The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-11-27
The Zumbrota Man As Good As
Elected Speaker Of House.
RAMSEYSETTLES THE CONTEST
hsnnspin Ceunty's Hopes Are Shat
tered whsn Fourth District Mem.
bsrs Take Action at Caucus.
From Tuesdays Daily.

st. Paul, Nov. 24.-Ramsey county
mas joined the Rockne forces in the
fight for the speakership OF the house
of representatives of the Minnesota
legislature, and in consequence the
Zumbrota mans stock has gone sky
ward with a bound, and he and his
friends regard the matter as settled
At caucus held yesterday at the
Merchants hotel the eight repubi-
can members from Ramsey county de-
cided unanimously to support Rockne.
The action although surprise to
the johnson men was not unexpected
to those on the inside in spite of the
fact that it was generally supposed
that at least five members of the dele
CATION were johnson men and that
Burnquist and Christensen were the
only out and out Rockne men. These
two had been working hard for Rockne
for some time and during the past
five days they have had the assistance
of Alvin Rowe, who, previous to that
time, had taken no active part in the
contest. -
But it is understood that it was the
action of the sixth district which
turned the tide. When it became
known that seven of the twelve men,
bers from that district We're for
Rockne, the chances of the Zumbrota
man became much brighter and this
had a marked influence in his favor.
1t is claimed in the RocEne camp
that Rockne, the way things were run
ming in the country, could have gotten
along without the support of six men,
bers of the Ramsey county delegation,
and might, even have dispensed with
that of Burnquist and Christensen, and
still scraped through. The realization
of this fact is said by the RotKneites
to have been the lever which assisted
materially in swinging the delegation
into line for the Zumbrota man. >,
Nevertheless Rockne and his friends
We're very glad to welcome the Ramsey
contingent to their camp.
Wore Broad Smile.
Early in the day o. N. Thundale of
Harmony, who has been managing the
Rockne campaign, was very cautious in
his claims, though he seemed rather
confident, but as soon as the action
of the Ramsey delegation became
known, the faces of Rockne and his
friends were wreathed in smiles and
they took the view that it was all
over but the shouting, which was just
about to begin.
Rockne claims that large proper
ton of the Ramsey county delegation
have been with him from the start,
but that from motives of policy they
held aloof.
One of the leading Rockne workers,
in a statement made before the Ram
sey county caucus, claimed that the
Seventh district, which caucused this
afternoon, would. go eleven for Rockne
to one for johnson. He claimed a
total of 50 votes for Rockne, at that
time, but was not willing to show his
hand at that stage of the game and
tell just where the votes would come
from. However, he said that the Zum
brota man would get at least three
votes out of the Eighth district, nam
ing Webb, Rine and Harton as as
sured.
Representative Zelch of st. Paul
Park, one of Johnson's warmest sup
porters, said much the same thing this
morning, conceding that, with Ramsey
in the Rockne ranks, the Zumbrota
man had the speakership. He had the
remainder of the state sized up as
follows: First district, Rockne 5,
johnson 6; Second, Rockne l, johnson
5; Third, Rockne 4, Johnson g.; Fifth,
johnson IA; Sixth, Rockne I, johnson
5; Seventh, Rockne 10, johnson 2;
Eighth, Rockne 5, johnson 4; Ninth,
Rockne 8, johnson 4 This would give
Rockne total Of Al votes and John
son As in the republican caucus. With
Ramsey county for Rockne, he would
have 40 out of ga votes.
Immediately following the caucus the
members of the Ramsey county dele
cation adjourned to Rockne's room in
the Merchants hotel, where he received