The Minneapolis journal., 1902-11-24
STILL A CLOSE RACE
Both Sides in the Minnesota Speak
ership Contest Il Are Still Claim
20. ..-.. ing Victory.
Caucuses in the Second and Ninth
Districts Tomorrow May
Settle the Matter.

Administration and "anti'' forces in the
speakership fight fought another round tc
a draw Saturday afternoon, and this
morning both sides were still claiming
victory. e.. : r. ,s'ssg r.&.s-... p, =. ~. ss- y
The fifth district stands pat by John
son. The first district steering commit
tee declared for BabcOck, but several OF
the delegation refuse to be bound by it,
and say they will never. vote for Bah
cock. .,, - ...-. f. II ;-,,r#
Two district caucuses will be held to-
morrow. The second will meet at Mali
kato, and the ninth at Crookston. Lead
ers on both sides will be present at these
caucuses. which may settle the struggle.
If both should go one way. it would prac-
tically finish the fight. Up to date: the
gladiators have been we'll matched, and
as fast as one side scored an advantage,
the other would match the play. ',
The fifth district stands by the admin
istra tion. After giving Van SAINT 1000
majority, the representatives from the
district could hardly so back on the will
of the people, and turn over the house
organization to hostile influences. :.
The caucus held Saturday was very
quiet. Only one vote was taken, and that
was decisive. It was taken on the in
dorsement Of johnson. Twelve votes
were cast for Johnson, and one against,
two not voting. The one negative vote
was cast by a member not present, who
left his proxy with instructions.
Ten Of the fifteen will stand by John
son in every meeting Of the delegation.
The unit rule still holds, and the others
will vote for Johnson with possibly the
one exception.
First District Divided. 49,.
The first district steering committee re-
fused to come to Johnson at it's meeting
Saturday afternoon, and because Henne-
pin would not leave Johnson and come
out for some first district man, the COM
npittee declared for Babcock. The Bab-
cock men claim that this carries with it
the fifteen votes of the first district but
seven of the fifteen have already made
pledges not to vote for Babcock. S. A.
Nelson of Lanesboro and William Wohl-
huter Of Freeborn county were present
and declared they would not be ''sold out"
by the steering committee. D. Sinclair of
Winona and A. j. Lohern of Waseca also
repudiated the committees action.
The Hennepin delegates are very indig-
nant at Burns of Fillmore. They say that
Burns was one of the principal causes OF
bringing Johnson out. He undertook In
the presence of men from the first In line
seventh districts to; bring the first in line
for Johnson If he would only be a. candf-
date, The first district caucus at Aus
tin was attended by. nine members. OF
whom seven were anti-Babcoek,. including
Burns. The steering committee was ap"
pointed of men supposed to be against
Babcock, with one exception. Burns inme-
diately came back to. st. Paul and wanted
promises from Johnson. The Hennepir
man held to his rule, which has been en-
forced from the first: He will promise
no committee appointments. He tolc
Burns that he would be fairly treated
This did not satisfy Burns, who announced
that he was not out. of the speakershir
fight himself. He held conference with
Babcock, and ON Friday changed front en-.
tirely, announcing that he was for the Wa
dena man.. He is said to be on the Bah.
cock slate for. chairman of the appropria
tions committee, the place so long held b,
J.. F.. jacobson. *t@l& .->@G: - ''~.-
>~%' Issue Sharply Defined
AS the fight goes on, the .line-up i:
more distinct every day between the force!
Of the state administrat ton and the rail-
road influence. DR.. yBabcock's S following il
not all Of that character but all of tina
element is for Babcoclz. as far as heart
from. Senator -elect Ferris was about tn,
first man to suggest Babcock for speaker
Congressman Heatwole has been his prin
cipal backer, and although half the Du1utl
delegation has been pulled away from Bah
csock by the administration influence, Sen
ators Hawkins and Laybourn and Georg,
P. Mallory are working hard for Babcoclz
W. H. Noyes Of aBrnum, who fought Val
SAINT up to election day: and whose record
in the house was such that he did not com,
up for denomination, is on the grount
fighting for Babcock. w. w. Rich Of st
Paul.: another ex-n1ember Of the sam,
record, is a leading Babcock shouter
Opponents of the doctor reason tina
where all these are gathered together OF
one side of the controversy, there must b,
some reason for it. ' -.