The Saint Paul globe., 1904-11-01
1T DARES TO REVOLT
Dunn's Nomination by Boilers Dis
solves Party Allegiance

The Northwestern Agriculturist
On the first day after the nominal
ton of Hon. John A. Johnson to be the
Democratic candidate for governor of
Minnesota, we penned our editorial in
dorsement of him, which was published
in the issue of Sept. 10. We did not
wait to see what other Republicans
thought about the situation, but We
declared that We believed Mr.. johnson
was man far superior to Mr.. Dunn
as a prospective governor. Our So
called bolt has not pleased the Pio-
neer Press and other straight party
organs. Since our bolt, it has trans
plred. however, that there are many
very many - good Republicans who
take similar views regarding the can
didateS. In fact, il seems to be epi-
demic. The Pioneer Press really thinks
something ought to be done about it.
Hence, ii has brought forward the re-
markable accusation that the editor OF
the Northwestern Agriculturist had
once before refused to support a party
nominee for governor.
Perhaps ii is a crime for a hide
bound party organ like the Pioneer
Press TO exercise independence of par
ty lines, when il comes TO state offices,
but the Northwestern Agriculturist is
not party organ.
AS we stated in our editorial Sept
for the legislature in Nicollet county
about 1888. and the writer was pub
fishing a Republican county paper in
that county, we supported his Repub
lican opponent. and it is true, as the
Pioneer Press asserts, we were "in-
strumental in securing the defeat of
Mr.. Johnson"
that Mr.. Johnson had ever helped tim
Der trespassers TO defraud the state,
nor set himself up as superior to the
law. We never knew Mr.. Johnson
then, nor since, TO get drunk and dis
grace himself with street brawls, and
bring shame upon his supporters. We
never knew Mr.. Johnson to solicit or
nopolists, nor to herd delegates TO
state conventions like a flock of sheep.
while they rode to the convention on
blanket pass provided by the very
railroad which had violated the anti
merger laws of state and nation.
We never knew him TO be in collu
sion with men who have to be sued
for $4,000 for trespasslng on public
school lands and cutting timber IL
legally, nor TO seek To compromise
such a claim by accepting $4,000 in
direct variance with the law.
We did fight Mr.. JOhnsOn's political
candidacy for the legislature sixteen
years ago, and would not now sup
port him for congress where he would
vote on tariff laws, but that is no re-
Election on his superiority over r. c.
Dunn as a candidate for the governor
shin of Minnesota. The fact that for
three years ii was in the line of our
editorial work to discover the strong
est reasons possible for not honoTing
John \. Johnson. and yet we could
find nothing affecting his honor as a
every trust cOn6ded in him. is GER
tainly no reason why We should not
now prefer 10 see him made governor
of Minnesota in preference TO the man
whose hackers robbed the Republican
party of its state convention, and, by
chicanery. permitted a boiling minor
ity TO defeat the will of the party as
expressed in its election of an over
whelming majority opposed to Dunn.
r. c. Dunn is not the choice of the
majority OF the legally elected dele
gates to the Republican state conven-
ton. His nomination. therefore. sets
an example even for boiling. and puts
not the slightest obligation on the
~s.raightest' party men TO support
him. since his nomination itself is a
huge bolt from the party
II is like the Republican nomination
Of Ames for mayor of Minneapolis by
trickery at the primary election.
through lOoseness in the law at that
time. when Democrats slipped in and
chose Ames-a Democratic be the
Republican nominee. There were many
Republicans then who felt the disgl ace
OF having TO 'save their record" by
voting for Ames because he was on
the ticket. and it was presidential year,
but II is hard TO find any of them will
ing now TO confess that they did So
That was another case where we
''bofted the head of the Republican
ticket (and- voted for the Prohibition
ist in preference), and subsequent
trials of that same head. on peniten-
tiary charges. for misconduct in office
are sufficient justification for that
boiling. The Pioneer Press might have
cited that bolt too. or preached a SER
mon with that case as a text. to prove
that no good Republican should dare
choose for himself
There are times when il is greater
proof of party loyalty TO register a re-
buke TO party skulduggery. than ii is
to lie supinely under the load with
which party leaders dare burden the
ticket II serves 10 make them more
respectful of public will in the future.
and more careful of the kind of men
they nominate.