The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-11
Dunn SAYS HE'S GLAD
COLLINS WILL STAY
As He Wants to Fight the Man
Whose Followers Resort to
Dirty Politics.

Inns announcement made yesterday,
that he is still in the race" said r. c.
Dunn last evening to The Glob e.
mo opponent would suit me better.
ITO tellEou the truth, was little
afraid that the rumors mentioned in
7 e Globe this morning had some
foundation and that the judge would
pull out of the race. 1 would consider
Van SAINT much more formidable op-
ponent.
Il am pleased even at this late day
to read Of Judge Collins show of back
bone and his assertion that he is not a
gutter; for 1 have vivid recollection
of how he served John Lind, when Mr..
Lind, as governor, rendered him the
appointment to succeed G. K. Davis in
the United States senate After accept
ing the appointment Judge Collins
backed out for lack of sand"
Discussing the campaign tactics of
the opposition Mr.. Dunn said:
The Collins and administration machine
FORCES who are opposing my guberna-
torial candidacy have been busily engaged
Ior some time past in circulating mis-
leao1ng and false statements and garbled
extracts from an interview l have given
IN reference to my attitude on the question
of the railroad merger
TheSe extracts, distorted to suit their
own purposes, the machine managers have
widely circulated with the object of In
1ur1ng me in the good opinion of the peo-
pie of the state.
1t is time that such manifestly unscru-
pulous, unfair attacks should be exposed
ana the falsity of the statements of my
political opponents clearly shown NY
friends know my sentiments and opinions
on the merger question, and have ex-
pressed their confidence in my ability
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similar questions with an eye single to the
interests of the people and the state of
Minnesota.
The principal thing to which my oppo-
nents nave turned their ingenuity and
undoubted powers Of misrepresentation is
an interview with me which was printed
in the st. Paul Pioneer Press on Jan.
3. 1902, In which l commented on the
managers are using parts and garbled
extracts from this interview with the
object of creating an impression that l
expressed an opinion favorable to the
merger I Will let what said in that in
terview speak for itself, and an exact
copy of 1t as published in the Pioneer
Press is as follows:
What Was Said In the Interview.
IT believe that the fight against Mr..
Hill is inspired by rival railway COM
~ out of sympathy with it because of that
belief. 1t is a fight between the great
southern railway syndicate and Mr.. Hill
AS between the two, am for Mr.. Hill
he Is Minnesota man and has built up
our country. He is not Wrecker and his
opponents are.
II am Mr.. Hills friend. but can look
the world in the face and say that have
never owed him an obligation and none
OF the politicians who are fighting him can
say that. have never shown him any
favor that have not shown other railway
companies, and / will not. I owe none Of
allegiance
My official actions have always been
calculated to rebound to the interests Of
the state. have made mistakes, but I
have not been unfaithful
Il realize what / am saying is not in
accord with the apparent trend Of popular
feeling, but have worked for the inter-
ests OF Minnesota and not for spectacular
effect on the grand stand ] am willing
to stand on the record have made in this
office, and If the people are not satisfied
well, I'm through in year and 1 don't
want any more of it.
I am not q candidate for reelection.
The use Of my name as a candidate for
governor is unauthorized, viciously part
of the fight, and the men who are re-
deliberate falsehood. 1 have never told
any man that 1 would be a candidate for
governor.
IT do not like to discuss my personal
business in the public press, but the
statement that l was summoned to New
York by Mr.. Hill is equally false. / went
to New York to negotiate the sale of
some copper lands in Alaska in which
am interested with some gentlemen for
merlys employed as cruisers in this Of
fee. My meeting with Mr. Hill was large
ly accidental and purely social"
Refused to Oppose Van SAINT.
The above interview was given at time
when Gov. Van SAINT was a candidate for
second term, and when strong efforts
We're being made to induce me to become
a candidate in opposition to him. 1t is
needless to say that l absolutely declined
to oppose Van SAINT, or to permit the use
of my name in opposition to him.
The above interview contains nothing
that l cannot indorse today. In referring
to Mr.: Hill as l did, had in mind the
great benefits which my home village Of
Princeton and the surrounding district, in
common with the whole Of Northern Min
nesota, have received from the enter
prise and Sagacity Of Mr. Hill
do not and cannot at any time SYM
pathtze with or uphold violation of the
laws of the state by any individual or cor
poration, railroad or otherwise. and
nave never done SO, as my record in the
state auditors Office will fully bear out
can point to several instances where 1
enforced the laws against these lines Of
railroads embraced in what is now term
ed the merger There was the matter of a
claim made for lands by the Little Falls
& Dakota railroad, under its grant, which
successfully combatted and saved to the
state $400,O00 worth of land. Ny efforts
to increase the gross earnings tax of the
railroads were certainly not in the inter-
ests of the railroads, and it is not likely
that it pleased Mr.. HILL
When / announced my candidacy for
the Republican nomination for governor at
the beginning of this year, 1 said:
= heartily 1ndorse and approve the
platform adopted by the Republican state
convention of 1902.
THE particular plank of that platform
referring to the merging Of competing
lines of railroad is as follows:
1T has been the settled policy as de-
clared in the laws of this state, for a
quarter of a century, that competing
believe that the protection of the citizen
and his property. as well as the safety
OF the state, rests on obedience to the
laws"
In my announcement also made this
pledge:
"I pledge myself to a fearless and i'm
partial enforcement of the laws on our
statute books, particularly those which
guard the interests of the people from
the encroachment of corporate greed and
aggression"
Can I make any declaration more ex-
plicit upon this question:
/ have affirmed and do now again af-
firm, that the law should be supreme and
las governor it would be a pleasure as
well as my duty to see that all laws are
tmpartially enforced ! believe that the
preservation of competition between COM
mon carriers is necessary to the CONNER
cial prosperity of Minnesota. No matter
what may be the outcome of the merger
suit now awaiting adjudication by the
United States supreme court, we must
all abide by that decision. However
in case the final determination is adverse
to the best interests of the state, I shall
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