The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-06-21
POLITICS AND NEWS.
Gossip and Opinions Gathered at
the State Capitol.

While there are still many months
before the political battle of 1900
takes place, it is not too early to see
what will then be the political stu
alton. For the contest that occurs
then is national in its scope, and the
conditions that will determine it are
already we'll ascertained. 1t is very
unlikely that anything will occur
within the next year to change the
situation materially from what it is
today; and we all know that, if the
election were to occur now, the GOV
ernor and legislature would be Re-
publican, with majority for Mr..
Mckinley the largest ever given by
Minnesota to any candidate.
If anyone thinks that this outlook
is too sanguine, or inclined to be-
lieve that it is inspired by the wish
that is father to the thought we beg
his attention to some few facts of
past political history. The State
of Minnesota is solidly and reliably
Republican. It has never changed
from that position except in choos
ing fusion legislature once when
the Alliance movement was at it's
height, and last year when it elect
ed John Lind governor while all the
rest of the Republican state ticket
had rousing majorities running up
to 40, 900. The only other approach
to this was two years before when
Lind came within less than four
thousand votes of beating Clough,
and would have done SO but for the
momentum of a presidential year.
1t is on these two latter events
that fusionists build their hopes.
Lind will undoubtedly be their can
didate again, and they hope that this
time he may be able to pull some of
the others through with him. But
the. very slightest examination of
political facts and probabilities will
show the futility Of his expectation.
Mr.. Lind will not pull anybody
through with him: because he is not
going to be able to pull through
himself.
**x
Let us for the moment forget Gov.
Lind S mistakes and take it for gran
ted that he made a good governor.
But he is no longer an unknown
quantity, a possible prodigy 1t is
seen that the charges which he made
in the campaign were not true. He
has not been able to Institute prom
lSed reforms because he found moth
ing to reform He has been occupied
merely in passing around the pie:
Iuo llc dttS Ihsh1it viz lew lllcIitlS dbu
The many enemies which that pro
cess always involves. He has no
record and as far as that made
oy his party IN the Legislature is
the less said about it the
better. Next year, then, assuming
jhe nomination of a strong Repabli-
IAN candidate, we have Mr.. Lind,
stripped of his mystery and his
promises, running in a presidential
year on a platform, partly constructed
by himself, of opposition to the pol
icy of an administration that will be
endorsed by the voters offrom &C, 900
to -, 600 majority. His party has
as much chance in this state in
1900 as the proverbial snow ball
*x*
The reason why Mr.. Lind came so
close to success in 1896 and plucked
it from the branch in 1898 are the
same that led to the defeat of Mr..
Blaine by Mr.. Cleveland in 1884.
There was in each case some Repub-
lican dissatisfaction with their can
didate, and there was considerable
curiosity to see how a man generally
respected and trusted would act in
the executive chair. That curiosity
has been satisfied It will mot carry
a second election That Clough was
an extremely weak candidate nobody
now denies 1t is a wonder that, in
spite of the enthusiasm of a presi-
Dental year, he was not beaten.
Last year an infamous attack was
made on Eustis, Lind's popularity
was undiminished, and it was an
off year.. So the people tried one
of their experiments. The question
now is, are they likely to repeat it?
The answer Of any man at all in
L