The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-24
JOHNSON ASKS +. J.
FOR A CAUCUS
He Thinks the Republican Legisla-
tors Are Ready to Select
the Speaker.
His Letter to DR.. Babcock Requests
That Action Be Taken
at Once.
Babcock, for His Part, Will Not
Answer Before Tomorrow
District Caucuses.

The Babcock bluff has been called.
Lawrence H. Johnson, candidate Tor
speaker of the house. to-day invited DR..
Babcock to join with him in calling an
immediate caucus. 1t is up TO the doctor.
II Dr.. Babcocl1 has a majority OF the
republican members pledged to him, as
he claims. he is expected to agree to the
proposition. and bring the contest i'm
mediately to a 'show down..
The proposal was made to-day In let
ter delivered to DR.. Babcock at his room
In ST. Paul. 1t read as follows:
"St. Paul Mimi. Nov. "a 1902.
"Hon. L. w. Babcock, st. Paul, MINI.
My dear sir:-Believng that best In
terests of the republican party will be
best served by an immediate decision as to
the present contest for speaker Of the
house of representatives for the thirty
third session Of the Minnesota legislature.
and the lines being clearly drawn and
no other gentlemen except you and myself
being involved as candidates for this high
honor. now ask you to join with me in
calling caucus for all the republican
members elect to meet at the earliest pos
sible moment In st. Paul and decide whom
they want to serve them as their speaker.
Il hereby pledge myself to abide by
and Loyalty support the decision of ma
jority OF our republican colleagues on this
subject
My reason for demanding this imme-
date action which I believe can and
should be had within week. is. as above
stated, that we may serve the best in
terests of the republican party. and save
ourselves and friends a great deal Of an
Hoyance and expense.
"Knowing that you will join with me
In the sentiment that our colleagues elect
are sufficiently interested to have before
this fully made up their minds on ALL
questions involved, I hope that may have
request.
TN the meantime, believe me to be
yours respectfully,
Il. H. Johnson,
Representatives elect. Forty-third dis
trict."
Johnson's friends say they have no fear
Of the result. They have pledges from
sixty members who will not go to Bah
cock, not including any from the first dis
trict and only counting ten in Hennepin,
which is a very conservat tive figure. Near
~ all these have agreed to come to John
son, and he is considered the logical anti
Babcock candidate, the only one on whom
she opposition can unite.
Johnson Makes No Terms:
Propositions for committee promises
have been made to johnson by, the Bah
cock forces. but he has declined to make
any terms with them. He will neither
concede Babcock the speakership, nor tie
his own hands with any promises in case
Of his own election. He has uncondi-
tonally rejected all propositions coming
from the Babcock camp and the foregoing
letter is his rejoinder.
Hennepin will not caucus tonight.
Nessrs. Armstrong and Stevenson claim
that the Johnson Endorsement does not
hold after o'clock this evening, and that
after that time they are free to go where
they please. 1t will not be possible, how
ever, to get a, caucus tonight.
''As far as I am concerned said Law
renee Johnson to-day, "if the Hennepin
members do not stand by a local man
now, there will never be another caucus
OF the delegation called with my con-
sent"
J. H. Burns Of Lanesboro denies that
Babcock has promised him anything, and
says that he does not want the commit
tee on appropriations, which rumor credits
him with securing on the Babcocz slate.
The Seventh for Johnson.
J. o. Haugland Of Montevdeo arrived
IN st. Paul to-day. He says the rumors
of break in the seventh are without
ances from all but one of the twelve
members that they are against Babcock
and will vote for Johnson. The Babcock
claim Of seven votes in this district seems
ABOUT as well FOUNDED as their claims or
seven in Hennepin.
One Of the seventh district men who is
claimed for Babcock has written a let
ter in which he gives his reasons for OPP
posing the doctor. He recently visited
Wadena and learned that at the county
convention last spring Dr. Babcock
worked hard against resolution Of in
dorsement for Van SAINT. He also learned
that the railroad influence was with the
doctor in his fight for denomination.
The Johnson forces are confident that
they will win in both the second and the
ninth districts Tomorrow. They claim
seven out of the third district which will
not caucus.
DR.. Babcock said this afternoon that he
would not reply to Johnson's proposition
until the results Of the second and ninth
district caucuses were known Tomorrow
he said it was a scheme to influence
these Caucuses.