The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-21
ROGERS IN FUTILE
EFFORT TO EXPLAIN
Makes Serious Attempt to Ab.
solve Dunn of Lind
Charges

E. G. Rogers was sent to the front
last night to attempt a defense for
r. c. Dunn from the tnmerciful scor-
ing given him by Congressman John
Lind in his Peoples church speech last
night.
Mr.. Rogers devoted an hour to an eff
fort to shift the burden of blame for
the Duluth & Iron Range railroad grant
hiatus from Mr.. Dunn to Mr.. Lind.
The speech was delivered at a meet
ing of Republicans at Vasa hall, Sew
enth and Wacouta streets, last. night,
with John Wolterstorff presiding. 1t is
understood that Rogers speech will be
used by the Republican managers as a
campaign document in the absence of
speech by F. B. Kellogg or w. B.
Douglas, attorneys, who were familiar
with the case.
Mr.. Rogers said he would "reply to
Mr. Lind'S deFogation of the personal
character of our candidate for gov
ernor," and declared that Mr.. Lind
had purposely refrained from making
his attack until late in the campaign,
when it could not be properly refuted.
He recited the history of the Duluth
& Iron Range land grant at great
length, but carefully refrained from at
tempting an explanation of the means
by which the $4,000 acres of land were
included in the lists of lands upon
which the circuit courts decree was
based.
He recited the legislative enactment
which created a commission consisting
of the governor, state auditor and at
torney general and voted an appro-
priation of SIC, 600 to prosecute the au-
ditor's claim that the grant to the rail-
road company was Illegal. He admitted
that when the suit was commenced Mr.
Lind was not governor of the state, but
insisted that he was governor when the
decree of Judge Lochren was entered
He said he was governor for about a
year after the decree was made. Mr.
Rogers made no mention of the fact
that the state auditor or the states
attorneys did not discover the existence
of the inclusion of the $4,000 acres Of
state institutions lands in the decree
until a year and two months after the
decree was issued and Mr.. Lind was
out of Office. He declared that Gov.
Linds deed, refused by the railroad
interests, was a mere bluff" and his
silence since was a political trick.
That the former governor and the
eminent lawyers associated with the
attorney general in the case should go
unScathed. and that the burden should
fall on r. G. Dunn is an outrage" Mr..
Rogers roared, and Andrew Holt, the
warhorse Of Third ward Republicans,
with a number of others, left the hall
He gave Dunn credit for the modifica-
ton of the decree which resulted in
the compromise, the terms of which
Mr.. Lind so vigorously assailed in his
speech. In closing he attacked John
A. Johnson's public record but com
plimented him as man and a good
citizen.
Congressman F. w. Cushman, of Ia
coma, Wash, was the first speaker,
and he talked on national issues, but
in closing compared Mr.. Dunn to the
late William Mckinley. HE was
much maligned man, and so is your
candidate for governor" the Western
congressman said. But when he is
swept into office you will find he is
the best and greatest governor who
ever graeed your governors chair"
There were incidental speeches by
number Of Republican candidates for
county offices.
The applause was led by a delega-
ton of enthusiasts in the rear of the
hall including Walter Lemon, M. j.
Wiley, DR.. E. II. Haas and others who
handled the campaign last spring of
the lamented Col. f. p. Wright.