The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-02-24
PULLING I STRINGS
St. Paul Politicians are Manipula-
ting the Puppets +.
BEHIND TIE SCENES
Suspicion That Republican And
Democratic Bosses Are Quietly
Working Together

st. Paul Special to The Herald, Feb. % !,
st. Paul is on the eve of a civic
election. Indeed, SO far as, the may
orally is concerned the fight is already
on. if it is a fight--and that. is just.
where the average ST. Paul voter is
at sea. Is the candidacy of Herb
Keller for mayor really an effort to
wrest the management of city affairs
from the Democratic boss who now
controls it, or does it merely mean a
proposed change of fgureheads with
the same hand pulling the wires
which makes the marionettes now in
office dance? -. -. y
1t is perhaps not without sinister
in attempting to find an
answer to this conundrum to note the;
fact that the Keller candidacy was
launched by Hon. D. F. Reese at a
Lincoln banquet at which the viands
were frequent and exhilarating. MIR.
Reese professed last year to be for
Mr.. McKibbin and made a speech
from the same platform on the eve of
election at the Auditorium. But the
crowd Reese trains with voted for
Lawler. The votes Reese's masters
control went to Lawler. The pins
were set up by those higher up.
Reese played a part then. Is he
the same part now? Have
the political leaders. already agreed
upon division Of the spoils? Last
year and the year before the Repub-
licans got the county Offices in ex-
change for city jobs. Is there to be a
new dea2 Or is there deal at all?
Can it be that the direction from
which the wind is blowing has warn
ed the kites of where to expect to find
the carrion? Are they now cucumber
ing Keller with their support in anti
cipation of later being in a position
to dictate the course of his admins
tration and the distribution of the
spoils of victory?
! Whatever the gang may be up to it
seems to be everywhere recognized
that Keller is q good man. He be-
longs TO an old and respected St. Paul
family; he has been a member of the
He has served, the people
well. His popularity has been more
than once attested by an overwhelm-
ing vote. He has given no evidence
Of having worn any mans collar. Be
it remembered, however, that that,
too, was Dan LAWYERS boast, evidenc-
ed as many were encouraged to think
by an independent administration.
just the same when Dick O'Connor
got ready Mayor Lawler climbed down
from his high horse and submitted to
be led where the Cardinal chose to
take him.
Before he went LaWler was inspired
to name his successor His name is
Haas also man of good reputation,
but unfortunate political affiliations.
Republicans would like well enough
to get clear of Haas as they have been
delivered from Lawler, but the rank
and file of the party don't want to
think that after all and through all
it is the same hand that is pulling the
strings; and that, by whatever name
We. call our civic administration, it
will be part of the same old politi-
cal machine. If the plain people of
the city of ST. Paullwere assured that
Keller's candidacy were really in good
faith and thatti it meant an admins
tration independent of the influences
which have so long controlled the
Democratic machine, possibly enough
interest might be taken in the cam
gaign to insure such an independent
of civic affairs as we
lave not had in over quarter of a
century.
They are playing their usual queer
game of state politics up i'm Hennepin
county. The play is made. to give
Ex-Sherif Eye the backing of the
county in contest for the office of
secretary of state. Eye is no doubt a
bona-6de candidate for that position.
He has some honest hackers. The
movement as a whole, however. is
queer and has no doubt been inaug-
urated with the design of shutting
out other candidates. There, for in
stance, is Mr.. Scott, who would like
to be a candidate for state auditor
and Mr.. Hanke, who is just itching
to get into the scramble for the state
treasurer's job The play is put up
to them both that it's no use for
Hennepin county to have more than
one candidate at the state convention;
that Eye is that candidate; that
Hennepin will rally round him and
him only; so what's the use? Go way