The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-21

positive declaration Of his wishes, it was
too late to release these pledges. ,.E
It looked like a runaway at first. DR..
Babcock had been rencminated for third
term after a hot factional fight in which
he won by only few votes at the prima-
ries This attracted attention to him.
tho as a member he had never been active.
and his voice had seldom been heard in
the house. He was mentioned. with half
q dozen others, before election, and soon
| after election the encouragement he re-
ceived. caused him to declare himself a
candidate. There was a decided lack of
| speakership material. as very few mem :
bers had been. returned, and they were
not as rule men of prominence. Henne-
pin had four old members, all good men,
but her wealth Of material was an en-
barrassment, as three of them cherished
ambitions. and the delegation was not in
ciined to get together ]. III. Burns Of the
first district, one Of the best known men
of the former house, declared himself, but
was handicapped at once by ]. R. Morley
Of the same district, who jumped into the
ring. The Babcock candidacy was the
turally gathered considerable strength be-
fore any other began. Indications pointed
to an early choice of Babcock. The first
sign Of fight came when the seventh
caucused and Endorsed J. o. Haugland,
appointing a steering committee to push
his claims None Of the other districts
followed suit, however, and when the first
meeting Of the Hennepin delegation was
held Nov. II the general thought was that
the district would ally with Babcock.
However, there was disposition to have
an understanding with the candidate be-
fore burning the bridges, and a steering
committee was appointed with power to
act. 1t consisted Of Armstrong, Shearer,
Smith, Fosseen, and GirIing. Next day
this committee went to St.Paul, where the
fourth, sixth and eighth districts were
scheduled to caucus. All Of them were for
Babcock, and it was supposed that this
day would settle the fight. However,
Burns and Haugland were both ON the
scene. the latter supported by some of his
steering committee. These urged Hen
nepin to hold off, and pointed out that the
three Babcock districts only mustered "a
votes out Of 104. Hennepin was hard to
hold and to start the opposition with a
candidate Haugland withdrew and the
seventh offered to indorse Lawrence H.
johnson of Hennepin, If his delegation
would put him forward as a candidate. The
steering committee took them up and
launched Johnson's candidacy with 28
votes from these two districts. Events
proved, however, that at no stage of the
game were any of the congressional dis
tricts actually solid for either candidate.
BY this time Governor Van SAINT s
OF the Babcock campaign was furnished
by Joel P, Heatwole and pro-merger influ-
ences. They had nothing against the doc
tor, but felt that it would be a serious
mistake to allow the legislature to be or
ganized hostile, to the governor and his
policies. The governor was resting from
the campaign in seclusion at Battle Creek,
Mich, but Robert Jamison, his private
secretary and chairman of the state COM
mittee, and James A. Martin, chairman
Of the executive committee, declared them
| selves against Babcock. They threw their
influence for johnson, who opened head
| quarters at the Windsor hotel Nov. 10,
and Martin made a foray into the sixth
district, where, within few DAYS, six
Of the eleven votes broke away from Bah
lcock. The first district caucused, but did
not declare for either candidate, appoint
! ing steering committee. The usual split
| In ~Hennepln county appeared now. Ste
venson. Arms trong and .Fryberger sought
| to overturn the Johnson Endorsement, and
though at first unsuccessful, they kept
! right at it until they accomplished their
end. They were from Now 21 counted
| in the Babcock group and helped in his
campaign. Nov. % the first district steer
ing committee met in st. Paul and de-
clared for 'Babcock, whose managers ther
announced that they had the fight won
Johnson came back at them Nov "a BY
|
second and ninth districts caucused, ant
neither went as a unit the majority II
each going for johnson. Dr., sBabcocl
then refused to caucus. until the gov.
ernor had been heard from, declaring his
belief that the governor was not hostile
to- him.. A second challenge, on Nov. 26
was followed by second refusal. accom-.
panied by a letter in which DR.. Babcocl
pledged himself to support the governors
policies. .. -. -.
Dec: the governor returned to thu
state and found everybody waiting fo
him to declare himself. He did not wan
to plunge directly into the organization
Of the house for fear of seeming dicta
torial, and on Dec. gave out statemen
refusing to take part He did, however
declare what he. wanted the legislator,
to do, and say that he hoped it Woult
organize in harmony with those ideas
This was plainly construed as favorin,
Johnson rather than Babcock, but thi
failure to make a fiat-footed statenlen
brought many wavering ones to definitel,
l. join the Babcock forces. From this tim
on Johnson's fight was a losing one tn
he kept the enemy busy and was felt t.
have fighting chance right up to the last
I There was no change in the situation
till JAM 3, when the members began t
gather in st. Paul, and the governo
came out positively against Babcock. I
. |
too late. for 'Babcock already held a win
ming hand. There were many, who woul
have broken from him to a third candi
date. but one could not be found to fl
: the bill. w. I. Nolan had gone to Bah
cock, and five more from Hennepi
( jumped Friday night, Deming, Smith
\ Fosseen, Bardwell and Helliwell. Thi
settled it, for Johnson had only six hom
votes left. The rest of his support wa
in the country. Monday afternoon tn
Johnson men caucused and decided t
stand by their .colors, but number VIII
had been pledged were released durin
the day, as johnson had given up hope q
winning. There was. a band wagon rus
Monday night, and the vote was Sc 70
!. EBabcock to 3S for johnson, two votes go
ing to Putnam of Red Wing.
). Personally DR.. Babcock was very pop
ular thru the session. He had plent
of decision, and employed Tom Reed tao
; tics occasionally to shut off foolishnes:
J, His "hurry up advice kept the commit
tees moving. He did what he could t
restrain the tendency to Stiffness and dis
] order which was at times very strong
He was not strong parliamentarian, an
accepted constant coaching from the chic
:. clerk This was perfectly proper unde
| the circumstances, and much better tha
: laundering it thru alone, but it. caused
good deal OF comment. The speaker
) record was narred by, his own tendene
to take day of once in q while, whic
5 was once stretched to week, durin
: which George W. Armstrong Of Henne
pin acted as speaker pro TEN.
EMPLOYEES, HOUSE AND SENATE
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