The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-23
SCANDINAYlANS
REPUDIATE IT
SECRET MEETING OF, SO-CALLED
STATE LEAGUE.
Only Handful Present, 1t Is Stated,
q and the Great Majority Kept in the
Dark-Candidates Endorsed and the
News Spread as the Action of the
Scandinavian Republican League.
Suacial to The journal.

Special to The Journal.
Sioux Falls, S. D., March 23.-The re-
cent announcement that about a dozen
men had held a secret meeting in this
city, reorganized the Scandinavian Re
publican league of South Dakota and in
the republican congressional and state
ticket, caused great surprise among the
Scandina Wan republicans of Sioux Falls
and this part Of the state.
This feeling of surprise has now given
place to one of indignation by the receipt
Of information to the effect that the small
handful of men who "reorganized' the
republican voters Of South Dakota cir
cular letter. printed on league letterheads,
upon which appear the resolutions adopt
ed at the secret meeting. in this city.
There are in Sioux Falls fully 200 Scan
dinav1an republican voters. Only two of
ing in time to be present, and have re-
quested that themselves and the thousands
of4iother2t Scandinavian republicans thru
out the state be placed In a right light
before the people, of the state. ~
THE reorganizers Of the league even saw
At to Withhold information of the proposed
meeting from the secretary of the league
G. H. Kiland, a prominent Scandinavian
republican of Sioux Falls. He was kept
in ignorance of the proposed meeting and
knew nothing Of it until statement OF
what had been done at the meeting ap-
peared In the newspapers the following
morning. Mr.. Kiland, when asked about
the matter said: u,
Secretary kIIand's Statement.
mo- I had no notice of the recent meet
ing Of the so-called Scandinavian repub-
Ilican league Of South Dakota. Yes, I be.
1ieve I was the last elected SECRETARY OF
%ho 1hoV ,iror al q
the close of the Aberdeen convention ir
1885. f. .%tE --g
'"rhe organization worked hard for the
Republican cause during that and the fol
lowing campaign, but after everything
had gone republican in this state it wa:
permitted to lapse into innocuous desue
tude, so to speak"
Thomas Thorson of Canton, was elected
president of the league at the same time
as was elected secretary. There has no
been any election Of officers since.
| II met Mr.. Thorson casually at the Cat
aract House In this city few days before
the alleged meeting was held, but he dit
not intimate to me; that he had called {
meeting to reorganize the league or TO
any other purpose.
I II knew nothing Of the meeting unit
read an account thereof in the Siou:
Falls Press the next day."
! No Public Notices.
| It is fact we'll known that no publ
notice Of the proposed meeting was given
Some of the eight Or ten men who cam
Ito Sioux Falls from Huron and two o
three other places to hold the meeting ha'
to leave home the day before the evening
of the meeting, and notwithstanding this
no notice was given in the Sioux Fall
Emorning or evening newspapers OF tn
day on which the meeting was held.
Four or five Of the county officers 9
Minnehaha county are Scandinavian re
publicans, and reside in this city, blu
they, with the remainder Of their brethre
in Sioux Falls and vicinity, with two Q
three exceptions, were kept in the dark.
The Scandinavian republicans Of tn
state are we'll satisfied with the recogni
ton given them by; the republican part
of South Dakota. They have no griev
ances, and no disposition to criticise tn
republican organization.
Among leading Scandinavian republican
of this part of the state who stand read
to substantiate to the fullest extent th
|; statement are O. s.. Swenson forme
chairman Of the republican county centrs
committee for Minnehaha county; John
Lee, county treasurer Of Minnehah
county; c.. A. Grinde, auditor
Minnehaha county; II. A. Ustrud, s,
perintendent Of schools; c. A. Soderberl
iregister of deeds; G. G. Bratrud, a leadin
real estate dealer Of Sioux Falls, and
J. Rogde, member Of the legislature fro
J Minnehaha county.