The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-03
Minneapolis Contingent Re-
sends Resolutions Expect
ed to Hold Delegation
Solid for Johnson = Bab-
cock Men Construe Action
as Insuring Their Success
Quest for a Third Can,
didate.

The Hennepin delegation yesterday
afternoon abrogated the unit rule. ,,n-
der which it was hoped to hold it solid
Tor Lawrence H. Johnson, the Mime
apolis candidate for speaker.
Ihe abrogation of the unit rule by
the Hennepin delegation is considered
by the Babcock people as sealing the
tate OF johnson and insuring the cleo
tlop or the Wadena man. The Johnson
leaders claim that the only effect Of the
aprogat1on is the release of four mem
oers OF the delegation who would not
vote for Johnson under any circum-
stances, and that they still have a ma
jority of the delegation.
The administration or state central
committee strikers. while willing to ad-
NIT that the disintegration of the Hem
nepln delegation means the defeat of
Johnson, insist that it will result in the
entry and election of a third candidate.
w. Z. Fraser, of Rochester, a johnson
man, yesterday sprung into prominence
as the Moses selected to lead the scat
tered speakership forces to victory, but
so tar Mr.. Fraser has declined to al
| low his name to be presented to the
caucus, and impartial observers are. in
s1stent in the claim that a dark horse
cannot get in the race
Seek Third Candidate.
Before the meeting of the Hennenin
delegation it was generally conceded
! that the fate of the Hennepin county
man rested on his ability to defeat the
movement for abrogation of the. unit
rule. One of the avowed Johnson or
PanS declared tba+ +I,i,7
must be brought out to save the party,
and Minneapolis Johnson organ an
ticipated the action of the caucus by
lacing into the state central committee
for its interference with the speaker
ship row, and charging the politicians
surrounding the governor with causing
the defeat of the Hennepin county man
by dragging false issues into the speak
ership contest.
The meeting of the Hennepin dele
cation was secured by the Rabcock
men. During the morning it was ru-
mored that the Johnson men would re-
fuse to attend, and that they would
make strenuous effort to prevent the
attendance of a majority The better
politicians evidently pointed out the
suicidal effect of such policy, and the
possibility of staying off disaster by a
full attendance. Bardwell and Nolan
were not present. but their proxies
were held by Halliweu and Fosseen,
respectively.
Vote Was Decisive.
There was no attempt to consider
any business other than the aorOea-
ton OF the unit rule. The vote was
TO in favor of the proposition, and on
motion Of one of the Johnson men was
made unanimous.
Based on the assumption that the
johnson organs were correctly inform
ed When advancing the statement that .
Johnson's election depended upon his
ability to hold the Hennepin delega-
alton to the unit rule, the action of the
caucus is considered by the politicians
not directly interested as insuring the
defeat Of the Hennepin candidate One
of the Babcock men on the Hennepin
delegation stated after the caucus that
the original purpose of the meeting did
not in any sense, involve the indorse-
ment of any candidate, but it was de-
signed simply to show who was in con-
troll. Prior to the meeting Minneapo-
lis men were of the opinion that abro-
cation of the unit rule would result in
throwing the votes of Deming, Fosseen.
Smith and BardwelI to Bebcock, and
thereby insure him a majority of the
delegation, as Armstrong, Stevenson,
L y OCA 6CA ciAAO 4NOldu nave Dcen WIN
the Wadena man from the start.
Simply to Show Strength.
George w. Armstrong, one of the
Babcock leaders on the Hennepin dele
cation, yesterday said a meeting to re-
lease the members from the unit rule
was unnecessary He based his asser-
ton on an alleged failure of agreement.
Armstrong says that when the Henne-
pin delegation indorsed Johnson, it was
with the understanding that the First
district delegation was to mount the
Johnson band wagon the same day, and
that, also contingent on the First'S in
dorsement, an adjourned meeting was
to be called the following Monday The
adjourned meeting has never been call
ed, which failure Armstrong considered
a breach of pledge and release.
While some of the erstwhiIe Johnson
organs are clamOring for his Withdraw
al in favor of q dark horse, Johnson i5
not so complaisant 1t is several weeks
since he expressed himself as une-
quivocally opposed to third candi-
date movement and he has within the
last few days refused to be interviewed
on the subject. But johnson wishes to
be speaker in the first person, and has
taken none too kindly to the attempt to
throw him. The third-candidate men
argue that Johnson will indeed be un-
grateful if he will not consent to throw
Jamison has done for him." but ap-
parently Johnson cannot see how
great deal has been done for him, If
he is not elected speaker.
Some of Johnson's friends are in
clined to ascribe the detection in the
Hennepin delegation to the efforts of
Congressman Loren Fletcher, who they
say is getting square fer Jamisons op-
position to "Your Uncle" Loren in the
primaries and the resultant election
of John Lind to congress from Henpe-
pin.
Governors Myterious Hand.
The actual effect OF Gov. Van SAINTS
interest and advice In the speakership
contest becomes, in light of yesterdays
Developments, problem deep and
mysterious. Members have been called
into the governors Office, and executive
light let into the speakership dark
ness. Johnson organs have claimed
that Gov. Van SAINT has made it plain
he wants Johnson elected. Others, that
he has made 1t plain that the election
Of Babcock would be construed as an
affront to him. Yet yesterday after
noon members Of the Henenpin delega-
tion went from the governors Office to
the caucus and voted for abrogation OF