The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-06-30
MILLS AND MILLER
FACE HARD FIGHT
Big Field of Candidates Seek
Railroad Commission
BerthS

state ucket Tor railroad ana ware
house commissioner.
A big field of candidates has been
gathered from every quarter of the
state, and at last count there are an
even dozen men battling with more or
less enthusiasm for the two vacancies
on the ticket.
Ira B. Mills, of Clay, and ]. G. Miller,
of Lake, present members of the COM
mission, are both candidates for re-
election.
Judge Mills has wide acquaintance
throughout the state. but it is said that
Ezra c. Valentine has invaded his
strength in the Red river valley coun-
ties and is his most formidable COM
petitor. Judge Mills has his own
county of Clay, but his support is some
what handicapped by the candidacy Of
Justice w. B. Douglas for the supreme
bench. The appearances would indi-
cate that Douglas has the call on his
county, and as the justices are to be
balloted on first in order on the ticket
combinations may be made that will
injure Judge Mills chances for renom-
inatiOn to the railroad and warehouse
commission. His friends declare that
his support is not local in character
and that he will receive support from
many different quarters in the state.
J. G. Miller has his own county of
Lake instructed for him and working
for him, and its eight votes are his to
do with as he pleaseS. The st. Louis
county delegation. forty strong is not
instructed for him, but it is understood
it is very friendly to his candidacy and
can be depended upon to be cast for
him under the unit rule. What other
support Miller can command is not
made known but they are quite con-
fident that he stands good chance of
winning out.
The two most formidable outside can
didates for commissioner, in the minds
of many wise politicians, are Ezra G.
Valentine, of Wilkin, and A. D. Gray,
of Fillmore, representing extremes
geographically of the state. Valentine
is an especially dangerous factor to the
other candidates. He is widely known
throughout the Ninth and Seventh dis
triets and it is said that E. ]. Her
ringer, of Norman county, also a can
didate for place on the commission,
is not antagonistic to the interests of
Valentine. 1t was said yesterday that
an understanding existed between VAL
entine and Herringer and that the
Norman county man would not remain
in the field long if the indications were
that his withdrawal would aid Valen-
night that they and a representative Of
Herringer had made a proposal to
Judge Mills for a caucus of the Ninth
district delegates, the winner in the
caucus to have the entire support of
the Ninth and its 100 votes in the state
convention today. Howard Dykman,
of Breckenridge, who is managing Val
turned down the proposition, and said
they would fight 1t out in the conven-
ton.
Talk of a Caucus
There was talk yesterday afternoon
of a caucus between A. d. Gray, Of
Fillmore, and A. T. Stebbins, of Ohm
sted, also an active candidate for
place on the commission. Nothing
came of it. Both men expressed a will
1ngness to abide by a caucus, but said
it was impossible to get the delegates
of the First district together There
were SO many demands upon their time
and they were so interested in the
gubernatorial contest that they would
not listen to a programme that sug-
gested caucus. 1.-The trouble u.s." said
Gray, that the newspapers have so
persistently kept the gubernatorial
contest in the fore that the delegates
will have nothing to do with any prop
osition that does not figure in the fight
for governor"
Gray and Stebbins both claim a ma
Jority of the First district delegates,
but leading men of the district say that
on showdown Gray is in the lead. He
is considered strong man, but his
activity early in the fight in the in
terest of Collins may injure his chances
with the Dunn delegates. The further
fact that the First has been well cared
Tor In the past may also operate
against the Fillmore county mans sue
cess.
w. E. Young, of Mankato, is a danger
Gus candidate, for he has the solid
Second district at his back The Sec
ond district last night declared for
Young as its preference for railroad
and warehouse commissioner, and in
asmuch as the Second has no place on
the ticket, present or prospective.
Young's friends think he has a very
good chance of winning out in the con-
vention today. In indorsing Young. the
Second district was forced to leave
Thomas Crawford, of Lakefield, at the
post.
The Second districts caucus was
neld at the windsor dining room, and
there were SO of the 1875 delegates pres
ent, out In cases where the county con-
Vent1on had instructed for candidate
Tor railroad and warehouse commits
sloner or the delegation had voted on
the question, some representative was
permitted to cast the full delegation
Tor its choice. 1t is claimed that Craw-
ford suffered by the rule. but mas
much as he went into the caucus. he
VIII abide by the result
Delay Before Voting
+. L. Jayne, of Pipestone, was chair
man, and z. j. Laurisch of Blue Earth.
was secretary, and there was consider
aDIe preliminary sparring before the
caucus came to a vote. Dan Shell. of
Noples county, made the motion for a
ballot, but withdrew it when there
arose question as to the expediencv
of vote with SO many absentees. T, p
Hunt, of Mankato, urged action hnt
SAID mat the caucus must be unan-
lmous to be of any effect.
County Attorney Smith, of Jackson
county, agreed with Hunt and said
mat the only county not represented
was Faribault Senator Frank e. Pc
tefson and four or five of his Faribault
county delegates came in at this iunc-
ture Thomas Torson, of Watonwan.
said 1t was necessary to decide and to
decide at once if the caucus was to he
Of any benefit to its choice. He moved
that the caucus proceed to a ballot, the
chairman of each delegation being per-
mitted to cast the ballot of his entire
delegation. w. L. Nichols, of Martin
county, vigorously objected in view of
the number of abSentees from several
of the counties.
George G. Slagle, cf Murray county.
amended that the halI1% -