The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-11-13
The Secretary of State.

lis journal touches up the secretary OF
state situation in the following style:
"Peter K Hanson may have opposition
for third term after all. There is a
welI-de6ned rumor abroad that General
Gus Widell of Mankato will be candi-
date for secretary of state. Since Mr..
Hanson was trapped into newspaper in
terview colored in favor of Dunn there
has been considerable dissatisfaction eX-
pressed. 1t was supposed that the genial
secretary would have clear field, but
the talk of Widell evidently grows out
of hostility to Dunn. The Mankato
man was seen by The Journal, and de-
clined to discuss the proposition, which
seems an indication that he is thinking
of it. If he had no intention of be-
coming candidate he would have no
hesitation in saying so.
The second district has no candidate
for state office, and will undoubtedly
present some one to the convention. If
it should unite on Widell, he would make
formidable opponent to the present in
cumbent"
1t is true that the second district has
no avowed candidate for a state office,
and rs at present constituted has had
but one name on the Republican state
ticket in over twenty years that of
ex-Secretary of State Brown of Fari-
bault county. WhenNicOletcountyw asat-
tached to this district it managed to get
whatever crumbs were tossed to this sec
ton and now that it has been thrown
into the third district there may be a
chance for some of the other counties in
this neck o. wood to get into the game.
always been counted upon as safe to
roll az a good big Republican majority
whether it was recognized with a place on
the state ticket or no, and as sequence
the good things were distributed to the
northward where populism, greenback-
ism and all the other isms known to the
body polite took root and hourished.
But as the day of these disturbing and
demorllizing issues have rolled away and
RepubIicanism is once more safely en-
trenched, the time is now ripe for the
second district to get together and unit
eddy demand place on the state ticket.
Her rights to recognition will be readily
acknowledged if only the Republicans of
this district will use a little political
good sense by uniting upon some worthy
Republican and then stand determinedly
by him.
As to whether or not General Widell
could be induced to stand for the nomi-
nation of secretary of state The Free
Press is unable to state. The general is
not in the city and so far as this paper
knows he has never committed himself
one way or the other 1t is fact, how
ever, that he has been repeatedly urged
to get into the race, and the request has
come from some very strong Republican
leaders in various parts of the state
who stand ready to do everything in
their power to land him if he will only
give the word. The office of secretary
of state has for many years been con-
Mr.. Widell is representative of the
young, aggressive type of this hardy
race of industrious citizens, with an
extensive acquaintance that would re-
dound greatly to his advantage should he
consent to measure strength with Mr..
Hanson. He has richly earned any posi-
ton to which he may aspire through hard
political work and generous contributions
to campaign requirements. He is a
thorough business man, strictly honest
and courteous and would unquestion-
ably make a popular official. If, how
ever, he should finally be prevailed upon
to contest for the place it would not be
because Secretary Hanson had declared
for any particular candidate for COVER
nor, and The Free Press boldly proclaims
this as a fact from its personal know
ledge of General Wideil's makeup. His
campaign, if made, will not be based up
on prejudice or hostility toward any
present or prospective candidate for any
of the offices, neither will he permit him
self to be used as a candidate to crafty
any such feeling on the part of his
friends if indeed there is any ground
for the statement in The Journals ex-
cerpt above quoted. 1t may safely be
put down as fact That should General
Widell finally decide to ask the Republi-
can state convention to name him as
secretary of state no candidate for a
place on the state ticket will have oc-
casion to question his entire fairness and
generosity in the campaign.
But Mr.. Widell should in no sense be
considered possibility until he has
declared himself.
1t is said that j. Adam Bede of Duluth