The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-08-21
IMPRESSION OF JOHN LIND.
His Previous career-Has Been Big
Man in Minnesota.

Man in Minnesota.
Washington Special to The Indian
apolis News: John Lind, the presi-
dents personal representative in
Mexico, is likely to be in the public
eye pretty regularly for the next few
months, and very naturally the peo-
pie everywhere will want to know
stranger to the northwest, but to
the United States as a whole he is
only a name Minnesota recognizes
two great men living within her
borders, both foreign born. One is
United States Senator Knute Nelson,
a Norwegian and the other is John
/ Lind, a Swede. The two men dislike
each other, the antipathy, perhaps,
taking the source from the ancient
feuds between the two people in the
old country.
1t would be difficult to find a resi-
dent of the state of Minnesota who
would not tell you If asked, that Lind
is the biggest man in the state, brill
liant, brainy aggressive. Lind and
John Johnson were the only democrats
ever elected governor of Minnesota
They Were of the same type, though
most Minnesota people are disposed
to say that Lind was the greater man
of the two.
Prior to 1898 Lind was affiliated
with the republican party. He served
six years in the congress as repub-
lican. His first break with that party
came when the Wilson tariff bill was
under consideration in the house of
representatives during the Cleveland
administration. He was unwilling to
follow his party on that measure and
was one of the several republican rep
resentatives to vote for the Wilson
bill. At the close of the six-year serv-
ice in the congress he went over to
the democratic party.
When the war with Spain came on
he Immediately asked for an assign
ment and was made quartermaster
of the Twelfth Minnesota volunteers.
On his return from that was he was
elected governor of Minnesota as a
democrat. The story of his election
to the governorship Is strongly
reminiscent of recent years in re-
publican politics. r. G. Dunn, editor
of The Princeton Union, had been
state auditor of Minnesota for eight
Years, and aspired to be governor.
But he was opposed by another cam
didate, and when he got into the cam
paign the great city districts of Min
neapolis and st. Paul went against
him.
In the state convention held in the
Metropolitan operahouse, Dunn OBJ
tanned control of the committee on
credentials, which made UP the
temporary organization, the delegates
from Minneapolis and st. Paul were
thrown out and Dunn was nominated.
The whole thing was a clear steal,
and the anti-Dunn men SO resented it
that when Lind took the democratic
nomination. they were only too glad
to vote for him. Lind served two
years, when the republicans came to-
gether and he was defeated for Sec
ond term He was elected to the 58th
congress as democrat, but evident
~ had lost his liking for Washington
life, or found it too expensive, for he
declined a denomination.
Lind's home originally was In New
Ulm, Brown county, wherein is st.
Peter, which was the home Of Cover
nor Johnson After his service as
governor, Lind removed to Minnea-
polls, where he. has lived since. He
was admitted to the bar in 1875 and
began practice at New Tim, but on
removing to Minneapolis he became
senior member of the firm of Lind and
LELAND 1t is estimated that each OF
L