The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-12-17


Collins. Following it the air is heavy
with rumOrs of confabs and CONFER
ences as to. his successor. It is even
said that you are considering the
question of his successor from the
standpoint of party interest: perhaps
Of Judge Collins interest would be
more accurate. The latest rumor is
that the place must be given to Mime
apOlis as consolation purse for los
ing something else. The condition
that impresses the Dispatch in all this
is the unquestioned assumption that
this office is a political one, to be used
to further party or aspirant's purpose
and not, as you regarded it in the
days when you were fighting for the
installation of State control. as a
strictly business Office to be managed
in the interests of the whole public.
regardless of political parties.
The Dispatch is moved by these
rumors to have a word with you upon
the subject generally. and the appoint
ment of Mr.. Martin s successor impair
ticular. 1t will ask you to refresh
your memory: to recall the arguments
made by the opponents of the bill to
create the board: that one, among
others, and the strongest of them, that
the board, in the hands of a gov
ernor who sank public in self-interest,
could make it the most powerful politi-
cal machine in the State. And you
felt that the objection was so strong
that you repudiated it's possibility I'M
der your administration and, when
the bill became an act, refuted the ar
gument by making appointments the
excellence Of which commanded gen.
eral approval. The record made by
the board has INDICATED both the
policy and your selection. The first
rule it adopted was that partisanry
should cut no figure whatever in any
act of the board. Criticism has been
silenced by the ability, the fairness
and the strict business management
of the board.
The Dispatch is free to say to you
that your appointment of Mr.. Martin
was distinct disappointment. What
ever qualifications he may have for
the work of the board. the appoint
ment was accepted as chiefly political
in motive and purpose. It was so &C.
cepted by those who had argued the
possibility of a political machine, and
they chuckled at this early confrma-
ton OF their prediction. They are
now depressing chuckles until. as they
anticipate, you make another political
deal in appointing his successor. But
the glee of the opponents of the policy
OF State control is a minor and neg
ligible matter. The serious question
is the effect had upon public opinion
by the appointment referred to. and
the farther effect should these rumors
prove true and the successor be
chosen, not for his ability to grasp
and perform the work of the board.
but to advance somebody's political
ambition.
Do not delude yourself with the
thought that opposition to the State
control policy is squelched. 1t is as
active as ever. It is not fighting now
in the open, but under cover. 1t is
using the machine argument: that the
board is to be made a political, not
business: machine. Nothing could
strengthen them so much, nothing so
endanger the permanency of the policy
as to have this idea get general ac-
ceptance. If the Dispatch believed it,
it would demand the repeal of the law.
Ii the public get to believing it they
will repeal it. The suspicion will be
Influenced or squelched by the charac-
ter OF the man you select to succeed
MIR. Martin. If you pass over the
schemlng of these little fellows and
choose some man because he is hon
est: because he looks on office as a
trust and not snap: who is bust
ness man, with business instincts and
habits and backbone, the policy will
be Immediately strengthened. If the
appointment smacks in any degree of
politics, your successor may have pre-
scented to him for approval a bill to
abolish the board.-St. Paul DISPATCH,
Dec. l.
ANOTHER WORD, GOVERNOR.
There is a flock of unpleasant ru-
mors lowering over the capitol that
pose you as engaged in considering
the effect of the appointment of a. SUI
preme court judge to fill the vacancy
anticipated in the resignation. of Judge
Collins, not with a view to select from
the bench or bar of the State the man
who is best fitted for that high position
but one whose appointment will bring
strength to Judge Collins candidacy
for the nomination of governor. These