The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-19
a MYSTERY SOLVED


Stevens, of this district. for the solu-
ton of one of the political mysteries of
this campaign. The importation into
it of the fortunes of Senator Nelson
has puzzled us a good deal. We UNI
derstood, of course, that Senator Mel
son had taken up good heavy load
when he issued his certificate of rec
ommendation to r. G. Dunn. Still we
supposed that Senator Nelson, not be-
ing a candidate himself at this time,
might be able to bear it and live down
the recollection of it when the time for
| filling his place comes around. But
Republican speakers and newspapers
have insisted with such unanimity that
Senator Nelson's seat, which is not TO
be filled until after another election,
and concerning which nobody chosen
at this time will have the slightest in
terest or voice, that We have lamented
our inability to supply the connection.
Mr.. Stevens did so in talk the other
| evening, and we are greatly obliged TO
him for the answer to this puzzle prob
lem.
Mr., Stevens argument runs some
thing like this: president Roosevelt
can never conduct a successful adj
ministration unless he has the support
of both branches of congress. In this
state the legislature sits only ninety
days, or one-fourth of a year. The
term Of the legislature is but one
eighth of the governors term. The
legislature has only one chance out of
eight to fill vacancy in the senate
| caused by the death of one of its mem
bers, while the governor has seven
chances out of eight. Do you not see
danger from that one standpoint alone
of elevating to the Office Of governor
| Democratic candidate?'
Sometimes we have wondered at the
pleasant secret of Mr.. Stevens perma-
nence in his present place, but it
| 1GNGd III IllIS VI 1lS
mental processes. No man with
i mind like that can fail of appreciation.
| According to Mr.. Stevens, President
Roosevelt is going to be reelected;
| second, if reelected, he can do moth
4 ing without a congress Republican in
both branches;- third, although the
senate is safely and securely Repub-
lican beyond possibility Of reversal at
| this election, enough Republican SEN
ators might die, or possibly might be
murdered by designing Democrats, to
feave the party in the minority; fourth,
Senator Nelson weHld.she one of those
marked by Providence or a cruel enc
my for slaughter; fifth, as soon as SEN
ator Nelson is put out of the way for
! political purposes his successor will be
a Democrat if a Democratic governor
should be elected.
To this we think Mr.. Stevens should
have added in fairness that when the
successor of the defunct Senator Nell
son shall have been appointed, the
coed to assassinate enough of the Re-
publican members of the legislature to
make it sure that at it's next meeting 1t
! will fill the vacancy with another Dem
! ocrat; or perhaps will exterminate the
| legislature altogether. so that the
| Democratic governor win have no OBJ
stacle to his will and the reconstruction
of the United States senate may be as
sured.
We do not think that the people of
Minnesota are either children or MIN
MES. What sort. Of old wife's tales are
these to feed to intelligent men or ex
pect to influence their action? The
fact Of it is that the Republican CAM
| paign managers in this state and the
officials who feel that Republican sue
cess, right or wrong, is a matter OF
life and death, are scared out of their
! ordinary wits. They see defeat ahead,
ana among themselves titey duIIilI II.
They have decided to throw the burden
upon Senator Nelson's shoulders.
They believe that If anybody could
| save them he might. He has already
foolishly committed himself, and now
! they are beating tom-tens at great
rate, thinking to confuse and scare the
| voter into the notion that there is
something in it.
The widest imagination that ever
existed cannot see the slightest actual
connection between Senator Nelson's
fortunes and those of the Republican
candidates in this campaign. The eff
fort of Congressman Stevens to hitch
one to the other is so patiently amusing
and innocently absurd that it gives the
whole snap away.
1t is said that the colored pugilist
lwho was shot in a hand will probably
- lot