The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-19
HENNEPIN HASA MAN
Lawrence H. Johnson Becomes a
Candidate for the Speakership
!: Against DR.. Babcock.
The Field Unites on Johnson and
the Contest Is Sharply
{ s.s Defined. n

Yesterday 1t was the field against Bah
cock in the contest for the speakership of
the Minnesota house. To-day the field is
united. ..
Lawrence FL. johnson of Minneapolis is
the only candidate Of the opposition. He
jumps into the field with twenty -seven
votes from the fifth and seventh districts
pledged and more coming. = +.
The coalition was brought about by
the influence of the state administration,
which has taken up the cudgels against
Babcock. What began with a personal
contest has developed into war between
the Van SAINT administration and the
"antis.'' From the interests that are
backing Mr.. Babcock, the friends of Gov
ernor Van SAINT feel that his election
would mean house inimical to the gov
ernors policy and agnaist effective reform
legislation. ...-. +
The Babcock committees are already
we'll made up. There is evidence of this
and evidence that these committees are
not being made up on administration
lines. So the influence Of the administra-
ton is thrown in the scale for Johnson to
beat Babcock. .r
Rabcock's Claims Attacked.
DR.. Babcock has not made good his
developments. The sixth Endorsed him,
to be sure, and so did the eighth, but they
were foregone conclusions. The fourth
district caucus mustered only FIVE votes,
already pledged to Babcock.
Spark Of Chisago stayed away from the
caucus and is openly for Johnson. Bah
cock claims all but two from the third
district but Nally of Dakota, his lieuten-
ant there, does not call a caucus. 1t looks
as though he, was afraid to risk it, and
the Johnson men calm that Kelly is the
only man in the district tied to Babcock.
The rest are unpledged and undecided,
although it is charged that Joel P. Heat
wole called them all up by telephone the
other day and pledged them to line up for
Babcock.
The second has not caucused, although
the Babcock men claim a majority. w. A.
Hilton is the only man who has come out
for the ,Wadena candidate. S. D. Peter
son of New Ulrn, one of the old members
has been a Johnson man from the start
Norman Of Blue Earth, who came in to-
day, said he was not committed to any
candidate.
B. T. Bennett of Fosston was the onl,
ninth district man on the ground to-day
He was not committed.
-. 81. The Doubtful Ninth.
1t is understood that Benefits col.
league, Krostue, has. called ninth dis
trict caucus to meet in Crookston to-mor-
row. If this. turns out to be the case, the
campaign will be shifted to the ninth
which both sides claim.
Austin was the seat of war to-day, st
Paul was comparatively quiet, the frs
district caucus attracted a number of out.
siders, Lawrence Johnson and DR.. Bah
cock went down to look after their in
terests, Johnson was accompanied b,
George W. Armstrong, chairman of tn,
Hennepin steering. committee: E. w
! Spark of Chisago, N. w. Benson of thu
seventh steering committee, and J. o
! Haugland, the seventh district candidate
who withdrew yesterday in Johnson's, fa
vor. DR.. Babcock was f1anked by w. w
Rich. - s..
! The johnson men, hope much from thi.
caucus, as Burns and Morley, the first dis
trict candidates, went down last nigh
| to swing the dis rict for Johnson.
johnson Headquarters Opened.
Johnson headquarters were opened to
| day at the Merchants hotel by Thomas H
| Girling. Several Of the Hennepin delega
ton joined him in the afternoon. Messrs
Gandrud and Ofsthun Of the seventh dis
trict committee were also on hand work
| ing for johnson.
| Babcock has made no substantial gail
| this week. While apparently near tn,
coveted prize he does not get any neare
and every day his campaign drags alont
| the harder for him to win. 1t was pre-
| dicted to-day that If the first district de-
clared for johnson the Hennepin mar
! would win. The Babcock men are tryins
| to arouse the country members agains
Johnson as the city candidate, but the ole
country members regard him as one O.
themselves. 1t is not country against cit,
but Van SAINT against 1.-The insurgents al
over again.