The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-08
FILLMORE IS MIXED
Knatvold Had It in His Pocket Once,
but Tawney Men Have Been
- Hustling.
Cuban Reciprocity and the Lumber
Issue Made to Plague the
.. Winona Candidate.
From a Staff CORRESPONDENT.

From Staff Correspondent.
Preston, Mimi, Sept. S.-James A. Taw-
ney has made the acquaintance Of sew
eral hundred of his Fillmore county con-
stituents in the last week. It is new
thing for the Winona congressman to get
around among the rank and file of the
voters, shake hands and give them a
"joy." 1t was hard to come down to
it, but he did it gracefully, and the hon
est citizens Of this county are in closer
touch with their congressman than ever
in their lives.
Mr.. Tawney is visbly worried. In city
after city that he has visited, he has
found old and trusted supporters standing
aloof from him, and openly working for
his rival. He realizes that he Is in a
fight, one which the new primary law
makes doubly uncertain, and although
sure that his prestige and organization
will win for him, he is taking no chances
He is working like a harvest hand for
votes.
When Candidate .Knatvold first struck
this country. he took it by storm and up
to the last week it has been regarded a
Knatvold stronghold. Mr.. Tawney evil
IDENTIFY made up his mind that Fillmore
needed missionary work, for he has spent
both time and money here. Through his
lieutenants, he has organized the county
and reached the individual voter and has
produced reaction which appears to
make this county nearly an even thing.
Mr.. Tawney is stung to the quick by
the attacks of the Knatvold papers. His
mad is up, and whether his friend Shevlin
ever said it or not, the congressman is
determined to make two spot out of
knatvold."
Mr.. Tawney's republican opponents
have not only put on the gloves with him;
they have gone after him with bare
Oh To &c In orfn
as hghwayman, holding up the farmer
while the lumber trust empties his pock-
cts, and the democratic arguments OF the
Brown campaign are reproduced with adj
ditions. Attention is called to the fact
that on three different occasions the lum-
bermen have acknowledged through their
trade papers the valuable services Of Mr..
Tawney in preventing reduction Of the
tariff.
The campaign began on the Cuban rec
1procity issue, which carried for Knatvold
and against TaWney many thinking men.
This is now being followed up by the lum-
Der ISSUE which appeals to the pockets of
the farmers. Some of the Knatvold men
denounce TaWney as unsparingly the
democrats ever did, and the street dis
oussions that go on every day in the vii
lagos of the first district remind one of the
days of 1896.
Shocks the Old Timers
This naturally brings a revulsion Of
sentiment against Knatvold, among the
radical old line republicans. Some who
first declared for knatvold are now de-
nouncing the use Of democratic argu-
ments, and are supporting Tawney. He
has gained many in this way in Fillmore
county, an old time republican strong
hold.
On the other hand thereeare wavering
republicans, not only here but all over
the district, who are strongly influenced
by this lumber tariff argument. They
say: I'VE didn't take any stock in it two
years ago, when the democrats were using
it. We thought then it was campaign
lie, but now republicans are giving it to
and there seems to be something in
it, Men who have bought large bills OF
lumber since the 1900 campaign are es-
pecially amenable to this argument. 1t is
a question whether some Of these votes
will not be cast for the democratic can
didate, Senator McGovern, in case Taw-
ney is nomina ted.
This is the present hope of the democ-
racy, and their leaders in every county
are hoping for Tawney's nomination
They have the ammunition all ready fol
him. They will simply take up the
Knatvold arguments and hammer them in
and there are many republicans who will
not be able to answer them back a word
Blame the Primary Law.
enemies for the primary election Law
among the party leaders. They say tina
in the history Of the party in this section
republicans were never so by the ears a
they are now
'It will take us five years to bring thing
back to where they were before this fight,
said a prominent Fillmore county poll
tician to-day. This congressional figh
has made wide split among the repub
licans, that it will take long years to heal
If the law isn't repealed this winter
can't answer for what will happen in tw
years MORE
This Is the feeling Of many, and will b
= heard from next winter.
Interest in the primary campaign is in
tense in this county. where there is a con
test among the republicans for almost ev
cry office The danger is that the prmar
election will be the real election. Man
are of the opinion that larger republican
vote will be cast Sept. 16 than Nov
Every candidate has his friends, and wi
get them out at the primary election
Nomination is election here, and there vii
be no effort worth speaking Of to get GU
the vote in November.
The primaries come at bad time, but
large vote Is expected. Two years ag
Fillmore county gave Tawney 3,426 votes
and Block for state treasurer, 3.5O6. 1
the absence Of presidential election, n
one counts on a full vote, but many pre-
dict 5000. 1t will depend on weather con
ditions, but 1900 would be a very faj
turn out.
Sentiment by Localities.
It is impossible to predict how TaWne
and Knatvold will divide this vote. Fill
more county is territory of small VII
lagos, each one center for a farmin
population, and conditions differ in eac
locality. Preston has a strong Knatvol
sentiment, and the farmers surroundin
the town will probably help to give hil
q plurality. Chatfield and vicinity are fc
Tawney, Rushford leans strongly to Knat
void, and Lanesboro somewhat to Tawne.
Harmony and Mabel; along the Rer
branch, where Tawney has just made
personal canvass, will give him a larg
vote. Spring Valley is still torn up over
postoffice fight, and the factions are ratl
er evenly divided with the odds in fave
of Knatvold The Norwegian country Sc
Elements are hard to get line on, ar
both sides claim them, but it seems tn;
Norway is for Knatvold, while Pill
Mound and Irondale lean to TaWney.
The Fillmore county fair will be he
at Preston next week, and both cand
dates will be there. Knatvold is a bett