The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-07
Enemies Within Party Battle to
Block His Ambition-Hig-
gins Seems Doomed.
GOVERNOR rs TARGET
OF VIOLENT ABUSE
National Ticket Seems Safe in
New York-State Ticket
Behind.
BN w. w. Jarmana.

watching the political fight in this
state, it cannot be too frequently
between Governor odell and tie forces
within the republican party which are
opposed to him Odell has made good
governor. His official record is one Of
great merit, and the state will long
have occasion to remember him CRATE
fully for the reforms which he has
wrought in the public service, for his
splendid solution of the taxation prob
lem, and for his courageous veto mes
sages.
From the viewpoint of his record
only, he is invulnerable. At the same
generation or more has made SO many
and such bitter enemies, not only
without the party, but within it, and
many of these enemies are men of the
highest character and integrity. No
man, in. the state today, no. matter
David Bennett HilD is so reviled and
spat upon. Vocabularies of abuse have
been searched for words and phrases
with which to hold him up to public
scorn. Even the official pronounce
ment of the state democratic conven-
ton was a personal assault upon him,
and pointed out that "the empire
state, for the first time in its history,
has as governor a man whose per-
sonal integrity is under the gravest sus-
piclon.
Governor and Politician.
In undertaking to get at the bottom
of facts regarding Odell, one must be
able to distinguish very clearly between
the governor and the politician, for
Odell is a, combination of both, and it is
as politician that he has made himself
best people Of the state. He is a man
of iron will and iron methods. With
q genius for organization and politi-
cal manipulation, he has taken hold of
the structure Of the republican party
and undertaken to reshape it to suit his
personal ambition. For, several years
he was at war with Senator Platt,
long the undisputed republican leader,
and known far and near as "the easy
boss, for his manner was never Of
fensive, and his rule never openly
cruel and arbitrary. Finally, Plat was
dethronned;; odell had ., himself APP
pointed chairman of the state central
committee, which is the gravest charge
against him. and with the added power
he became more dictatorial than ever
before. -..s-.z-. .*tyyss4.. y '~s~.+ 81
emightwith good graceG have permit
retain at least nominal hold; on state
affairs, but such q program was con-
trary to the. headleng rush yofaa0dell g
energy and determination. Plat went
down to his last defeat at the recent
state convention, flying the banner Of
Tim Woodruff, his choice, FOR the guber-
material nomination, and Odell won,
naming Higgins for that honor.
With the party mind violently in.
famed as the result of these operations.
1t has been easy to misconstrue and
misunderstand Odell's official acts
Much of the criticism against him. I am
satisfied, is unjust, but the fact remains
that q q q ,y1ho hoe 10
look upon him as man of overween-
ing ambition, who does not hesitate to
bend every influence within his reach,
fair and foul alike, to accomplish his
ends. The Impressions general that
he plays politics all the time, selfshly
ernor, while good enough on the sur
face, is not the result of any deep
seated convictions of right, but be-
cause he has thought good record
was in the interest," Of the iron rule
sincere, lacking in moral convictions
publicly dishonest, that he views
everything from the position of personal
gain, and that he would as soon sac
rifce his best friend as his bitterest
enemy if that friend got in his way OF
ceased to be useful. =. 49,
Additions to His Machine.
1t is particularly charged that in thu
reorganization Of the boards of man
aagement of the eleemosynary and pena
institutions of the state he has mad
Against this it may be said that hi
plan of central control in the place O
the loose and expensive system Of IN
d1vidual boards is directly in the in
terest of the public welfare. It save
much money to the taxpayers, and a
f,oso,
and more humane management. But
notwithstanding all this, Odell is abuse
almost as much for this particular re
form-if it may properly be so cal led
as he is for making himself chairma
OF the state central committee.
ii short, while he has been a goo
governor, he has been also machine
politician of d highly offensive typt
He wants to &c. to the senate some day
and in 1908, if things go his way, h
wants to be the New York candidat
for the republican presidential nomins
tion. These facts are we'll known, anC
hence, to the large number who oppos
him for what they regard as honest an
honorable reasons, there is added tn
many attached to the rival factions
who oppose him because he is in thei
way. CHEZ of these factions is tha
of Senator Platt, who, tho dethrone,
has large following. :; -.
444SSluS "1S EOpu1dI.
Frank w. Higgins, the republica
pcninee for governor, is one of, the bef
known and most popular men in til
party; He is of approved reputation an
record, is very. wealthy, and I cannc
ascertain that he has ever belonged t
the Odell faction. But OdelE secure
his nomination, and that is enough /
condemn him in the eyes of the Ode
opposition. He will run thousands {
votes behind his ticket, and if the ele
ton were today he would certainly
Defeated 49,. .s.s. -
The republican state ticket, it wi
thus be seen, is lending no strength. |
the presidential ticket in New Yor]
The president is being supported bv I'll
entire party, OdeI and anti Odell, an
it is believed, by thousands of dem
Gratis. He would have to carry tt
state by q majority considerably aboy
$4,000 III order to insure Higgins su
cess.
. Obviously the president is taking /
hand in this internecine party war. T
has written formal letter to Mr.. Hi
gins, as sort of certificate of cha