The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-13
Average Circulation
THE JOURNAL
for month Of August
:55,457
Encouraging for Mr.. Hay.

AS the campaign for the primary cleo
ZION draws to q close with the approach
Of the primary election day, interest In
the local contests becomes more intense
and the various candidates are putting
forth the final efforts that Will bear tnen
down the home stretch and under the
wire, victorious or defeated
Owing to the Importance Of the Office,
the characteristic qualities Of the oppos-
ing candidates and the strenuous and de-
terrntned nature Of the campaign which
all Of them have conducted, the fight Tor
the republican nomination to congress
has been the most interesting. More peo-
ole are curious and anxious to know inc
outcome of the battle Of the ballots Tor
this place than of any other contest
During the campaign there have been
some very considerable changes IN the
relative positions of the three candldates'
Mr.. Fletcher started out with the pres
tiee of actual possession Of the office and
the ADVANTAGE Of long custom. He was
the most thoroughly advertised candidate
of the three and people had been accus-
toned to him as congressman for nine
wears. Mr.. Peterson in respect to pre-
vious acquaintance to the voters, personal
and public, was more advantageously slt-
uated than Mr.. Hay. He had contln-
,,ously been in local politics for num-
her of wears, and was in close touch with
a large number Of active and shrewd party
workers, though perhaps Mr. Fletcher en-
:1oyed this advantage to an even greater
degree.
Mr.. Hay began the campaign with the
disadvantage Of not having recently oeen
In politics He was thus not SO well
known to the voters or so well IN touch
with persons who could quickly form a
good political organization. But hard
work has supplied one Of these deficiencies
and the enthusiasm of a large number OF
gentlemen intent upon seeing Minneapolis
represented in Washington by the best
available man has supplied the other. To-
day Mr.. Hay is as we'll known to the
voters as his competitors and has a
vigorous and capable organization behind
him. On the platform he has from the
first appeared to better advantage than
either Mr. Fletcher or Mr.. Peterson. His
campaign has been on a higher plane than
Mr.. Fletcher's and has not been marked
by the personalities which have character
lied Mr. Peterson's opposition to Mr..
Fletcher On the other hand, Mr.. Hay
has not suffered reactive injuries as Mr..
Fletcher has from the violent attacks
made on Mr.. peterson by some Of Mr..
Fletcher's supporters.
By frank yet courteous, tactful, con-
ciliatory campaign. Mr.. Hay has put
himself in a position to profit by most OF
the causes tending to deplete the forces
Of the other candidates. For these rea-
sons and his manifest qualifications for
the office, Mr.. Hay has been constantly
and rapidly growing factor in the contest
At first it was generally thought that Mr.
Fletcher led, that Mr.. Peterson was sec
ond and Mr.. Hay last. Two weeks age
good judges said that in their opinion Mr.
Hay had advanced to second place, anc
to-day. in the opinion of many com.
petent observers, Mr.. Hays prospects fol
beating Mr.. Fletcher are excellent.