Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1909-12-10
REGENTS ARE
HIT BY JOKER
NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANY
OTHER OFFICE.
This Bars John Lind as Can
didate for Governor and
Pierce Butler as Senator.
Gossip of the Republican
Possibilities.

St. Paul December 6.-I notice from
the st. Paul correspondence to the
Duluth Herald, said to have eminated
from the Kitchen Cabinet, which is
still in active business, though not at
the old stand, that the writer is in
clined to be merry over the sugges-
ton that John Lind may be selected
as the Democratic candiate for gov
ernor, and in the event of the failure
of the Republican party to take up
the issue run on the county option
ticket. That such suggestion has
been made resulted from knowledge
of the fact which has leaked out that,
when approached in 1908, Governor
Lind declared that the only condition
on which he would run would be that
the platform of the Democratic party
should contain county option plank.
The writer goes on to say that s'the
Democratic party is historically COM
mitted to the evident latitude of per-
sonal liberty consistent with right liv-
ing, and the adoption of a county op-
ton platform would hopelessly disor-
ganize the party in this State"
However that may be, the Kitchen
Cabinet has no doubt long been fa-
miliar with Mr.. Lind's views on this
subject. That may have been among
the reasons which inspired a joker
which found its way into the laws of
1907-noted for their jokers and wood
chucks-which makes John Lind at
the present time Ineligible on any
platform as the candidate of any party
for governor or any State office.
At that session the law creating a
board of regents of the State uni
versity was amended and certain per-
sons were designated by the legis-
ture to the members of the board of
regents. The closing paragraph, how
ever, affects all members appointed
subsequently. 1t reads as follows:
"From and after the expiration Of the
terms of the aforesaid appointed
members no appointed member of the
board shall during the term for which
he is appointed hold any other Office,
elective or appointive, under the
State of Minnesota" Mr.. Lind's term
does not expire until 1914. In case
he becomes a candidate in 1910 his
eligibility would be at once called in
question. There is no way he could
get round the difficulty. Even his
resignation would not make him
eligible as candidate for governor in
the next campaign. He is definitely
out of it.
Another gentlemen on whose polit-
ical ambition this laws puts damper
is Pierce Butler of st. Paul. 1t is said
that Butler had concluded to be can
didate for the State senate in oppo-
sition to Senator Hackney in the Mid
way district. The law disqualifies him
from holding any State Office, elective
or appointive during the term of his
regency.
This narrows Democratic ppssibili-
ties in the gubernatorial field. Con-
gresham Hammond is we'll known to
be reluctant to get into the game, if
not to have definitely refused. Still
there is Mayor Lawler of st. Paul.
He is said to be in reflective mood.
The party, however, is afraid of him
and his big stick. Hence scouting
parties are out. D. Daily of Rem
vile county has been discovered, but
has yet to be introduced. Doubtless
there are others. I am inclined, how
ever, to the opinion that the Kitchen
Cabinet regard one Frank A. Day more
and more as the man of destiny, and
that it is the easiest thing in the world
to underrate both his strength and his
popularity.
So far on the Republican side the
men who are most in the public eye
are: first, Governor Eberhart, who by
reason of his occupancy of the posi-
ton, has the advantage of appearing
to have prior claim on public con-
sideration. That goes far. Naturally
people are inclined to accept the es-
tablised orddr, and in the matter of
the executive Office to look no further
provided the man who appears to be