The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-26
MINNESOTA POLITICS

This has been surmised a good many times
since Mr.. Lind 8 removal to Minneapolis. The
report was given currency in this column
months ago. 1t is no longer guessWork, how
ever. Though the ex-governor has preserved |
the silence of Sphinx, and has taken great
| care to guard his intentions from public.l
knowledge; there are several little leaks
through which the information has come to
waiting ears
| The governorship has no charms for Mr..
Lind He ran for second term in 1900
against his wishes and judgment and though |
once in the campaign, he fought hard to win, !!
and was disappointed at the result, he was
rejoiced to be relieved from the cares of the
office. 1t was not the office that he cared for,
but the honor of a political triumph The
only thing that could induce him to enter
the contest this fall would be to wipe out the
bitter defeat of two years ago AS events
have shaped themselves, however, it would
/ be hard work for Of Mr.. Lind princi- |
Piles to make a campaign against Van SAINT.
The present governors bid for popular sup
| port is his hostile attitude toward railway
combination. The candidate against him
would be known as the merger candidate,
whether justly or not. He would have the
| support Of the railway interests, and, while
! this is not to be despised it is also handi-
cap with great share Of the voters.
Even should he win, there would be no new
! honor in it for Governor Lind. It would
/ mean six months campaign and two years
| in Office to the entire neglect of his private
4 business.
| A congressional career is particularly
| tempting just now. Mr.. Lind is said to be
persuaded that if he runs in this district he
| can be elected. This too, with only seven
| weeks campaign, practically confined to the
city of Minneapolis. Once in congress, his
| ability and prestige, added to his former ex-
perience at the capital, would make him at
once leader of the democratic minority. In
all probability he would be the most COM
nlanding figure on the democratic side of the
house, and would have in1tely better oppor-
| tunities to take the lead on national ques-
| tons than In the governors chair. A con-
gressional career would put him in line for
! his ambitions goal, the United States senate.
| The ex-governor is known to have particu-
lar desire to measure swords with Senator
! l[nute Nelson and if the political wheel Of
fortune should so turn by 1907 as to give the
| democrats a chance at the Minnesota legisla-
! ture, Mr.. Lind would be the standard bearer
in the fight against Senator Nelson 8 cleo
ton. s..s. 4.a.. .:.t
No better news than this could >be brought
to Minnesota repubicans-Outside Hennepin
county. They confidently feel that with Lind
off the state ticket, success will be easy. The
governorship, however, is not entirely BAN
| ished from his mind His final decision will
depend on the way the republican state con-
vention conducts itself. bitter struggle for
the governorship would mean party dissenson
and democratic opportunity, and in such
case Mr.. Lind might be prevailed on to con-
slider his candidacy duty. 1t is currently
reported that he prefers to run against Van
| SAINT This is natural. as If he runs he pre-
I fers to beat the man who defeated him In 1900.
However, if Van SAINT is renomlnated by ac-
clamation, as seems probable, and the party
| rallies around him for reelection, it will be
hon c1iD for the dpmOcrapy Mr.
! Lind's best friends say that in such a case
they would not feel like urging him to accept
fourth nomination. -, g.
| L. A. Rosing, private secretary. to Governor
Lind, is willing to be his heir apparent.
While Democratic leaders are still talking
| Linl for governor, Rosing's name has been
mentioned in some quarters, and apparently it
is not distasteful to the chairman of the state
| committee.
The populist attitude toward fusion does not
please the democracy, at least that portion OF
it that has profted by union with the popu-
list" forces. y. p Olson, former assistant
labor commissioner, says in the Anoka Free
| Press: ~ -.l.t.. Is
1 We are in receipt of an advance sheet Of
''populst address issued by State Chairman
Victor E. Lawson, by direction OF the state
| committee. Its sole purpose seems to be to
! advise populists to stand aloof from democ-
racy-to avoid fusion. This means that, In
the eyes Of our populist friends, the mainte-
! ton is of more Importance than the bringing
about of political reforms, which everybody
knows cannot be accomplished without the
| combining Of all the reform forces.
! CAPTAIN C. G. Whitney has some interest
ing gossip in his latest letter to the Marshall
News Messenger. He predicts the nomination
of Van SAINT and says that his opponents have
as motives ''dissapontments in securing for
! themselves or their friends official positions,
or have kindly feeling for, an unwar-
| ranted fear Of corporate influence This
| he believes, is chiefly confined to the three
| large cities, and the country is almost solid
for the governor, including many democrats
and populists.
| State Auditor Dunn he says, is slated for
| the governorshp two years hence. His re-
| lations with Governor Van SAINT are amicable,
and there is cordial understanding between
them. "Mr. Dunn asserts that the governors
| administration has been meritorious, that he
| has been honest, jealous and courageous in
serving and promoting the welfare Of the
state and the people, and that he merits and
will receive the nomination, and will be
elected to succeed himself. All this he en-
phatically AYERS, though admitting that he
has not been in full accord with some of the
governors views"
| This is authoritative as Captain Whitney is
! in a position to speak for the state auditor.
| He is dependent ON that official, and not on
the governor, for his official position Captain
Whitney also gives currency to the report
| that L. A. Rosing will be the democratic
candidate for governor.
| Senator Lowell E. Jepson has filed his
certificate of candidacy for denomination, be-
| ing the first formal entry into the senatorial
| field in Hennepn county. His chances IN the
| forty-fourth district regarded as the best.
The only opponent for the nomination is
Frank S. Lane Now that the boundary lines
have been changed, the district is beloved
to the safely republican.
| Reports from the Todd, Wadena and Hub
| bard district indicate that rival combina-
| ton is after the scalps, of Senator Jones and
Representatives Babcock and O'Neil. Colonel
E. B.~Wood of Long Prairie is the candi-
date for this combination for the senate, while
| Colonel G. A. Whitney Of Wadena and Ed
| Hines of Park Rapids have joined forces as
candidates for the house. Senator Jones may
not desire denomination owing to i'll health
| The Gary Graphic says:
In view of the fact that all other candidates
seem willing to drop out if Senator Myran
I to put us wise as to his intentions. The
| great mental strain on the other ''probabili-
| ties" must be eneryating in the extreme.
! Senator Myran, much to the regret Of his
4 friends persists in his refusal to be a cam
| didate. Owing to the state Of his health he
| cannot remain in this climate winters He is
understood to be favorable to DR.. Watson
| of Red Lake Falls for the senate.
I mn ~ - . . :