The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-12
GOV. LIMBS POSITION.

don't propose to but I do
not propose hereafter to be in public Of
flee or to be candidate for public Of
1 flc, so long as I can not = feel
that the political sentiment, the political
ideals the political opinion of the ma
1ority of the constituency of the citizen
ship of the state is back of me-
: Such were the words used by Gov. Lind
in discussing the question of his once
again being the candidate for governor
of the fusion forces in Minnesota at the
Democratic gathering in Minneapolis
Wednesday night. His speech on that
occasion had an electrical effect upon his
hearers The tone of absolute sincerity
which pervaded it, the manliness of the
sentiments expressed and the sound poll
tics that pervaded it made a deep i'm
preston upon the audience, and the in
trinsic merits of his address are not lost
or dimmed when it is read in print. The
governors words evidently come straight
from his heart and have received the ap-
prevail of his brain. Such words from a
man holding the position which Gov.
Lind does are worthy of the deepest con-
eideration by every voter in the state Of
Minnesota.
Since Jan. 1, 1899, John Lind has filed
the position of chief executive of Min
nesota, and whole holding that office
he has had no support from the other
executive officers of the state or from
either branch of the state legislature, for
the reason that all the executive state Of
fcers except himself were Republicans
and both the senate and the house of
representatives were controlled by Re-
publicans. And not only has the gov
ernor had this to contend against, but
every state board was in the hands Of
Republicans and dominated throughout
by Republican politicians. All the en-
ployes of state institutions had been ap-
pointed by Republican officials or boards,
and in every department of state work.
existed a sentiment hostile-personally in
many cases and politically in all cases.
to the governor and his plans and to the
principles binding together the reform
forces which he represented.
The platform of the reform forces
called for certain important changes and
reforms in state affairs and their man
agement, but the governor, single
handed and alone, except for the loyal
aid received from such state officials as
were his appointees, has had the mortt
fication of feeling himself unable to car
ry out the reforms demanded by his
supporters or the plans he had made to
amend the many gross abuses existing in
public offices, laws, departments and
systems.
The situation in which Gov. Lind has
found himself has been so trying as to
be almost unbearable. The legislation
required to carry out the needed reforms
body controlled in both It's branches by
political opponents. The other executive
officers of the state, while not actively
obstructing the governors plans, were
ana are pOllllCdl OPPO4iOIlIS e1iIO OAASA ~
q passive opposition as insurmountable
as the legislature. The different state
boards and institutions and their nu-
merous employees were necessarily I'M
friendly to any measures of reform, for
political reasons, and effective action on
the part of the governor was blocked in
every direction
The only desire that John Lind had in
seeking election to the high office of gov
error was, as he stated Wednesday night,
s'to give this state an example of clean,
efficient businesslike administration of
public affairs" So far as has lain in his
power this has been done. but, with an
unrriendly legislature and unfriendly pol
iticians ramifying every branch Of state
government, the result has been deep
and heartfelt disappointment to Gov.
John Lind and to all friends of good gov
ernment, who, like the governor, have
so earnestly wished to see the state rid
OF those predatory rings which have scan
dalized the community and paralyzed all