The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-21
] MINNESOTA POLITICS
Frank N. Wilson Declines Offers Of Sup
port from Third District Machine, and
\ Will Not Be Candidate for Attorney
Generai-He May Run for Congress
Comment on Merger Decision and Its
Relation to State Politics.

Frank M. Wilson has refused to take tho
bait offered him by his old enemies, the
HeatWole machine, and will not be q can
dldate Tor attorney general. They had Of
Tered him the solid support Of the third
lit toward the nomination II delivered, but
the deal involved a combination with
Dunn. and an alliance with Heatwole. Al
tho the prize was tempting, Wilson de-
ciined to. consider it under the condi-
ions: lie had been assured OF the loyal
backing OF doodhue county republicans OF
all factions, and as far as the public was
concerned, the only offer was made by the
new organisation of Red Wing republic
ans. Mr.. Wilson made known his decision
Saturday In the following note to c. r.
HARRISON, president Of the club:
Permit me to express to you and thru
you to my other friends my sincere thanks
for their offers Of loyalty and support, but
under the conditions which present them
selves am not and will not be an aspir-
ant Tor the position Of attorney general"
Uther candidates for attorney general
Will breathe easier, but the congressional
situation in the third district now begins
| to look cloudy. Goodhue county will be as
| ready to support Wilson for congress as
they were for attorney general. With no
night on his hands at home, Wilson could
campaign the district, and he has already
been assured the support Of the former
Ives men, II i,he gets into the race. If
Wilson goes into the fight with the united
opposition to Davis, he will make it inter
esting. for the revolt against Heatwole is
gaining large proportions, and third dis
trict republicans are beginning to tire Of
having all their thinking done for them
at Mortified.
Faribault county newspapers, according
to one OF them, stand twelve for Dunn
and two for Collins. The republican voters
/ OF the county do not seem to be divided in
that proportion, for the delegation to the
state convention was practically solid for
Collins. - --A' : -
The man who made the imotion to lay
the A. B. Robbins resolution on the table
was Captain j. "A. Everett, editor Of the
Fairmont News. In the last issue Of his
paper Captain Everett shows how he looks
at the question involved in that resolu-
ton. He says: l,"@' E"+.''s''s'<E-
How can anyone who believed Van SAINT
right IN the merger matter, support Dunn
Inc supreme court has just decided in
the United States case that the merger is
wrong, and there is little doubt of their
deciding the state case in the same way.
These fights Were started by the present
governor and the people approved his
course by an overwhelming majority. Now
the supreme court has decided he was
right, and it would look very inconsistent
for the people to now say that they were
wrong two years ago and that the high
est court in the land is wrong now. That
} is just what the making of Dunn governor
} would mean, and there IS no disgusting the
fact. Will they do it?'f
H. J. Miller says in the Luverne Herald
THE decision of the supreme court in
the merger case is magnificent victory
for the public in general and for those ir
particular who took upsthe fight for pub.
lie interests. Governor Van SAINT and At.
torney General Douglas, as well as the
republican party Of this state, may fairly
consider themselves Endorsed. Those whc
, opposed, and ridiculed the antimerger figh
may likewise consider themselves repudi
ated.'
T., y - nj; ~ - - gssf1ss . . .~,
) The Litchfield, Saturday Review says:
) r. G.. Dunn could not have made {
greater confession of weakness than whe1
; he made his eleventh. hour announcement
that he opposed the railroad merger. Thu
: fact that he was compelled to make THU
statement at all shows the f1imsy charac
a ter Of the foundation on which his can
. didacy rests. That Mr.. Dunn has bee1
forced to make this statement shows hi
t record on the merger question to hav
r been wide off the mark Of public favor
+ Mr.. Dunn was silent on this great issu
= when he should have spoken: in fact, h
' maintained a position Of almost ope
! friendship toward the merger roads, los
t ing no opportunity to laud Mr.. Hill to tn
s skies and belittle the present governor
, attitude on the question. Now that h
. has spoken, and the time and manner i
I which he did it, it can only be construe
d that his support is. slipping away ,fror
s him. For a long time. Mr.. Dunn had tn
n field all to himself, but during that tim
:, not a statement would he give on thi
- leading state issue. He: could not be in
duced to ally himself with the peopl
against the transportation monopoly"
= The New Ulm Journal is authority 70
the following: -, r.
: George w. Somerville has announce
a positively to the Journal that he will nc
Y be a candidate for congress this fall H
n has two more years to serve in the stat
= senate, and he wishes, to complete hi
= time in the legislature. II H. J. Mile
!, gets into the race he will be assured G
n Senator Somerville's hearty support.
~ the Rock county man does not come GU
= as candidate it is possible that the loce
man will try conclusions with McC1ear
n two years hence"
l. Charles B. Cheney.