The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-10
The senatorial succession is all in the

The senatorial succession is all in the
air. T. - ri 81 3
1t is the field against Clapp, and ths
problem is the unifcation OF the Held,
At the present time Senator Clapp
lican members Of the legislature. Che
Journal has taken poll Of the ;160
republicans and has received responses
from los. I## q
Fifty-two are either committed to
Senator ClapR. or give him las as = their af
committed or prefer some other than
- Senator Clapp needs 81 votes to con-
troll the republican caucus. He must
get 20 adherents in addition to those
who have expressed themselves. There
from, and the question is: How many
Of that fifty:fye can be counted as
Clapp men9 For, whom will the rest
eventually declared -.
The Journ al sent out its letter
of INQUIRY Nov. 90. Two weeks have
in The Clapp men, as a rule, replied
early. Those who were committed TO
the senator and expected to vote for
him had no reason to take time Tor
deliberation. So the earlier returns
were favorable to the senator. Later.
| pledged members reported. =.
Senator Clapp has a formidable army
Of federal appointees, and personal
friends in various parts OF the state.
| who .haves.been making life a burden
| to the: unp1edged members. AS. rule,
/ they, do not care to! advertise their at
! titnde at this time, because it, will re-
i double the pressure on them. Many
| have not answered The Journ alI7Fs
i query, and others have done so with
| the request that their replies be kept
confidential. This request has been
strictly complied with. ). ii. 4.
| However, on the returns that have
4 come in, Senator Clapp lacks 20 votes
| Clapp Votes in. the republican caucus,
why do they not come out into the open
From the responses received, it looks
| as if the Clapp strength was about all
| in, and that the senator could not count
/ positively on more than So to 80 votes
! at this stage Of the contest. Ii he has.
other strength, it is most unaccouI a
bly, staying under cover. r, b
s'r, Form Of the Inquiry. "a
The Journals letter of
uuiry, which was sent to every
publican member of the senate q!
house, was worded as follows:
Dear Sir-We are making poll of tt
new legislature On the senatorial quesR
ton and respectfully request you to fly
out and mail the enclosed blank.
If you so desire your answer will bel
treated as confidential and its contents
will not be divulged or printed. It will
simply be used in making up the stat
istics. i. 81
The blank inclosed contained the fol-
lowing questions, with space for reply:
Are you pledged or committed to any
, candidate for senator to succeed Moses ID.
Clapp? .........>... ~"
If so, to whom? 4.
If not, have you q choice at this time,
and who? 49, 3. - =. 81: @
A large number Of the members, re.
plying asked that their statements be
r treated as confidential. For that req
son the names Of the members respond.
: ing are not given, as o partial list would
: be of little value. The figures of the
8 poll, however, are highly significant.
Olapp Claims Not substantiated.
= Since the primary, elections were held
Senator Clapp's friends have made
I strong claims as to his pledged strength
Q After the general election they claimed
to have 4g 1 Gay up not For
e ed their pledges. They are now face
s to face with an exciting contest for tn,
J, succession. It could be ended in shor
9 order if the senator's managers wouls
l. only make a" showdown of sufficien
k pledges to carry the republican caucus
t Of the failure to make this showing an,
l. end the fight. The result Of Til,
Journa IS poll explains why this 4
The ffty-two members who have de
= clared for Clapp are not all pledged
n ! and n h q T q II rn a. | has counted ID
!. the Clapp column all those who expires
.. preference for the senator. even TIL
. they are not committed to him. Som
l." of those who are pledged intimate tina
- they may later ask to be released. s2 S..
9. Senatorial Expressions.
= Sixteen senators are counted in til
re division. OF the sixteen, four state the
K. they are not pledged to Clapp, but il
le tend to vote for him. One says:
~ 81 have not been requested to max
n 2 pledge, but I shall support Moses ]
Sc Clapp.
lie Clapp because he considers him til
tie choice Of the people Of his district. TN
he say that they are not pledged or con
mitted, but that Clapp is their choice.
Another senator says he is pledged
Clapp and intends to support gps him ,ra q
~ s Use Of support without some good re
be One senator says: CT have bee
!, friendly to Clapp, but do not care
81 commit myself at this time. - !, @
re Another says: There is lots
cir time about this matter; | have bee
to too busy to give it a thought. - ST
en- another: 81 prefer to remain no
committal as to my preference. o.
-. 49,.