The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-06
Minnesota Politics

Early Convention Date favored In the
Preliminary DIscussion-The Highway
Commission Appolntments-Is the IRE
publican League Extlnct7
- An early convention date Is favored by
nearly everyone who a expressed an
opinion IN the subject. It is conceded
that a peculiar condition exists in the
state, which makes presidents OF little
avail. The republican candidate for gov
ernor not only needs a harmonious party,
but he needs a long campaign. season to
get around and make the people ac-
.quainted with hin An early convention
would also make it possible for the
state and local committees to get or
ganized and in touch with each 9TH
ar before the real work Of the cam
paign begins. These are the rea-
sons usually given for an early con-
vention, but there is another In
~everyone's mind. An early convention
will cut short the canvass Of candidates
and will possibly prevent the pre-conven-
ton contest from reaching the heated
stage. It Is thought that by the end
of this month every one who IS a candi-
date for state office will be in the open,
nj If the candidates are going to stand
on their merits they will not need elab-
crate organizations and expensive oam-
paigns. Two or three months ought to
be plenty Of time for them to do their
work.
Frank M. Eddy favors an April con-
vention. Those who talk early conven-
ton can hardly advocate a May date,
as that would disfranchise most of the
farmers. The primaries and county N
vopfiora ro1ySf Gonna pjfhaYs hafnra NP
after the crops are n. Members Of the
state commission ave not had my con-
ference for over a veal It Is, likely that
q meeting of the executive committee
will be called in a., short time to discuss
the proposition. If sentiment favors the
early, date, then the full committee will
be called to settle it.
Frank Eddy ~estat his offer to the
''standpatters'' IN this weeks edition of
the Sank Center Herald, and says that
the offer holds good not only to Nc
Cleary, but to any :"standpatter" in the
United States. He objects to the reference
made in this column speaking Of his offer
as an ':artistic bluff" and says:
There is no bluff about it. 1t was simply a
square offer to those who claim that Minnesota
republicans are standpatters to make good tnelr
assertion. Mr.. Cheney also states that Mr.. Nc
Geary did not state his position himself. That
is true. We summarized his position from his
tariff speech made in congress, his published
interview on his return from Europe and speeches
he has made since.
Our article has been published all over the
state, and neither he nor any of his friends have
made the claim that we have misrepresented
him. We honestly think If he had made a
statement himself he would have made 1t
stronger than we did. We think our statement
of his views is approximately correct. Not
only that, but we think it Is a fair statement
! n tho riorva nf tho Sfqndnat element of the re-
publican party. We consider Mr.. McCleary one
of the ablest, If not the .ablest, representative
Of that element. '7" .
make the test because OF the ease with which
a list Of names could be obtained, and 1t Is
reasonable to suppose standpahsm Is stronger
in that district than in any other in the state.
We did not challenge Mr.. McCleary or anyone
else. Any standpatter In the United. States Is
at liberty to accept our ~"offer:". We think this
matter ought to be tested in some way 1ndepen'
dent Of a campaign in which the personalities Of
candidates enter. The people, are entitled tt
what they want. If they do not want any tariff
revision and are opposed to reciprocity the en-
tire congressional delegation should be out-and
out standpatters. If, as we believe, an over
wheIming ma ority Of Minnesota voters honestly
think there should be a revision of the tariff
and are earnestly in favor Of reciprocity, i
is a travesty on representation to be repre-
sented in congress by men opposed to thos
views.
Governor Johnson followed the recon-
mendation Of the good roads convention
as to two Of the three member he ap
pointed on the. highway commission
Gustave Scholle of, st. Paul and j.. B
G%alarneault Of Aitkin, both democrats
were. on the list Of six names submitted
by the convention. Charles Halvorson o
Dawson, who was appointed from tn
territory Of the fifth, sixth n seventh
districts, was not on the list, but i
understood to be satisfactory to goot
roads people. w. R. Baumbach Of Wa
lena and J. T. Elwen of Minneapoli
5 were the two chosen from that district
( Mr.. Baumbach withdrew his name, an
2 on account Of the probability Of the en-
gineer coming from Minneapolis, it wa
out of the question to give this city
place on the board. In view of the tall
about good roads being an automobil
| fad, it would never have done to have
> majority of the board from the cities.
The Preston Times says: L'
l ". Ii. Verify has sold out his paper at WI
D., dena land gone to Indian Territory. This wi
Il leave the rump republican league, organized b
= some Of the members of the third house la
I winter: without a head, and thu" head!ess thin
:, will probably be allowed to die, as it shout,
~ These so-called republican leagues are pure fake
any way and are usually instigated by tho:
having an ak to grind, as witness the John Goo
now fasco Of some years ago.
Swan B.. Molander, formerly of Nor:
Q but now of st. Paul, and for some veal
= stumpage clerk in the office Of the stat
auditor, Is credited with ambition to /
. secretary of state. Molander was a cal
didate for the nomination six years ag,
He would have more strength in tt
eighth district than in st. Paul, whel
s it is claimed that+aIl factions are unite
q on Lemon for clerk of the supreme cour
BY the way, it ought to be a good cor
test between Lemon and C.. A. Pidgeo
While Lemon is a peach, there is no u:
= denying that Pidgeon is q. bird.
The biennial rumor about opposition
Charles R. Davis is going the rounds
the third district, but has not been tic
d to any victim as yet. Two years ago
was Frank M Wilson who was going /
file for congress. There are plenty
outs who want to get in, butQthey haven
% found a man as yet to carry the banne
Charles B.. Cheney.