The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-05
UNWORTHY PARTIsANsHIP.
st. Cloud Newspaper Discusses tI.e
Latest Move of Republicans.

st. Cloud Times
The movement inaugurated by Charles
3. Benson, of ST. Cloud and friends to
secure his appointment to the superfn-
tendency of the state reforrnatorv Is
purely partisan. 1t is not alleged nor
pretended that he is better fitted for the
position than Mr.. Randall. 1t is well
known that has never had any expe-
rience in prison management The
only claim thus far put forth by himself
and his supporters is that he is a Repub-
lican, and has been an active politician
Inc Journal-Press supports him on the
ground that
he has been a wheelhorse Of the Re-
pubIlcan party for years, the past twelve
OF winch he has been the Stearns county
member OF the Republican congressional
committee of the Sixth district. 1t is not
more than natural that Coneressman
Morris should desire to assist in reward
ing him for his service
Accordingly Judge Morris has secured
the signatures of. the Minnesota congress
sional delegation to the recommendation
for the appointment of c. g. Benson -
just as if the position of superintendent
of the state reformatory was "a political
Plum like a postoff1ce; or land office,
to be awarded to "wheelhorse" In
view Of this it is proper to cite Judge
Morris and Mr. Benson's friends to sec
ton of the act of March 2, 1887, estab-
fishing the reformatory. It says:
THE government of said reformatory
shall be under control of a board of man
ayers. consisting of six citizens of this
state, which board shall have general
superintendent of said refermatory and
shall conduct the same on non-partisan
principles
Thus, it was distinctly provided when
the reformatory was established that it
should be, apon-partisan, and accordingly
the Legislature fixed the number of man
ayers at six, and provided that not more
than three persons comprising said board
shall be appointed from the same poIiti-
cal party" BY this provision no party
can have majority of the. board-it Is
thus partisan, as the legislature in
tended it to be. Still Mr.. Benson has an
nounced through the papers that his can
didacy is founded solely on the fact that
he is a Republican and Mr. Randall
Democrat. He. further bases his hope
of success upon the enactment of the
board of control law, or an amendment
of the present reformatory law.
From these facts, which cannot be
disputed, it is apparent that Mr.. Ben
sons candidacy is predicated entirely
upon his political standing. We submit
that this is contrary to the letter and
spirit of the reformatory law and is a
position which the Republican party can
not afford to take, and why? There
are twenty state institut ions in Mime
sofa. The head Of every one, except Of
the reformatory, is now a Republican
Before establishing the precedent that
not one Democrat shall hold office, and
amending the laws SO that the governor
can control, 1t should be remembered
That the present executive, in q presi-
Dental year, was elected by only 2.254
plurality, and that John independently
stronger than ever-stilI livesi
Mr.. Benson, in his interview says:
Mr.. Randall being a Democrat, and
having displaced Republican by ap-
pointment of Gov Lind" etc. 1t is not
true that Mr.. Randall was appointed by
Gov. Lind. His selection was solely and
entirely due to the reformatory board of
managers AS is we'll remembered in
ST. Cloud Conspiracy was organized
inside and outside the prison, before
GOV. Lind's election, to secure the dis
placement of Supt HouIton.
1t was a Republican scheme The Jour
nal-Press and the St. Paul Dispatch
were the mediums through which the
public was reached. Certain charges Of
technical character were alleged. They
had no real basis, but created ''smoke."
The candidate of the opposition was
State Prison Agent F. A. Whittier
(Rep.). When Gov. Lind came into Of
flee, the matter was submitted to him.
He thought the interests of the institu-
tons. would be benefited by a change.
and he strongly favored the selection of
Mr.. Whittier because of his prison ex-
perience The board of managers. or
part at least of them, were friendly to
Mr.. Houlton, and under no circum-
stances would they choose Mr.. Whit
tier. Mr.. HouIton was willing to resign.
If exonorated by the board provided