The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-05-11
SATURDAY NIGHTS PRIMARIES.

L
The primaries Saturday night we're the
most largely attended taking the city as a
whole, of any ever held in Mankato where
no contest for the selection of delegates
was had. Only one ticket was voted in
each of the wards, and the men named
| thereon are all known to be ardent sup
porters of Mr.. McCleary.
The fact that the Funk forces would put
no ticket in the field, and that fact having
been given publicity in both of the even
ing papers and by other means, resulted in
keeping nearly all of Mr.. Funk's sup
porters from the polls, and many of Mr..
McCleary's supporters felt it unnecessary
for them to come out, and the result, there
fore. of the exceptionally large vote re-
corded is cause for congratulation on the
part of the friends of the present con-
| gresham.
The greatest number of votes ever cast
in this city at the primaries was in the
contest in 1893 between Senator Benedict
and ex-senator Barr. In that fight every
ward in the city was closely canvassed by
each of the gentlemen, and resulted in
bringing out 6S3 votes. The primaries
Saturday night, with no contest, one side
laying down and very largely abstaining
from voting. and the other side making
little or no effort to get votes out show a
total of 369 votes cast, or about IS per
ce MT of the 1898 vote when the greatest
contest in the history of the city was made.
Comparing the voting strength of the
city, the Fifth and Sixth wards turned out
the greatest number of Notes.-The Fifth
olling 135 and the Sixth 62. In the cleo.
ton of 1898 the total Republican vote cast
for Lieut. Governor Smith. in the Fifth
ward was 261, and in the Sixth co. 1t will
be seen, therefore, that more than halt
the party strength was out in the one and
more than two-thirds in the other. 1t is
said by those who claim to be posted
on the preferences for congressman in
these two wards that not to exceed fifteen OF
the Funk supporters turned out in the two
wards. 1t is also claimed by gentlemen
who have taken pains to make somewhat
of careful canvass of these wards, that
in the contest to take place in June for
delegates to the congressional convention
! that shall name successor to Congress-
man McCleary, that the McCleary dele
gates will carry both these wards by over
whelming majorities. tits generally under
stood that those who are keeping close
tab on Mr.. Funks candidacy and are in
terested in his success, lay little or nc
claims to the Second ward and none what
ever to the Fourth. They do have some
hopes, however, of carrying the First and
Third wards, but McClearys friends feel
entirely confident now that they will be
able to carry every ward in the city at the
June primaries.
There is no denying the fact that the
large turnout in the two upper wards Sat-
ur day night must have depressing infu-
ence upon Mr.. Funk's candidacy, for his
ma nagers have all along been laying great
cl aims that they would carry them. While
it is altogether probable that they will still
make these claims, the chances for making
them good are two or three to one against
them
While it is true that the recently held
pr maries did not bear directly upon the
congressional strength of the two candi-
| dates, it cannot be denied that the Funk
forces were invited to contest through
the expressed intention of McClearys
! friends to send him at the head of the Blue
Earth county delegation to the state con-
vention as an earnest of what Blue Earth
| will do next month. In declining to show
their hand, and suffer the inevitable defeat
that awaited them had they made the
fight, Republicans throughout the district
| will give little or no credence to the ru-
m ors sent over the district that Funk has
ev erything his own way in this city and
Blue Earth county"