The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-18

Mn vi lvll
evening Of Jan. 8 nominated Moses e.
Clapp to succeed himself by a vote OF
1877 to 1, the uninitiated wondered at
all the fuss stirred up by the opposition
during the previous month. AS mat
ter of fact, however, the junior senator
was given a rather close call, and his
managers were very near the panic
stage more than once. They did not
feel absolutely sure Of the 81 votes re-
Until the last minute. If the caucus
had been called in the usual way, and
attended by all the republican members,
the Clapp victory would not have been
nearly SO one sided
Senator Clapp's. campaign was con
Quoted on the "cinch - plan from the
start. It began immediately after his
first election in 1901, and the state con-
vention Of 1902 was induced to adopt a
resolution in it's platform favoring the
reelection of both senators, tho Meth
er one came up at the succeeding ses-
sion of the legislature.
Most of the state senators were
pledged to Clapp during that campaign.
Then the federal officials, headed by
! that prince of resolution drafters, Mar
shall Grimshaw, succeeded in commit
ting the party at two state conventions
| in 1904. First at the delegate conven-
ton held March II, at Minneapolis, and
then at the nominating convention of
June 80 resolutions were adopted pledg-
ing the party to the re-election Of both
senators. It was claimed by the oppo-
sition that the conventions had no au-
thority to pledge members Of the legis-
| 1o%u l,,% 4ho convention 1olo
used as lever to force declarations
from the candidates for the house at
the ensuing primaries.
| AS a result the Clapp managers had
pledges Of one sort and another from a
large majority of the republican mem
bers. Many Of these were secured from
unwilling men, who were anxious to
break away and felt that they had been
coerced. =. : 49, ~. r.. 0.a.t.z. ~. = /.
An issue was raised against the SEN
ator just after the election. He had
evaded attempts to get definite state
ment from him on the Quarles- Cooper
| bill, but on account of the governorship
fight this was hardly noticed till the adj
vocates Of the bill with Editor, Apple
gate Of the. cannon Falls Beacon, as
after bro dside. Joel P. Heatwole,
who had some hopes of being the bene-
fciary if Clapp was defeated, took hold
of the opposition campaign. The sena-
torship had figured in politics during
the summer, when Heatwole exposed
the alliance he had formed with Dunn
for the undoing of Clapp. and showed
Heatwole to make terms with Clapp.
The Heatwole hand in the campaign
at once drew line which worked to
| Clapp's benefit. Quite a sprinkling Of
| members who had not been committed
to Clapp were friends of Dunn, or felt
some resentment against Heatwole for
his part in the campaign. They accord
! lngly swung IN line for Clapp after
due elaboration.
The only real candidacy opposed to
Clapp was that Of Judge J. B. Gilfllan
OF Minneapolis, who was proposed about
the time of the state convention. Early
in December his candidacy was formal
" launched at a dinner given by the
business men Of the city, and it was
indorsed first by the house delegation
was plain from the start that three or
! four of the delegation had made a men
| tai reservation. .
The sensation Of the whole campaign
was in the Ramsey delegation, which
refused to meet and indorse Clapp.
Finally David Hammergren. of the
thirty-thiird district openly bolted she
| oSudGOIs UuL VIC Sdule .udyE TIduh HAS
|! kell Of the; thirty-fifth announced that
he had been offered money to do the
same. thing by persons interested in the
election Of Governor Van SAINT. This
was played as strong card for Clapp.
However, it had one effect not counted
on. Governor Van SAINT announced him
self as a candidate, declaring that the
Haskell statement was an insult to him.
While his candidacy never developed
anything in the way of votes, he would
have been a formidable entry if the
caucus had been delayed or deadlockel
by the opposition
Senator Clapp's managers forced the
issue by an early caucus call, male
without consulting the other candidates
The call was circulated among the re-
publican members, and set the date for
session of the two houses. After sew.
eral days of effort they succeeded in
getting 121 names on the call and the
caucus was held. The very afternoon
Of the caucus it would have been pos
sible to head off Clapp's selection by
the use Of money, but there was nc
f di1na worth mentioning placed at the
lqctant members came into camp. The
Hennepin delegation, with the excep
tlon OF Armstrong, Smith and Lund
, stayed away from the caucus, refusing
to recognize it.: Lund voted in thu
caucus for Gilfllan. Of the 100 house
! members, all but 80 attended the eau
= Gus, and Clapp's was the only name pre-
), sented. w. B. Anderson of Winons
presided - ,-@
The election took place Jan. II. The
. democrats had nominated Robert A
Smith Of st. Paul for their choice. bu
, seven Of the twenty-five minority mem
a berss recognized republican sentiment il
. their districts by voting for Clapp. A
: there were three democrats absent
Smith got only twelve votes One re
, publican. A. X. Ware Of Mortified
bolted Clapp and voted for Speake
= Frank 'Clague, making q warm speecl
t which evoked more applause in III
v house than the eulogies of Clapp. On
=, republican was absent, 50 that Clap
received l58 republican and seven dem
a ocratic votes, or l65 in all.
J, The election was announced in tn
. joint session held at noon Jan. Is.
J. w. THE SPEAKERsHIP