Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-03-09
OPTION [ CONFERENCE
LEGISLATORS AND PROSPECTIVE
, GOVERNORS PRESENT At ST.
PAUL meeting.
GOVERNOR KEEPS HANDS OFF
Address Of Mr.. Eberhart 10 Listened
To With Interest BY
Hundreds Of
Delegates.

st. Paul, March 3.-With the dele
gates all gathered in St. Paul for the
county option demonstration, interest
is in the probable action of the con-
Ventlon itself, and in the statement
OF position with Governor Eberhart
made as to his position.
Will Keep Hands off.
Before from 1900 to 1900 persons
gathered in the ST.. Paul auditorium,
Governor Eberhart set at rest any
doubt there might be as to his posi-
ton on the question of county option
He absolutely and positively refused
to be forced into position not of his
own choosing. His remarks indicated
neutral stand.
The governor declared that he would
not risk subjecting to possible embar-
rassment the party which had given
the state all the temperance legislation
1t has by pledging the influence of his
Office to the option program.
The governor said with equal Dosi
tlveness that if county option bill
were passed by the legislature, if he
were governor, it would be signed and
enforced.
A movement which may develop
strong proportions was started among
the delegates to indorse a candidate
Tor governor. This was frowned upon
by the leaders Of the gathering. The
purpose as discussed was to indorse
former Attorney General Young, J. F.
Jacobson Or W. E. Lee.
Moth Mr.. Young and Mr.. Jacobson
used all their influence to stop the
movement, and Elias Rachie, the leg
lslative representative of the Anti
Saloon league, argued against. it.
The delegates began to arrive early,
Elias Racine opening headquarters at
the Merchants hotel. The lobby of
the hotel presented the appearance
OF political convention. This was
heightened by the presence of many
members of the legislature and by
some candidates for office. Among
the later were Secretary of State
Schmahl, A. w. Thompson, of Pres
ton, candidate for state auditor; DR..
j. W. Gates of Kenyon, candidate for
the Republican nomination for lieu
tenant governor, and others.
Among the members of the legisla-
ture were Senators L. o. Thorpe, of
Kandiyohi; E. H. Garfield, of Rock:
c. A. Johnson, of st. Peter; v. L..
Johnson, of Chisago; J. w. Wright, of
Meeker and S. A. Nelson, of Fill
more.
Among the representatives were
Wescott, of Dakota; Gates of Kenyon:
Johnson, of Candy; Melby, of Lyon;
Mattson, of Roseau; Saugstad, of
Polk; Johnson, of Fergus Falls; Carl
son, of Cloquet; Rines, of Kanabec;
Conley, of Olmstead; Lee, of Glen
wood; Rustad, of Fillmore; Davis, of
Elk River; Holmberg, of Renyille. and
others.
The Democratic kitchen cabinet was
represented by Bank Examiner J. B.
Galerncoult and Charles Halvo:sen, of
the board of control
The largest delegation to arrive was
that from Kandiyohi county, headed
by Senator L. 0. Thorpe. There are
about 1875 in the delegation, but about
half of them stopped off in Mime
| apolis.
Addresses were made by Prof. P.
M. Magnuson, of the st. Cloud Normal
school; State Senator Ole Sageng,
of Dalton; Representative E. E. Lo-
beck, Of Alexandria; Representative
G. Fl. Mattson, of Roseau; Prof. Frank
Nelson of the Minnesota college in
Minneapolis; Prof. A. J. Mcclure of
the agricultural college at Grand Rap
ids, and F. N. Stacy, Of the public
examiners office; Elias Rachie, legis-
lative superintendent, and J. F. ia
cobson.
The afternoon session was ad-
dressed by former Attorney General
Young, on County Option and Law
Enforcement" DR.. Andrew Gillies of
Minneapolis, pastor of the Hennepin
Avenue NJ. E. church, spoke on "The
Minister'S Part in the Fight for Coun-
ty Option"