The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-28
The LATEST TURNS
IN STATE POLITICS
As SEEN BY CAREFUL POLITICAL OBSERVERS AT HOME
.=". WASHINGTON 5
The Possible Candidacy of Thomas
Lowry for the United States SEN
ate and Its Bearing on State Pol
itics. -. 49,. ,.. ~ 49,:

Lowry Tor the United States Sem
ate and Its Bearing on State Pol
itics. 49,. ...,... - - 49,.
a HOME VIEW
VIII Thomas Lowry be candidate for
United States senator next year, r r.,
In Minneapolis there is strong impress
sion that he will This Is based on num-
erous indications that have cropped out
within the past few months. At the same
time, there is little credence placed in
reports from Washington. heralding the
Lowry candidacy as already ANNOUNCED"
The time Is not opportune for such all
announcement While in Washington,
Mr.. Lowry might have dropped hint to
Senator Clapp. who Is a good personal
friend of his to the effect that they will
be opponents again before the legislature
Of 1905, but he would not have gone
farther.
Tangible evidence Of the Lowry can
ddacy was seen in some Of the primary
election contests Ia st fall. when an active
hand was taken in several legislative dis
trcts, to nominate men friendly to him.
AS a rule these efforts were successful
and as far as the senatorial delegation
from Hennepln Is concerned, the Lowry
interests seem now in pretty good shape.
II he becomes candidate, Mr.. Lowry
will go against the advice Of some Of his
OSSt AtlelluS DIS he ulU TWO years ago.
They presented some strong reasons to
him then why he should not enter the
fight and they will doubtless do so again.
In fact, there are a good many considera-
tions bound to weigh heavily when Mr..
Lowry comes to make his final decision.
He seems to have serious intentions at
present. but may be deferred from
formally entering the race, by the man.
obstacles that lie in the way. They are
obstacles that do not confront him alone,
but any other man from Hennepin who
should have such aspirations.
How cIapp Stands.
In the first place Senator Clapp seems
quite strongly intrenched. He is better
known than two years ago. and has the
prestige of service. AS a young senator
he has not made any signal achievement
but his record has been pretty generally
Endorsed. as far as it has gone, and the
state convention last summer Endorsed
him along with Senator Nelson, praising
both senators by name and declaring the
belief that "our welfare is best subserved
by a continuance of their eminence and
ability In their present high stations
Another state convention will intervene
before the senator is elected and the feel
ing last year was that this declaration
was premature and uncalled for, but the
fifty-two republican senator's who will
vote in 1906 were elected last fall on that
PLATFORM and a majority have already
declared themselves for Clapp's re-eleca
ton. The Great Northern influence
which is still the most powerful single in
terest In the states politics. preferred
Capp to Lowry in 1901, and would again
In 1905. In the 1904 elections 1T would
probably seek to manipulate the choice of
house members for Clapp. Then. too, the
junior senator has won the good will and
active friendship of Senator Nelson, who
two years ago favored Evans.
Another Dunn Combination.
The political horoscope now promises
4 combination between Senator Clapp for
supported in general by the same men
who won the speakership fight for DR..
Babcock. 1t is believed that the Heat
wole machine in the third district would
be In this combination, and that Heat
wole is not an aspirant just now for
either of" these high offices. He is in
line for fat government position, and
wants to be a boss in Minnesota, a repu-
tation he could gain by managing a state
campaign and landing winners for both
Eovernorship. and senate. NO man IN
state politics is closer to James D. Hill
than Heatwole. and the latter would
never be a discordant element in any plan
or combination favored by the president
Of the Great Northern.
This combination. it will be observed,
leaves out Minneapolis. There Is very
good reason for that, considering the
hoodoo, that pursued Minneapolis candl-
dates in past years. and the everlasting
disposition in Hennepin county to oppose
the home candidate.
The Hennepln Situation.
The situation in Hennepin county would
have to, be right. to begin with, before
Mr.. Lowry or any other candidate here
could enter the fight with any show Of
success, and the chances seem small at
present that this county could be prop
erly harmonized.
In the first place. the state convention
comes several months before the cleo
ton of a senator, and there is we'll
defined movement here toward the NOM
nation Of C. A. Smith for governor. If
Mr. Smith should enter the field, he
would, Of course, have first chnce to Sc
cure the support of his home county.
Should he be nominated, that would
prejudice the country against the adj
vancement of another Hennepin county
man to the senatorship. Knowing this,
there would doubtless be clash between
the Smith and Lowry forces. dangerous,
IT, not disastrous to both. If Smith lost,
his following would be hard to reconcile
to the Lowry candidacy.
After the senatorial fight two years
ago, the friends Of r. G.. Evans were very
bitter against Lowry, charging him with
Evans defeat. Since the death Of Mr..
Evans this feeling has for the most part
worn away, but not so the animosities
Of the campaign of last fall. Some Of
the successful candidates for the legisla-
ture had to fight against the Lowry in
fuence. and cannot easily forgive tina t
fact Those who were beaten are still
more dlsinclined to stand for him, and
some of them threaten to run for. the
house again next year. just to get even.
A half-dozen such recalcitrants on the
delegation would be heavy handicap
to the home candidate.
The power Of this element was shown
In the recent speakershtp fight, which re-
suited finally in turning nine of the f1f-
teen house members from Hennepin away
from the home man. OF COURSE, Law
renee H. johnson for speaker and Thomas
Lowry for senator are two different prop
ositions, but the strength Of the anti
Lowry element in Hennepin is not to be
denied.
The attitude Of the state administra-
ton in such a, contest would probably be
favorable to Lowry as against Clapp, be-
cause of the strong feeling Of the gov
ernor and his friends against the Great
Northern. However,. the Van SAINT in
fuence will probably be against Dunn In
the governorship contest, and unless some
strong outside candidate should develop
it would be favorable to C. A. Smith. A
, combination between Smith and Lowry
as already explained, is not to be ex-
pected. %ss@ = 81.
Minneapolis has the strongest sort OF
claim on the senatorship. but Mime
apolis' hard luck is traditional in state