Morris tribune., 1912-06-07

M1uu0SOId tdA law las
added over $2,0OO000 to the states
strong box This year alone the
amount collected will not be far short
of $750,000. Attorney General L. A.
Smith, who is in charge Of the en-
forcement of the law, says he expects
to see the collections reach $1,000,000
a year. The other day he forced one
wealthy New York estate, holding Min
nesota property, to hand over $4,000
and sums of $4,000 and $4,000 from
titled deceased Europeans are almost
of daily occurrence. Most of them
are holders of Great Northern stocks.
\ j. \
Twin City political circles were
somewhat startled last week by the
sudden descent of State Chairman Ed
Smith and quartette of his followers
upon the headquarters of Lieutenant
Governor s. Y. Gordon in the Mer.
chants hotel. The visit was following
a dinner held at a local restaurant
Immediately after the holding of the
special meeting of the central com
mittee and Ed, who was greeted by
the surprised lieutenant governor, an
nounced that the call was simply one
of respect. 1--WE dared your manager
Mr.. Arenson, to invite us to visit you,"
said the chairman, "and he called
our bluff" Mr.. Smith assured Mr.
Gordon that he was for Governor Eb
erhart first, last and all the time, but
that his preference did not prevent
him from respecting the opposition.
j. !. :.
The call for the state nominating
ing of the Republican state central
committee last week Efforts were
made to rescind it conditional on the
passage of the proposed statewide
primary by the legislature, but the
members refused to sanction the
scheme. Rather reluctantly the pas
sage Of a statewide primary act was
endorsed, but beyond that the few
members refused to go. The discus
sion was on the question whether the
law to be passed should be a mere ex-
tension of the present law or one
based on a first and second choice.
Senators Sullivan and Stephens, who
we're present, thought this was going
too far and they successfully headed
off any action other than that taken
+ !. i
A first and second choice and even
third choice provision in the primary
law now under consideration is due to
be fought out with vigor by the mem
bers of the legislature and there is
no telling what will be the outcome
but the general feeling is that some.
thing along this line will be incorpe
rated. Those candidates now outside
the pale of the administration are de-
manding it and are starting a cam
paign for it's adoption. Governor Eb
erhart and his followers are credited
with opposing this first and second
choice feature, but State Insurance
| Commissioner Preus, who is as close
as anyone to his excellency, says this
| is not so. He holds that Governor
| Eberhart would be benefited and
bases his belief on talks had with Off
cials in other states where such q
law is in force. He holds that the
man in Office has the best of it under
first and second choice provision.
\ + 4
With Governor Wilson the bene
ficiary of the coming Democratic dele
gate convention it looks as if Frank
A. Day, he of king making fame, hat
come back into his own and there are
those who say he will again be on ths
job this fall. Another winner was F
B. Lynch, national Democratic com
mitteeman from Minnesota Mr.
Lynch's scalp was sought by r. T
OConnor and D. w. Lawler of St
Paul and he distanced them withou
effort. His only comment at the close
was that the contest might have beer
closer had any other men than D. w
Lawler and former Labor Commission
er w. w. Williams of Minneapolis
been in charge. The intimation was
that the public did not have any conf
dence in the two. The only distric'
carried by the Clark forces was the
Fouth and there Mr.. O'Connor was OF
the job. ..
j. !. !.
A miscarriage of the convention!
instructions would be without prece
dent, but it does look as if l. A. Cas-
well, manager of the Roosevelt cam
paign in Minnesota, would have tt
fight for the honor conferred upo1
him-Republican national committee
man. The action of the convention
is only recommendation, which hai
to be ratified by the delegation whe1
it meets at Chicago, and from all &C
counts that ratification will not b,
permitted if few now after his scall
can prevent it. Andy Rain, who man
aged the Hennepin end of the Roose
welt campaign, is said to be opposed
to Mr.. Caswell and is openly fghtins
him. 1t is hardly likely that thu
delegation will disregard the wishe: