The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-11-13
HANDS BOB DUNN ONE
Governor Van SAINT Says Republican
Nominee for Governor Should
Be a Man Who Was Right on The
Merger Question.
From Fridays Daily.

From Fridays Daily.
Governor Van SAINT spoke his mind on
state politics yesterday morning. He de-
clared forcibly against the candidacy of
Robert c. Dunn for governor, in the
course of an interview on the election
of Tuesday. No names were mentioned
in the interview, but in a most unmis-
taxable way the governor declares his
disapproval of the Dunn candidacy. He
does not say whether he himself will be
a candidate, OF whom he favors, but he
declares that the party must not name a
man who is not in accord with President
Roosevelt on the merger question.
The question was asked:
Governor, what do you think of the
late elections?"
"With the exception of New York, /
am very much gratifed over the re-
suits. They indicate that the people
have faith in the Republican party and
its principles. While the result in
New York was not what was desired,
still it does not by any means point to
Democratic success in that state in the
presidential campaign. Sixty thousand
plurality in the city will very easily be
overcome in the outlying districts, while
are strong and steadfast."
"Will the result in New York affect
Roosevelt's chances for the nomina-
tion?"
Theodore Roosevelt is the choice of
the people of the country and will, in my
judgment, be nominated overwhelmingly.
The trifing setback in New York city
should not discourage his friends. Be
cause of his fearless enforcement of the
laws, gigantic interests in New York will
seek his defeat, but the people of that
state are aroused along the same lines
that the people of Minnesota are and
will sustain the president"
''Will the contest in Minnesota over
the makeup of the state ticket have
any relation to the presidential con-
test?"
81 think it will 1t is little early
to discuss state politics, but one thing
should be demanded by the people of
who are for Roosevelt, and
that is that the next governor should
be a man who was and is in sympathy
with the Republican state platform of
1902 in its declaration for the enforce
ment of the law against the merger of
parallel and competing railway lines. No
man who was not in accord with the peo-
pie during the last state campaign
should have the assurance to aspire to
the governorship. The antimerger fight
involves the welfare of the state, and
men who have expressed sympathy for
those who organized the merger and who
have attempted at crucial times to ham,
per and ridicule state officers in their en-
deavor to enforce the law, should not
now be placed in a position where they
might connive at violations of the law
and to be helpful in undoing that which
has already been accomplished. This
fight has been waged in the interests of
our people, and will be continued until
the law has been thoroughly safeguarded.
All the ingenuity and skill of able coun-
sci will be employed to maintain the
merger in some form and to carry out in
some manner the purposes of its organi-
cation. A st. Paul director is quoted as
having said in New York: 'The exis-
tence of the company (the Northern Sc
curities of New Jersey does not depend
upon the decision of the supreme court
in the federal suit No corporation or
individual should be permitted to evade
the mandates of the highest court in the
land.
"Our nominee should not be on the
defensive and required to explain. Prom,
Uses and explanations which are made
necessary by ones candidacy, and which
are inconsistent with former words and
actions, will not suffice.
mo man who desires the nomination
of interests inimical to the people, and
who has not stood squarely upon the
antimerger platform, should ask, under
existing conditions, elevation to this re.
sponsible office; and to prevent the nomi-
nation of such man, most determin-
ed effort should be made.
"With Theodore Roosevelt, who has
been pronounced against the merger, as
our standard bearer, what predicament
would our party be in if it nominated a
merger sympathiZer for GOVERNOR"