The Saint Paul globe., 1902-04-27
Doran's Managers Struggle
to Complete Conquest of
Their Party
BATTLE FOR PRESTIGE
Reese and Schiffmann Assume Con-
troll of MayOraIty Campaign to
Maintain Grip on Organiza-
ton leadership

The Connection of Darius F. Reese and
Fred c.. Schiffmann with the Doran cam
paign furnishes an interesting political
story in itself and strong commentary
on their political sagacity and energies.
Whatever the difference between F. B.
Doran and the committee in nominal
charge of his campaign may be, he will
not be able to lay his defeat to a lack
of expert advice and practical political
management The Doran campaign is in
the hands of two men who are known
in every city, village, hamlet and cross
reads in the state as the fronts and lead
ers of the dominant faction in the Repub-
lIcan party-Darius F. Reese and Fred C.
From the standpoint of purely practi-
cal politics, Mr. Doran could not have
fallen into more experienced hands. Oar
Reese and Fred Schiffmann are the work
ing half of the strongest political partner
ship in the ranks of the Republican party
Of Minnesota. The organization, for or
ganization it is, though it has no more
formal corporation than the bonds of
personal friendship and mutual interest,
is composed of men who have been close
ly associated almost from their boyhood.
They entered politics together, stuck to-
gether through the many political vicis
STUDIES attending the young politician in
the maelstrom of Minnesotas intensely
practical Republican politics, and by dint
of sheer perseverance, won out against
every obstacle, including the most hostile
nOin of fail /
ed to discourage them and at last victory
perched on their banner.
Defeat Has No TerrOrs.
One of their number, Darius F. Reese,
has been twice elected clerk Of the SUI
preme court and is now a candidate for
a third term in the most lucrative elective
office in the gift of the people. It took
them six years to elect q governor; but
they accomplished it, and with 1t secured
the appointment Of Mr.. Schiffmann as
state oil inspector, the best office in point
of monetary emOlument in the gift of the
or the people.
From the election of a governor to a
United States senator was but step, and
following close upon the heels of their
successful state campaign of 1900, Moses
E. Clapp was obliged to secure the pledge
of their support before he dared to an
senate left vacant by the death of Min
nesota's greatest statesman, Senator
Cushman K. Davis.
From the management of the cam
paign of a successful aspirant to the
United States senate to the management
of municipal campaign, is a far cry,
but the men who have been successful
in securing the domination of the state
Republican party have been almost uni
formly unsuccessful in the management
OF municipal campaigns. Their present
fight is Waged with all the desperation of
political generals, accustomed to sway,
and even drive before their organized
power, the backbone of their party, is a
battle to complete their conquest of the
state.
From a disinterested standpoint the
battle led by the masters Of the state
organization, to secure control of the
elusive local situation is full of novel
interest and affords in itself liberal les
son in the educational series of Minnesota
politics. Their ability to dominate the
coming state convention Of their party
depends, in a very large degree, upon
thier success in the municipal campaign
which they are prosecuting to the utmost
of their well known vigor
Their Efforts Landed Doran.
DOrdT
Mr.. Schiffmann was strenuously opposed
TO the former mayor His opposition
was continued so long as there remain
ed a possibility of securing the nomina.
tfon of candidate who might reasonably
be expected to stand a fighting chance
against Mayor Smith. Mr.. Schiffman
and with him his associate politicians
had a personal grievance. The oppos1-
ton was so intense that for several days
Mr.. Schiffmann considered the advisa-
bility Of becoming a candidate for the
nomination himself.
That scheme was abandoned a fortnight
before the primary election, and Reese
Schiffman and their friends threw them
selves into the fight for Dorans nomi-
nation. To their ability to organize the
ward politicians and political workers
Mr.. Doran owes, In a very large degree
his success at the primaries. Immediate
ly after the nominations Mr.. Schiffmann
as the head of the Fourth ward organiza.
ton, the best organized political machine
in st. Paul, was selected as the WARD
representative on Dorans executive com.
mittee. Mr.. Schiffmann substituted his
friend and colleague, Oar Reese, on the
executive committee, and personally took
charge Of the field work. Mr.. Reese easi.
ly stepped into the place of domination
on the committee and the lead Of the
corps of campaign speakers which the
committee put on the stump.
Their control of the campaign, which
had been quietly exercised under cover
as it were, became instantly apparent
The Fourth ward organization, always
to the forefront in Reese and Schiff
mann's fights, stepped into its old place
Of prominence. The city and county
committeeman, disheartened over the Sc
lection of the head of the ticket, the
candidates who were saffron hued with
skeptical members of the executive com
mittee received peremptory jolts.
Took Entire Control.
They were given to understand that e
Doran campaign was under way. The
candidates were at once made to fee
that their policy, Of every man for him
self and knife for the head of the tick.
ct, would have to be carried on apart
from the campaign machine proper Il
had a mayoralty candidate to fight for
and If the candidates purposed to bios.
som under the sunshine of the mayoralty
spring they would have to come in out OF
the wet and put their shoulders to the
wheel to elect the head of the ticket
Most Of the candidates have remained
religiously away from the headquarters
and mixed in the mayoralty campaign as
little as the exigencies Of their owr
cases have permitted, but their apathy
has made no apparent inroads on the
energies which Reese and Schiffmanu
have thrown into the fight
Many prominent Republicans have re-
fused to have anything to do with the
fortunes Of a candidate whom they open
ly admit is going to defeat Other can