The Minneapolis journal., 1903-11-11
MINNESOTA POLITICS

Il the Dunn campaIgn--Attacks OF, Gov
ernor Van SAINT Showed that They Ex-
Pected Third Term candldacy-Gpa
Wldell Possible Candidate for Score.
tary OF state--st Cloud Man Mentioned
for Supreme Bench.
Il The much talked OF third man has
been brought into the glibernatorial race.
The announcement Of Judge Loren w.
Collins. published in Il h e Jsourna al yes
terday. put an entirely new face on the
situation. Beyond question. 1t came as a
great surprise to The supporters of Mr..
Dunn, who had fully counted on Governor
Van Sant being a candidate for third
term, and had been conducting a vigorous
anti-Van SAINT, anti third term campaign.
They had construed the governors inter-
view OF last week as a preparatory gun.
to be followed soon by an announcement
of his candidacy. They We're mistaken,
and will have to shift their plans. They
cannot fight third termism, or personal
prejudice against the governor and an ag-
gressive campaign is now out Of the ques-
ton. Judge Collins public record pre-
sents nothing vulnerable
j Much will be made OF. the charge that
Judge Collins is the administration can
didate. That Is true to a certain extent.
1t is very evident that Judge Collins will
receive the support Of Governor Valt SAINT.
it had been, some of the details would
have leaked out before. ~ Governor Van
SAINT has been keeping Still for the simple
reason that he did not know what. course
he would have to take. He did not want
to ask for third term nomination. feel
ing that he had received; all the honor the
5governorship held for him, but he was
being besought from all parts of the state
to. be a candidate. He Wasatold that he
would have to be d candidate irssorder to
beat Dunn. All the forces within the party
that have opposed#and embarrassed the
governor since his declaration against the
merger two years ago are for Dunn; and
the governor IS strongly opposed the
former auditor s nomination. Determined
that. the party organization should not
fall back into the hands of merger sym
pathizers, the governor was prepared to
become a candidate himself if no one else
offered. Eddy did not develop sufficient
strength to be a checkmate for Dunn, and
there was no one in sight until 1t vas
learned that Judge Collins was willing to
..lake the race. The Judge had only been
holding off until he could be sure that the
governor would not be a candidate. He
had no desire to run his head against
stone wall, SO he kept still until he got
definite assurance Of the governors In
terltions. This first came in the govern
or's published statenlentsof last Thursday.
When he had confirmed his belief that the
governor was not going to be = candidate,
Judge Collins lost no time in announcing
himself.
The issue is joined now, and there is
every probability that the winter and
spring campaign for the nomination will
only see three candidates IN the field No
other entries are probable The three
contestants are: q
Frank NJ. Eddy of Glenwood, seventh
district, former congressman. s
Robert c.. Dunn Of Princeton, eighth dis
trict, former state auditor.
Loren w. Collins of st. Cloud, sixth dis
trict, supreme court justice.
All three candidates are from northern
Minnesota, and each oneaWill get q good
nucleus of support IN his own locality.
Southern. Minnesota and the twin cities
will decide it. FISK .5s. { ES53 S.z
At this time it looks. as tho the con-
test would be fought out Between Dunn
and Collins. Eddy s. candidacy has only
taken hold in certain sections. Dunn's
strengt h fa s. already developed. Collins
is likely to cut into t.sin the sixth and
eighth districts. where 9hssSis VERY popular
personally. IT Governor A5n SAINT gets into
the fight and gives his support to Collins,
/ it will practically line ris the anti-nerger
forces under the Collins banner. The lit
tie judge invites this, in his nrst an
| nouncement. in which he makes it clear
that he is with the governor on the merger
proposition.
There is much speculation over the fu-
ture course of Judge Collins. His friends
are all agreed that he must retire from
the bench before the convention is held.
and it is believed that he himself is con-
vinced that he cannot remain on the
bench and wage a successful campaign.
The experience Of 1888 taught him that
LESSON. He says he will remain during
the present term, which ends in Febr'l-
I airy. It is believed that he will resign
so that his successor may be named in
time to take hold for the April term, but
this is not definitely known as yet.
If Judge Collins resigns. Governor Van
SAINT will have the appointment Of his
successor. 1t is quite possible that he
will name Attorney General Douglas who
desires to go on the bench. Judge Elliott
of Minneapolis, who is an active candi-
date for one of the places becoming va
cant next year, is also within the bounds
of possibility.
One line of attack that will be pursued
by the Dunn forces is shown in morning
paper, which declares that there is, a
combination to elevate Governor Van SAINT
to seat in the senate. This ignores the
governors solemn public declaration that
he is in favor Of Senator Clapp's re-
election. and does not believe there will
be opposition to either Senator Clapp COR
Senator Nelson when they come up for
another term.
. . ( ! Z i d Z Z
Loren w. Collins is one of Minnesota's s
territorial pioneers He was born in Low
| ell,s Mass, in 1885, and is now 65 years
of age. He came to Minnesota in 1864.
and when the war broke out went to the
front with the Seventh Minnesota. He
served thru the war, coming out with the
.ank Of captain. He was admitted to
the bar and served as county attorney OF
1Stearnss county for ten years He served
| in the house Of Representatives in 1881 and
l1SS3, and April II, 1888. was appointed
| judge in the seventh judicial district.
| Nov. II. 1887, he was appointed by Gov
| ernor McGill an associate justice OF the
| supreme court to succeed Justice Berry,
deceased. He was elected in 188 for a iull
| term. and again in 1894 and in 1900. and
| has served sixteen years consecutively.
Judge Collins was a candidate for gov
] ernor In 1898. but at that time did not
resign from the bench or enter the con-
| test active, At that time Robert G.
Dunn was one of his supporters, and s..
| r. Van SAINT was also candidate. both
| Van SAINT and Collins being defeated tSr
the nomination by William III. Eustis of
Minneapolis On the. first ballot Eustis
received 529fvotes, Van SAINT 401,and Col
Inns 248. On the second ballot Eustis got
| 6O6 votes, Van SAINT 364 and Collins 2l5.
Both: Captain Van SAINT and Judge Collins
addressed the convention, congratulating
| the victor Owing to his position on the
bench, Judge Collins has not taken the
stump in campaigns for long time.
| Peter e. Hanson may have opposition
! for a third term after all. There is a
I well-defined rumor abroad that General
Gus Widell of Mankato will be a candi-
date for secretary of state. Since Nh.
Hanson was trapped into newspaper in
| terview co.ored in favor Of Dunn there