The Saint Paul globe., 1898-07-23
H AHHE WE H

depressing effect on the local Repub-
lican political market. The victory of
the Republicans two years ago, assist
ed as they they were by a consider
able Democratic contingent swelied
most OF the members of that party out
of all recognition. They have been go
ing about for year giving it out that
there could be no doubt about the re-
suit this fall: that the fighting would
be all over when the lucky fellows had
been nominated by the Republican con-
vention. 1t had not then occurred to
them that Mr.. Lind would be made the
unanimous choice of all the anti-Re-
publicanS of the state. When Lind
went into the army that was suppoS-
ed to settle it, and for three months
or more the local Republican push has
been counting the money that will be
received by them from the county dur
ing the next couple of years They had
an idea that the Democrats would be
obliged to fill vacancy at the head
of the state ticket and would be dis
organized.
For sixty days every able-bodied man
who has been prominent enough in
his party to get on his precinct dele
cation has been a candidate for NOM
inatjon to a county office. Men who
had never been heard of before and
whose names had never been in print
have been hanging about the court
house framing up jobs Every present
county officer lined himself up as
candidate for reelection or for some
other office. They almost devoured
each other in the struggle for place On
the list of delegates to the state con-
vention for that was regarded as the
first stepping stone to the holding OF
county office. In the state convention
they beat each others heads off trying
to secure nod from the chair in order
that they might show their supporters
that they ran the thing. For each Of
flee there were four or five announced
candidates, and each one Of the five
had a string of a dozen or two behind
him, each of whom was to have
chance in case the foremost was not
able to land Some of the fighting has
been bitterer than it is ever likely TO
become between the actual nominees.
Then yesterday john Lind's letter Of
acceptance came and today practically
all of these struggling citizens who
wanted to be in position to let the
office seek the man, will take to the
woods. Going into a county fight
against an organized opposition, led by
a man who is concededly strong as any
Individual in the state in politics or
out, is a very different matter to go
ing into fight against foe that was
IL. "A
fore Yesterday, the conditions in the
management of the county's affairs
were such that there would have been
cleaning out of the court house in NO
vember almost to certainty. Since
Yesterday it has been quite clear to
the majority of the Republicans that
they must be very careful. indeed, in
the sele ction of Their candidates, If they
hope to elect any Of them. The actual
leaders of the Republican party will
take q hand in few weeks, and it will
take some building to get all of the
elements reconciled-with but little
prospect of office in sight.
Starting with Congressman Stevens
candidacy for reelection, there is fair
prospect of the Republican nominees
being beaten in every direction in this
county. Judge Willis will assuredly be
the Democratic nominee in the district,
and he will notdoukRt be given the Popu-
list Endorsement Lind will get 5000
more votes in :; Ramsey county than ne
cot two years agooand get them from
a lol of men Who have gone about tired
of having voted for ,Clough. The worst
that can happen 10 Judge Willis is to
1un even with Lind. He will go into
the district with a difference of 5000 in
his home county, tand # that doesn't
settle Mr SteYens.- business, why. his
that will be given istevens by leaders
in the distr. ct will be the support usual
fy according TO al courtesy candidate.
They didn't want Stevens and they
simply will acquiesce in his nomina-
ton. because his election of two years
ago was brought about by them: he is
charged up to them and they feel it is
better politics to let him be defeated
at the polls than to acknowledge they
wora wrong at first There are half
dozen men in st. Paul who could have
beaten Stevens. if they had started to
do il two months ago. Col. Thompson
could have done it easily. One single
Injunction from the Republican organ
would have forced Stevens into the
background. This was perfectly we'll
understood, but there was no difficulty
with the party heelers. and he will be
nominated. to go to a certain defeat.
Il Oountu Attorney Anderson could