The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-06-18
Republicans Already Figur-
ing Closely on Governor.
MUST BEAT LIND AGAIN
Fear Is General That Van SAINT
Cannot Win in an Off Year.
gENNEPIN is VERY NECESSARY
This Directs Attention to Robert C
EVans-HiS Attitude said to
Be Passive.

While the next republican state conven-
hon is still year in the future the lead
lrs of the party are discussing with great
seriousness the question whether it will
be wise to renominate Van SAINT for gov
ernor, in accordance with party tradition,
or whether it will not be better to take
up some stronger man upon whom the
party could count with greater certainty
10 defeat the allied forces.
In Minneapolis there is a very strong
feeling that the latter is the course to
follow, and while that sentiment is
founded to a great extent upon the feel
ing that Van SAINT has not treated Henne-
pin county as he should, it is also shared
to a great extent by republican leaders in
all sections of the state.
1t is commonly remarked that the re-
publican who would defeat John Lind in
the coming campaign must be able to Sc
cure a majority of the vote of Hennepin
county. It is the opinion of the party
workers that Van SAINT would not be able
to prevail against Lind in this locality,
especially since the latter has taken up
his residence here. In a presidential
year Van SAINT carried the state by about
ZOO plurality while the presidential tick
ct came out with a plurality Of 5000
more. This is pointed to as a reason why
new candidate is necessary and it is
used to combat the contention that a
second term should be granted as a mat
ter Of courtesy and because other govern
ors have received a denomination. all
though 1t is not forgotten that McGIl
was one term governor and that. there
fore, the two term precedent was not an
unbroken one
II. G. Evans Is Favored.
As would be naturally expected. the
feeling in this locality is very strongly
in favor Of the nomination of local man.
and among those adhering to that belief
there is no diversion of opinion as to
who the man should be- Briefly defined,
the local politicians are ready to line up
at a moments notice and while the gov
ernor, through certain personal friend
ships and through connections which can
be traced to Private Secretary Jamison,
will have a respectable following, there
is hardly room for doubt that the repub-
licans of the county by a large majority
would prefer R. G. Evans as their can
didate.
The Evans sentiment is spreading at a
rapid rate and has been nourished assidu-
ously by some of the local leaders. while
it has not suffered to any degree through
the antagonism which continues to exist
against Governor Van SAINT. While the
origin Of the idea of the Evans candidacy
is doubtless due to the popularity of the
man and his evident vote getting ability
and fitness for the place, it is growing
rapidly by reason of circumstances which
largely favor it, and it would hardly be
too much to say that Evans name will
be presented to the next convention unless
ae himself refuses to permit it.
Evans Passive Attitude.
While no one in Minneapolis is priv
lleged to speak for Mr.. Evans it is the
feeling among his closest personal friends
that he is not entirely averse to the propo-
Iition, and whatever work is done will be
based upon that belief, and not upon any
Arect- expression from him.
Naturally enough, Mr. Evans would be
slow to thrust his candidacy upon the
party so soon after the campaign in which
he narrowly missed the United States
senatorship. He is not the kind of man
who continuously begs for party favors.
but rather the kind that responds when
called upon by his friends and party COM
patriots, and unless there appears a very
lecided demand for his candidacy and
! good reason for it, aside from any con,
liberation personal to himself, he is GER
lain to refuse to enter the field.
A member of the state senate from the
northern section of the state, who recent
ly spent several days in this city and St.
Paul, expressed quite a prevalent opinion
regarding the gubernatorial situation in
about the following language:
Il have spent a great deal of nv time
IN the cities this year. and it Is evident to
me that Van SAINT should not be renom-
mated. My observation is that he is not
any TOO popular, even in st. Paul where
the political leaders are under deepest oh
legations to him, while in MINNEAPOLIS if
would appear that he could not come
within several thousand votes of doing as
well as he did last year. In my opinion
it would be impossible for Van SAINT to
carry the state if he loses Hennepin
county, and therefore the situation seems
to demand q new candidate and that 49,