cent, which means that the
total vote Of Minnesota this .ear will be not
much more. and II may be even less than
100000; in 1896 it was 81. 1d5.
LINDs CANVASS FOR GOVERNOR
Surprise No 5 likely TO be the vote cast
for John Lind In 1896 he away ahead
Of his ticket Indeed while Mckinley carried
the State by plurality Of 53,Ics. Governor
Clough. 10 whom Lind was opposed. pulled
through only by a miserable 3612 The vote
seemed 20 demonstrate Linds great popularity
especially among the Swedes, or whom ne -
one 1t demonstrated in much grea'er ue-
gree. however. the unpopuarity OF the hepuoh
can candidate. who. by the deal when resulted
In sending Knute Nelson to the United states
Senate comprising the political humiliauon OK
William D. Washburn. and in promoting Cloush
himself from Lieutenant-Governor to Governor
had aroused the antagonsm or Minneapoiis he-
publicans to such an .xtent that the state
ticket was saved only by the greatest exer'ioh
and vigilance on the part of the Republican
managers In q certain sense, therefore, Johh
Lind did not stand entirely on his own merits be"
fore the voters that year. He was the pehen-
ciary Of unfortunate conditions prevailing IN
the Republican ranks at the time rather thaa
a man whose personal utilities. in the mindS
OF his friends. outweghed his political degen-
eracy Those conditions. IL is needless TO 3aysi
no longer exist Governor Clough Is not q
candidate for reelection. The ticket is headed
by William II. Eustis. who was never con-
nected with any of the factional fights OF the
past There will be no one this year 10 pun
Mr. Linds political chestnuts out OF the hre
FOR him; he will have to hoe his own row.
And yet you may and people sentimental
enough to believe that feeling OF sympathy
will pull John Lind through on November o.
That sympathy. they say, is based on the iaeC
that he came so near being Governor TWO years
ago and that any of his personal friends WIZ
considered it their duty then to vote against
him. when free silver threatened the country
cannot now find il in their hearts. when the
II to | folly no longer cuts the figure IT ala
In 1896 to withhold their votes, II by casting
ballot for him they could crafty the one
nolitical ambition OF his life 1t is difficult 70
believe that many uch friends OF John Linz
exist in a State whose voters have at all times
been on the alert against financial he:esies ana
those who preach them. II Election Day now
ever. should prove such friends to exist. the tact
of their existence will be traceabe 70 the sue
cessflll Efforts - the Democratic managers 10
eliminate from the canvass, as far as posslp'e'
the discussion OF all National issues ana divert
their attack the State administrator a''u
State LEGISLATURE 1t will oe due. further to
the slovenly and amateurish conduct or the
Republican campaign which instead Of boldly
throwing down the gauntlet and choosing MS own
fighting ground. has from the start permitted
the enemy to define the issues and select his
own weapons, with the result that from the
very outset the Republican speakers have been
kent by their opponents the defensive Two
wears ago the management Of the Republican
campaign was in the hands of experienced men
This year IL seems TO have been ccnflded 10 chill
dren.
DEMOCRATS RESORT TO DECEIT.
one Of the principal points OF the Democratic
attack this year is the grain inspection law
passed by a Republican Legislature. This la"
is executed by a Grain and Warehouse Com
mission. whose members are kept under con-
slant fire Of Democratic and PoDulistic spell
binders The Commission. is bound TO ad-
nit has spared no effort in the conscientious
discharge Of its duties 1t has sought 10 pro-
,ids oman markets for wheat to devise the best
means OF shipping and handling II, and the best
methods OF grading il. In the main II has oeeh
successful Whatever the Shortcomings they
bsvs hoan due not TO dishonest administration