The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-02-18
DUNN ANDTHE MERCER.

Dunn. Lest we be charged with
"garbling'' and misstatement we
publish it entire:
"The Collins and administration
machine forces who are opposing
my gubernatorial candidacy have
been busily engaged for some time
past in circulating, misleading and
false statements and. garbled ex-
tracts 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 injuring me in
the good opinion of the people of
the state.
cit is time that such manifestly
INSCRIPTIONS, unfair attacks should
be exposed and the falsity of the
statements of my political oppon-
ents clearly shown. My friends
know
MY SENTIMENTS AND OPINIONS
on the merger question, and have
expressed their confidence in my
ability and willingness to deal with
this and all similar questions with
an eye single to the interests of the
people and the state of Minnesota.
"The principal thing to which
my opponents have turned their in
genuity and undoubted powers OF
Misrepresentation is an interview
with me which was printed in the
st. Paul Pioneer Press on Jan. 5,
1902, in which l commented on the
merger at some length. The ma
chine managers are using parts and
garbled extracts from this interview
with the object of creating an i'm
preston that l expressed All opinion
favorable to the merger. will let
what l said in that interview speak
for itself, and an exact copy of it
as published in the Pioneer Press is
as follows:
FORMER INTERVIEW
8" Il believe that the fight against
Mr.. Hill is inspired by rival rail-
way companies, said Mr.. Dunn,
and am heartily out of sympathy
with it because of that belief. 1t
is a fight between the Great South
ern Railway syndicate and Mr.. Hill.
AS between the two, l am for Mr..
Hill. He is a Minnesota man and
has built up our country. He is
not wrecker and his opponents
are.
81 am Mr.. Hills friend, but I
can look the world in the face and
say that l have never owed him an
obligation, and none of the polite
ians who are fighting him can say
that. l have never shown him any
favor that | have not shown other
railway companies and l will not.
! owe none of them any allegiance
or ObllgatlOn.
''My official actions have always
been calculated to rebound to the
interests of the state. l have made
mistakes, but l have not been un.
faithful.
81 realize that what l am saying
is not in accord with the apparent
trend of popular feeling, but I have
worked for the interests of Mime
sofa, and not for the spectacular eff.
feet on the grandstand. l am will
ing to stand on the record l have
made in this Office, and if the peo-
pie are not satisfied-well, I am
through in year, and l don't want
any more of it.
81 am not a candidate for re-elec-
ton. The use of my name as can
didate for governor is unauth Dried,
viciously part of the fight, and the
men who are responsible for it are
guilty of perpetrating deliberate
falsehood. l have never told any
man that would be a candidate
for governor.
81 do not like to discuss my per-
sonal business in the public press,
but the statement that I was sum-
moned 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 I am in
terested with some gentlemen for
merly employed as cruisers in this
Office. My meeting with Mr.. Hill
was largely accidental and purely
social. .
"The above interview was given
at time when Governor Van SAINT
was candidate for second term,
and when strong efforts were being
made to induce me to become can
didate in opposition to him. 1t is
needless to say that l absolutely de-
clined to oppose Van SAINT or to per-
NIT the use of my name in opposi-
ton to him.
"The above interview contains
nothing that l cannot indorse to-
day. In referring to Mr.. Hill as l