The Twin City star., 1912-06-08
VERY WELCOME
TO CITY SCRIbES
Eberhart's SLAM at Lieutenant
Governor Gordon.
W..
CAMPAIGN IN FULL BLAST
Legislature In Extra Session and All
GubernatoriaI Candidates
Working Overtime.
Especial Correspondence.)

lOpeCldl SOITcSpOuucuCo.I
st. Paul, June 4.-The legislature
10 in session; Governor Eberhart, to
use sporting expression, has taken
slam at Lieutenant Governor s. Y.
Gordon, one of his rivals, and the
lieutenant governor has come back at
him, SO it might be said that the 1912
campaign has been fully launched.
What the finish will be Providence
alone can tell. would not care to
even make guess. The whole thing
is entirely too hazardous. Outside Of
the special session and the furry at.
tending the gathering Of the lawmak-
ers the most noticeable event Of the
week was Governor Eberhart's letter to
"ye voters" To fall again into slang,
1t was his excellency with his back
to the wall and the excuse was an
answer to certain attacks on the gov
ernor's administration alleged to have
been made by Lieutenant Governor
Gordon. In brief Governor Eberhart's
letter was to the effect that the fail
ure to pass statewide primary law,
reapportionment act and other do
manded reform legislation at the last
session might be properly charged up
to Mr.. Gordon because Of his failure
to cooperate with the administration.
Governor Eberhart pointed out that
he had recommended all these named
reforms in his message to the legisla-
ture and that any failure could be
properly charged to the Browns Valley
man. He inferred broadly that Mr..
Gordon was actuated more by his own
political ambitions than the interests
Of the state. All in all the statement
was one hardly In keeping with the
heretofore soft pedal" methods of the
administration and it made many sit
UP and take notice. The whole thing
was like voice from the dead and it
was duly welcomed by the Twin City
reporters, who are now praying for
more. That's the stuff" was the gen.
eral expression. 1t was probably the
most peppery document the governor
has put out since he assumed COM
mand Of the ship of state.
i. + +
Newspaper editors and publishers
long ago reached the conclusion that
calling the other fellow was only help
ing advertise his wares and this is
the only criticism that l have regard
ing the governors latest letter Ito We
voters" Through his letter he has
NJ, hlicIv q or n 1od God ioufapont nov
ernor Gordon as a rival worthy Of
notice. The fact that his message to
the last legislature is rather vague on
the question of statewide primary
a Minneapolis paper of repute defies
bim to show that he ever advocated
such-or that he failed to give reap
portionment its proper backing-l
know he did as his message has a
ringing paragraph covering that sub
ject-is neither here nor there. 1t Is
the dignifying of the other fellow. l
am afraid the Browns Valley man has
pulled him into a trap. Governor
Eberhart Is perhaps the most modest
man in the gubernatorial chair of the
states today. He has no use for a
controversy, deplores criticism and his
letter attacking Mr.. Gordon is sur
prising because of this fact. Some un-
usual pressure must have been brought
to bring 1t about. Pending today in
many Of the state departments are
matters of public interest that the old
Johnson Kitchen Cabinet" would have
worked into administration boosting
material without delay, but not SO
the Mankato man. He is not given to
sounding his own praises.
+ + :!
There is no foundation for the story
except rumor and it'is to the effect
that Charley Mitchell of the Duluth
News Tribune may become identified
with Governor Eberhart's pre-conven-
tion campaign. Whether in a public
ity or a managerial way the rumor
does not say. AS the guiding spirit of
the editorial page of his paper Mr..
Mitchell has been saying some nice
things about his excellency, with side
stuff Of the peppery kind for the gov
ernor's traducers. Mr.. Mitchell has
figured in more than one state cam
paign and his work was always ef.
fective.
+ + +
There is nothing to show as yet
whether the special session OF the
legislature now on will be productive
of statewide primary law, a reap
act or any of the other
reform measures proposed BY the gov.
ernor, but If there is any failure 1t
will not be because Of any lack of
desire on the part Of the members of
the two houses. When the two bodies
there was general disposi-
tion to get down to work without de-
lay and unless other threatened legis-
lation intervenes such will prevail to
the close of the session. II cannot
be said that the members are pleased
over being called together. It means
a loss of money to many Of them and
they resent it bitterly.
+ + +