The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-16
AIDS THE DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICAN ACTION IN DRIVING
THEM TO PETITIONS is
- BOOMERANG
THE PEOPLE LIKE FAIR PLAY
Claimed That Many lof the Voters
VIII Show Their DisapprovaI of
the Action by Voting for the
Democratic Ticket-Has Been
Good Thing for the Candidates I'm
More Ways Than-One.

In the circulation of their petitions
yesterday the Democratic candidates
found to certainty that the attempt
OF the Republicans to steal the election
by excluding, if possible, the regular
Democracy from the ballot would make
hundreds, possibly thousands, of votes
Tor the Democratic ticket. The feeling
was universal that the trick attempted
should be reprobated, and the persons
circulating the petitions, in many cases
notarles OF Republican prediction,
were frequently hailed by we'll known
Republicans with the inquiry as to
whose petition they had. This oc-
CURED not only in the business dis
trlcts, but In the suburbs, and more
particularly in the workshops. The
men who were asked to sign in the
latter instance knew that there had
been a regular Democratic convention
ana that ticket was nominated Most
Of them had paid no attention to the
general statement that Sam Anderson
had tnterfered In behalf of the Repub-
llcan ticket and insisted on petitions.
When this was explained they asked no
further questions, but said plainly that
there ought to be some decency in pol
ttics, and forthwith signed and urged
their friends to sign.
In another and very direct way the
petitions helped those of the Demo-
Gratis who circulated their own petit
tons in bringing them into touch with
thousands Of voters who do not attend
meetings and who could not otherwise
be reached. This personal contact and
the explanation that was necessary did
more good than all the plunderbund
will be able to undo during the cam
paign. 1t made q sort of preliminary
canvass necessary, and the impression
made in the work will be ineradicable.
Yesterday the Republicans saw plain
ly what the effect Of the trick would
be, and they put In the day trying to
demonstrate to the public that they
were not responsible. Charge 1t up
to Sam Anderson; not to u.s. We are
not responsible because Anderson
makes chump rulings That was the
proposition, and SO alarmed did they
become about the matter that the Dis
patch was forced to change its posi-
ton of jubilation and declare that 1t
and the Republican candidates were in
favor of letting the regular Democracy
take second place on the ticket. Some
Of the candidates wanted to blame
County Auditor Sullivan for it. They
said that 1t was none Of his business,
and that If Auditor Sullivan was re-
sponsible then the party was not to be
blamed for 1.-THE party-had turned
down both Sullivan and Anderson.
The disposition to make scapegoats
of the auditor and attorney was gen.
eral with the Republican candidates.
Mr.. Sullivan said that 1t was none of
his affair, and that he did not move
in the matter until asked about it by
Cormican, the Pop candidate for the
office Of clerk of the courts. AS stand
ing off the statement that the county
committee did not know of the matter
a member Of the county committee,
who cannot we'll be named, said:
'It was chump politics and 1 knew
1t from the first. l am not squeamish
about those things. and, if the matter
had been left alone UP to the close of
the time for filing nominations and
then the play had been made, 1 would
have stood pat AS it was, 1 knew
that the five days would be enough time
for the petitions to be circulated, and
we got nothing but reputation for
crookedness. That Is what should have
been dOne-let the matter lie until the
Democrats started to file their certif-
Gates and then reject them. There
would have been some sense in that,
and, If we had been sustained by the
courts, we would have had things our
own way, and might take the conse-
quences with the offices. Now we feel
like suckers and look like thieves IN
the eyes of the disinterested people.
Letting Cormican bring it off was what
spoiled it ALL