The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-09-09
TORRANCE LEADS
The Minnesotan's Chancesfor
Head OF the G. A. r. Bet
ter Than SiCkleS'
New Yorker Gives Out an
Interview That Damages
His Cause.
From a staff Correspondent.


Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 9.-The advance
guard Of the Minnesota G. A. r. delega
ton, Major and Mrs. H. A. Norton and Mr..
and Mrs. Ira J. Covey, reached Cleveland
at o'clock this morning, several hours
late. The two men are very busy making
final arrangements for the arrival of
John A. Rawlins post this afternoon. The
Minnesota headquarters special Pullmans
arrived safely at II o'clock this morning.
Everybody is well and in spirits
The state expects to make good show
ing with the candidacy of Judge Torrance
for ommander-in-c chief, and plans to that
end are are already being made. To-mor-
row night Torrance's friends are to hold
a formal caucus to determine harmoni-
Gus and effective campaign plan. Should
his candidacy continue to look as bright
as now it is likely that the ladies of the
Woman's Relief Corps, Notwithstanding
their loyalty to Mrs. Lodusky J. Taylor
of lie Sueur, their candidate for president
of that organization, will not urge her
claims strongly. There will be no con-
test between the friends of Judge Tor
rance and Mrs Taylor the latter con-
ceding that Torrance has the right of way,
and will do all they can to forward his
cause should the developments of the next
few days justify the high hopes now enter
tanned of his success.
! learn to-day that when Judge Tor
rance was first brought forward as can
didate for commander-in-ch chief it was with
little more than the hope that his pres
ence in the field this year would put him
in condition to make a winning race in
1902; but since that time events seem to
have so shaped themselves as to make
his present chances better than those OF
General Dan Sickles, until recently sup
posed to be the leading candidate, and
equal to those of Adjutant General Stew
art of Pennsylvania. The latter will be
Torrance's principal antagonist.
Sickles arrived last night and has
opened sumptuous headquarters in the
Hollenden hotel, the chief hotel in the
city, where all the Minnesota department
confined to bed in Harrisburg with a
broken leg, and has turned the manage
ment of his campaign over to friends from
the New Jersey department, who arrived
to-day and began active work without
delay. His injuries may work to his ad-
vantage slightly in this contest, but all
Minnesotans here now are confident that
Torrance's chances are as good as his.
The chief objection to Sickles, and if he
should be defeated it will be responsible
for it, is his extreme attitude with refer
ence to Pension Commissioner Evans. Ii
had been figured by many that the condi-
tion Of President Mckinley would operate
against any bitter attack upon Evans, who
has McKinley's unqualified Endorsement,
but in the Cleveland morning papers to-
day Sickles announced in vehement Ian
guage his uncompromising opposition to
Evans and says it is to be the chief plank
in his platform as candidate for com
mander-in-ch chief. This interview is not
adding to Sickles popularity.
1t will be to the interest of Torrance
friends, however, to keep Sickles in the
field, as long as possible. His withdrawal
before the taking Of a ballot might help
Stewart more than Torrance. The latter
however, has received many reassurances
from New England and other eastern
states and it is believed that on the first
ballot he will be the first choice Of some
of those states, and divide the honors
with Stewart as second choice. l have il
from reliable sources that Siclzles will not
command the solid vote Of his own state
of New York Himself radical of rad
icals and running on a radical platform
he will hardly call to his support the con-
trolling conservative elements of the en-
campment. That is the opinion to-day.
w. w. Jermane.