The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-23

election of delegates to the state convention
Senator Spooner's name was used for the pur-
pose OF defeating the denomination of Gov
ernor La Toilette and the readoption of plat
form pledges, in every precinct and county in
the state. The use of his name was carried
to the extent of printing 1t and his picture
Upon tickets where it had no rightful place.
The permissive use 4of his name by the
"leaeue.'' the nature OF the pre-convention
campuign made by them, furnished the pre-
text for partizans upon either side within the
party to say, and for disturbers outside, the
party TO repeat: = f2sA %1E y. So &
First-That the denomination of Governor
La Toilette as governor was hostile to Senator.
Spooner's reelection as senator, and
Second-That the election of a legislature
favorable to Senator Spooner was incompati-
bic with the republican, party's performance
Of It's platform pledges * = s
: The convention had to take notice of this
situation. 3 T. = . .f- -
The logical conclusion the only course open
to the 1eony ention, the only practical settle-
gment of the problem with which it had to
deal, was to. pledge the support Of the party
to Senator Spooner's reelection if he ex-
pressed his willingness to be a candidate in
harmony with the election of a legislature
favorable to the enactment of it's pledges into
Law. = ''' >, ( - -. - ......, - Z
AS to the platform proposition to nominate
candidates by direct vote, it certainly would
not affect the dignity of any republican, what
ever his Individual opinions, to place himself
as a candidate in harmony with the expressed
wishes of the great majority of his party on
this pledge. IT is not the surrender of some
opinton upon a question of inallenable right,
it is not yielding upon some proposition which
would be against conscience, ~. - 34e.
l. '..-- Governor Evs. Senator. l'"&f ):
Governor La Toilette, in his acceptance
speech, said plainly and unequivocally, II in
dorse every pledge Of this Dlatform."> This
placed him OH record as 1ndorsng Senator
Spooner's reelection to the senate If the
senator we're in accord with the platform and
for the election of a legislature to carry out
those pledges. a.. .*5a .1.:. !-s-> ~.
HOW much stronger the reason for friends
of Governor La Toilette to insist that after
the use that had been permitted of Senator
Spooner's name, the governor should not he
| compeled to accept platform that Endorsed
him for the United States senate even upon
| complying with condition, than for Senator
| Spooners friends to Insist that he should not
be ASKED to conform to this platform scondi-
! tion. SO essential to the party unity, and vel
fare That Governor La Toilette indorsed the
nlatform Internationally Is the best evidence
Of entire absence of ulterior motive. - &''''s
"Keeping Up the Fight"
The unanimity with which this honest, un.
| eouiyocal sincere Endorsement of Senator
Spooner has been decried by his false friends
as an attempt to "slaughter,'' insult" and
"sacrifice' him, shows a well-concerted plan
to discredit the work Of the convention, nc
matter how conscientiously done, and to tkeer
up the fight against equal and just taxation
and nominations by direct vote, after the
convention, in the same spirit, along the
same line, and under the same cover; as be-
! fore. .'...
There is no excuse for this, and republi
| cans should not tolerate 1t. The issues of ar
election campaign were never more thorough
y canvassed and better understood thar