The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-07-15
JOCKEYING FOR POSITION

On the surface all is serene on the
Minnesota political sea. Not a ripple
distrubs it's tranquility, but behind
the scenes there is more jockeying
for position going on than at any time
in the history of the Gopher states
turbulent politics, and they have been
some turbulent at times. This jock
eying is confined exclusively to Re-
publican circles. The Democrats don't
have to jockey. Their course is writ
ten in the stars and all the faithful
have to do is to follow. They realize
that Minnesota is a Republican state;
Republican by tradition, inheritance,
association and inclination. By
shrewd manipulation, skillful appeals
to prejudice, and machiavellan craft
mess the Democrats have at various
and sundry times succeeded in captur-
ing, and they now hold in their pos
session, the only state office that is
much value as a political asset. The
governorship, with its glittering ar
ray of patronage is the prize they
have and hold. Through the incom-
potency of Republican management;
the lily concealed treachery of Repub-
lican leaders and the incomprehensi-
BILE and inexcusable idocy of Republi-
can voters they have held the execu-
tive fort for ten out of the past 10
years and are now in possession. They
have never come within ten thousand
votes of electing any of the minor
state officials and they have no desire
so to do. They name their gubnator-
ial candidate, always an able and
worthy man, and then craftily select
his ticket associates as stool pigeons
to entice the unwary into their guber-
Material net, and after election they
are generously fed out of the patron
age basket.
In Republican circles the situation
is vastly different, especially this
year. There is one Democrat on the
"non-partisan" Supreme Court. mime
times out of ten when a Democratic
governor makes "non-partisan ap-
pointment, he appoints a Democrat
who must come up for reelection next
fall. The Governorship is open to
all corners; the Lieutenant Governor
is two termer; the Secretary of
State has held the office since the
time that the memory of man runneth
not to the contrary; the State Treas
urer has had three terms; the At
torney General two, and the Railroad
commissioner, whose term expires,
five. Republicans can become candi-
dates for any of these positions with
out violating the semi-sacred "two-
term" tradition. As a result at least
three cliques have been formed involv-
ing all of these positions revolving
around the governorship. AS a mat
ter of course the wishes and desires
of the rank and file of the Republican
party are not taken into considera-
ton; the personal ambitions of the
cliquers being the impelling motive.
Thoughtful Republicans, however,
are aware that it is not going to be a
light task to defeat Winfield Scott
Hammond in the next campaign, and
that Republican nomination will not
be an election certificate guarantee.
Mr.. Hammond makes a good impress
sion; he governs all the time and does
not deputize his powers to Board of
Strategy. He is dignity personifed,
in fact he's the original guy who put
dig into dignity, and the people rather
like this for change. He has made a
lot of enemies since coming into office
among the Democrats as well as Re
publicans, but it is a question whether
these enemies are liability or an as
set. He holds the office and posses
sion is mighty big leverage in an
election, although it ought not to be,
and he is level headed enough not to
make any serious breaks.
If the great body of Republican vo-
tiers nominate their own ticket it will
be elected from top to bottom by a
large majority; if a clique or cabal
! force their own nomination, then -?