The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-25
Minnesota Politics
State Senators VIII Try to Get Together
In ST. Paul Frday-Thomas Torson
Wants to Be Lieutenant Governor, and
the Office May Be Contested for-Mc-
CIeary Feels Confident of Landing APP
proprlations Committee.

There are likely to be doings in st.
Paul next Friday. The Roosevelt club
dinner that evening with Governor Cum
minis of Iowa as orator will be an at
traction for outside politicians and it is
reported that the state senators will :
make use Of the occasion to get to-
gether quietly and discuss state politics.
The senators want to get together on a
program and work it thru, and naturally
they want to do it as quietly as pos
sible, for the senate collectively is not in
high favor with the people, and the fact
of being senatorial candidate for gov
,ernor might prove a handicap. 1t is by
no means certain that the senators will
even succeed in getting together but an
effort will be made to bring them in
touch Friday or Saturday, and governor
ship will be the principal topic of dis
cusston. Lord, Brewer, Somerville, Ste
phens, Eberhart and Ward have all had
honorable mention for governor, and
the senators would like to bring about
the elevation Of one of their number If
possible.
The second district is going to ask
for something next year. In addition to
the possibility Of Somerville coming out
for governor and the probable candidacy
of Gustaf Widell for secretary of state
a second district man is likely to get
in the race for lieutenant governor. Sen
ator Thomas Torson of st. James is the
man. Torson is a veteran legislator,
having served four terms in the house
previous to his term in the senate, and
he has given out that he will not ask for
| another term. He would like, however,
to hold the gavel for while, and is
| looking over the situation with view
to asking the second districts support.
The office of lieutenant governor has
| not been a bone of contention in re-.
cent years. 1t came easy to Lyndon A.
Smith in 1898, and a second term was
granted him without opposition in the
convention. Ray W. Jones had no op-
ponent in either convention. Next year.
however, there may be pretty little
contest. w. A. Nolan of Grand Meadow
has his eye On the office and other can
! didates are likely to come up. The
j lieutenant governorship Is not much Of a
place as far as revenue and patronage
are concerned, and for that reason it is
hard to get delegations to make a bid
| for it on behalf of a county or district.
It is, however, highly important posi-
| ton, almost much so as speaker OF
the house, and the man who holds the
gavel over the senate is in a position to
help or hinder legislation to a great de-.
| gree. Members of the legislature are
fully aware Of the Importance Of the
office, much as it is sighted by out
siders
There has been some talk Of nom
mating a Hennepin man to succeed Ray
Jones. w. W. Heffelfinger and E. E.
Smith have been suggested. Two other
d Eighth warders, Lawrence Johnson and
Carleton L. Wallace, have been talked Of
for the place by friends in the legislature
Local sentiment however, is opposed to
asking for the lieutenant governor. II
is considered better politics to wait until
something worth while comes along.
The Morris Tribune says: when an
exchange dominates Lyndon A. Smith
jacobson, Frank Eddy, Ed Young, Sam.
uel Lord for governor, we feel like Sec
onding the whole bunch collectively and
severally The truth is that when such
men are nominated, there are never any
: fights that disrupt the party with charges
and counter-charges Of grating and cor.
, ruption. We all have our personal pref.
t erences among these men, but we car
r cheerfully accept any one Of them. II the
= contest is among such men at the nexi
: republican convention there win be ps
( danger of bolt"
e Congressman McCleary Is In Mankate
, preparing for the coming session of con.
e gress and incidentally for the new daily
I he is to start in Mankato- "A great dea
l. is at stake in the congressman's effor1
: to get the craftsmanship of the appro.
priations committee to succeed Hemen:
I I way If he lands it will be a feather
4 in his cap next year when the primary
. election contest comes. If he fails tlit
!. opposition will rub it in" Reports from
lnr -. hot ~ IN ics
!. fdent of the. appointment and consider.
!. the matter practically settled with Speak
er Cannon. Charles B. Cheney
: ENCOURAGING cIvILITY.