The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-16

governor johnson is about the only tie
now holding Minnesota democrats togeth-
er IN common fold. There Is no ma
tlonal issue on which they are united
The feud between the conservative wing
and the Hearst followers is smoldering,,
and wants very little stirring to cause a
renewal Of hostilities. The Johnson adj
mlnlstrat1on furnishes common ground
on which they meet-for the time being,
and the condition is one of an armed
truce. ..s-..5es4 49, ~ Z. III / r3s % Z
Ihe governor; while inclined toward the
LIND lt Rosing-Day wing of the party by
natural sympathies, has tried hard to
keep. the Hearst men satisfied. The ap-
pointment Of w. H Williams as labor
commissioner and Cleve Van Dyke as ex-.
ecutive clerk pleased them, for it was
recognition, and, while Van: Dyke is out
of his own accord, the governor still has
credit for the appointment. The; working
democrats In Minneapolis are, sore to an.
extent oyer: local appointments, and some
of them will not give very hearty sup
port to. the state ticket next year. but
from present indications the two factions
,, in the state will stand together in work..
ing for johnson S re-eIection Success. is;
a big consideration even with political
theorists, and democrats, all think they
stand a good chance. to Sre-elect Johnson.
It will be an off year, and the republican
| quarrel Of last year, they assume, will not
| be entirely healed, so they are expect
ing a great many republican votes for
Johnson again. If Johnson wins, the
democracy will still have a rallying point
in the state, but if he should be de-
feated there would be nothing left Of the
old democracy worth saving by the next
presidential campaign.
| Democrats generally expect an entire
ly new party alignment by 1908, and the
! factions that now work together are more
than likely to be fighting under differ
ent banners in that year. Some bank on
a division in the republican party, one
faction staying by the standpat doctrines
and the other forming a new party and
, fighting along Roosevelt lines for tariff
| revision, rate regulation and supervision
of trusts, with some such leader as La
Toilette. Many democrats are hoping for
the opportunity to- enlist under such a
new party. Minnesota democrats are 90
per cent with Roosevelt right now, and
would follow him in any break from old
party lines.
If the republican party progresses
unitedly, and the Roosevelt type of lead
ers gain control, democracy will try tt
rejuvenate itself under the municipal
| ownership banner, and offer the country
something more radical than. republicans
have. In such an event the Minnesota
democracy. would spl and the Hearst
wing. would be the leaders Of. the new
democracy, while the conservatives woult
join hands with the new republicanism
No. one doubts that the next three
years will witness big changes in tht
political alignment of Minnesota, as wei
5 as in the country: at: large. !, LOCAL.!
, speaking. there is&now no democratic
party lin two thirds OF the Minnesota
counties. There would. be none in thu
} state. but for the election of johnson.
The governors friends say he does no
want to run again, but that he recog
nizes the necessity He is all the dem
, ocracy has to do with, and If he refused
his fellow democrats would ostracise hin
. for the rest of, his Hfe.5 .55f2. ~~..&t.. +
The latest news regarding the repub
lican candidates for governor is tha
r. c. Dunn is bitterly opposed to tn
nomination of Julius Block, and will
: leave no means untried to prevent 1t
s Block has secured the support Of SOM
of Drnn's former lieutenants, but ther
never has been the best feeling betweel
the two men, and even Blocks lette
r asking his friends to vote for Dunn doe
e not seem to have placated the Princeton
man. ....
= =, The Drainage league interests are go
: ing to take a hand in naming the mex
n state ticket. They VIII present a stron
e plank for the platform, and will insis
g that the candidate for governor pledg
. himself to support the drainage cause
' They will also pay some attention to tn
s nominees for auditor and secretary c
n state as those two officers are also mem
: bers Of the state drainage commission.