The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-06-03
The Contest Is On.

The announcement in another part of
this evenings Free Press of the candi-
dacy for congress of H. j. Miller of Luz
verne, will have the effect of opening up
the contest for Mr.. McCleary's successor,
and it may be put down as a moral GER
tainty that while the contest will be
fought with vigor it will be conducted
along lines that will leave no breach in
party ranks to be surgically operated
upon after the primaries.
For some time it has been apparent
to the observer of political probabilities
that Congressman McCleary would have
opposition for the nomination this year.
Two years ago Senator Somerville of
Brown county and Mr.. Miller, who has
now concluded to measure strength with
seriously considering the propriety of
getting into the fight, but it developed
later on that neither cared to put on the
gloves. For several months past the
names of Auditor Weaver of this coun-
ty and Mr.. Miller have been conjured
with as opponents of Mr.. McCleary, but
the former could not, it appears, be
drawn into contest against his own
townsman and the result is that Mr..
Miller has concluded to buckle on the ar
NOR and try conclusions.
That there is more or less opposition
through the district to continuing Con-
gresham McCleary in office cannot be
gainsaid. How far reaching, or how deep
seated this opposition may be cannot be
foretold, and only the voice of the Re-
publican voters expressed at the pri-
maries can settle this question. Mr.. Nc
Cleary has been what is termed a
"stand -patter." What position he will
assume in the approaching campaign he
alone knows, as he has as yet given no
public expression of the stand he will
take. Mr.. Miller is tariff revisionist.
Not of the radical sort, but quite in har
mony with what is believed to be the
views held by very large preponder-
ance of the Republicans of the state,
and especially so of the voters of the
Second district.
However, and whatever views either
of these gentlemen may entertain upon
the tariff issue, it is quite pertinent to
state in this connection that neither can
afford to take any radical stand in OPP
position to the platform that will be
adopted by the national party in Chi
cago next month. The national conven
ton is the parent organization, and un-
til the party has defined the issues
upon which it will go before the country
no candidate for congressional honors
will care to put himself on record ir-
revocably.
The Free Press has the highest per-
sonal regard for the contestants in this
fight Mr.. ,McCleary has served his con-
stituency faithfully for twelve years and
ne is held in high esteem by all. Mr..
Miller is a gentleman of ability, well
known citizen of the district. He has
resided in Rock county for twenty-f
years, is thoroughly identified with the
commercial interests of his locality
and has done much toward the develop
ment of that section and the growth of
his home city. With two gentlemen pos
sessing such high characters the peo-
pie of the Second district can rest
serene in the knowledge that their in
terests in congress will be well guard
ed and subserved whichever shall succeed
in the election.