The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-02-12
Big Meeting Of His Supporters Or
ganize in Hennepin.
Over 500 Of the Prominent Men of
The Party Attend.
All Were Enthusiastic for St. Cloud
Man For Governor.
Club 0rganizedand Vigorous Campaign
to Be Prosecuted.

From Thursdays Daily.
The Collins meeting held last evening
in the Nicollet hotel turned out to be
much larger affair than the managers
had anticipated. Whereas only $50 or
200 had been expected, not less than 500
were on hand, and all arrangements
were upset to make room for so many
more.
The meeting was warmly and strongly
for Collins; President Roosevelt was en-
dorsed in the highest terms; commit
tee was directed to be appointed by
Chairman ]. T. Wyman to take charge
of the active campaign work; a Collins
club was organized; and the understand
ing generally expressed was, that if
Judge Collins receives the nomination, he
will be elected without doubt. A hard
fight is anticipated to secure the nomi-
nation, as much strength was stated to
be at the disposal of one of the other
candidates now in the field, while moth
ing is known as to what may develop
along the dark horse line.
The first plan had been to hold the
meetings in the ladies' ordinary on the
second floor of the hotel, but when the
crowds began to arrive, and it was seen
that only small fraction of them could
get in, the large ordinary was put at the
disposal of the meeting, and even then
there was an overflow. The chairs were
packed in as tight as they could be plac-
ed together, and many persons remain
ed standing within the room.
Short speeches were the rule of the
evening, and none of them lasted over
five minutes, most of them being but
brief expressions of sentiment.
Judge Collins was eulogized in the
highest terms, as gentleman, good
citizen, an impartial and able judge, and
as possessing ogood, clear war record.
There were twenty or more speeches
made, and they were made by men of
prominence in their chosen lines.
The meeting was extremely quiet; APP
plause was frequent, but the men pres
ent were not of the caliber to give vent
to their feelings in noisy demonstrations.
Satisfaction was depicted on the faces
of Judge Collins intimate friends, and
they expressed themselves more than
pleased at the great outpouring of prof
fered support, and presaged that this is
but fraction of what the enthusiasm
will be later on.
Senator Reiter of Renville county
stated that the people of his district are
solid for Collins, and that the delega-
ton will support him to a man.
Letters of good wishes were received
from G.. A. Smith, D. P. Jones, D. G.
Bell, John A. Schlener, Fl. P. Roberts and
John w. Thomas.
They regretted their inability to at
tend, but wished all success to Judge
Collins and the meeting.
Upon motion it was decided to perpet-
uate the affair, constituting those pres
ent into Collins club; the motion was
unanimously adopted, the secretary of
the meeting, Douglas Fiske, will receive
the names of those desiring to join at
his office, 525 New York Life building.
The members of the campaign commit
tee have not been appointed, and moth
ing will be done in this matter for some
days, as Chairman Wyman is anxious
to spend some time in thinking the mat
ter over, and securing the best men.
Many noted men were present, among
them Col. G. w. johnson, George M Ko-
znoski, w. S. Dwinnell, w. R. Morris, W.
B. Roberts, Fred B. Wright, Judge J. R.
Best, Judge Ell Torrance, A. W. Har-
wood, A. w. Lydyard, Frank Healy,
Capt. Hart, Judge Daniel Fish, Lowell
E. Gipson, Rev. Israel Bergstrom, Prof
essor Sawyer of the South High school,
]. T. Wyman, Fred Snyder, George Will
son, Sam Morris, Jr.;; F. N. Hendrix,
Hugh Allen, Ben Ward, Thomas Downs,
George Copeland, J. H. Morris, P. G..
Hanson, F. L. McKusick, A. Fl. Bright
of the 500 line, James R. Scherer, John
Day Smith and many others.