The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-11-11
NOT INFLUENCED
BY PRECEDENT
GOVERNOR w. S. HAMMOND UN-
LIKE MOST OF HIS PREDE-
CESSORS
MAY MEAN FUTURE SUCCESS
FAILURE TO LIVE UP TO EXPEC-
TATIONS WORRYING DEMO-
CRATIC LEADERS

st. Paul, Nov. 8.-Can Governor
Hammond come back? Can he again
lead the Democratic hosts of the state
to victory? The question is one of no
great concern to the average voter at
this particular time, but l know of
| quite few of the Amounted who are
sitting up nights figuring it out. It is
not because they are without hope
Democracy always was strong on
vlslons-it is simply because his ex-
celleney is a problem they have not
yet been able to solve. He is the
most difficult guess the leaders of the
unwashed have taken in hand to date.
Governor Hammond has a mind of his
own and refuses to led from the
path believes is the right one. He
is very much different than some of
the executives whose administrations
are fairly fresh in the minds OF. the
present generation. AS the practical
politician probably views it, Governor
Hammond has not come up to ex-
pectations-their expectations, YOU
understand. His selection of pri-
vate secretary by no means met their
views; the choice was against all
precedent. Weeks were consumed in
the filling of other choice positions,
and not all of them were satisfactory.
While the hungry clamored at his
door the elect of the other party
browsed off the fat of the land, and
some OF the unwashed are still clam
orlng. Then came his answer to the
liberal element of both parties-an
element largely responsible for his ell
evatlon-hls endorsement of the coun-
ty option bill as passed by the last
legislature. They claim TO have had
every reason to figure otherwise and
naturally their disappointment has
been keen. And so it goes on, one
thing after another, and every move
the very opposite of the past. Still,
as l said, Governor Hammond is diff
ferent and this very difference may
be the one thing that will put him
over again. In any event the state
has not been harmed by this unusual
discard of political precedent. In
some ways it is pleasing.
l once saw former Governor Van
SAINT hail a passing coal cart and ask
the grimy driver for a ride, which re-
quest was granted. The advertising
that followed found place in every
paper in the state. Governor Clough
delighted in breaking the conventions.
Whether in boxcar or a Pullman
Governor Johnson was at home, while
as to Governor Ebrhart, how he
composed IT'S Only You" while sit
ting in dentists chair is still of
memory. Then, too, remember the
tilt between Secretary of State
/ Schmahl and former Auditor Iverson
over the flat refusal of the latter to
furnish the state drainage board with
a private car for one of its periodical
trips. "The very idea," commented
the newspapers, and Mr.. Iverson re-
ceived much free advertising as a
result. How different it has been in
the case of Governor Hammond. Not
anything out of the ordinary to date,
and with the future decidedly poor as
to prospects. When his excellency
accompanied the state drainage board
on trip north recently he asked for
a compartment" and not even the
auditor thought of refusing him. He
ate of the best enroute, retired at a
becoming hour, made minute examin-
alton of the drainage improvements
he went to inspect, and otherwise de-
ported himself as man in a high po-
sition should. He occasionally differed
with the others on some point con-
corning the work, and when he did he
was not afraid to back up his views
or his convictions. / watched him
when he made an open air address to
a large gathering at Lancaster and
the bigness of the man was just as
impressive as it was aboard the train,
where the only knowledge of his pres
ence, as farlas the other passengers
were concerned, was the occasional use
of his title by his companions and the
dignity of his manner. His talk was
without any usual adjectives, There
was meat in every word of it and
those who heard him were impressed.
1t is certain that he left memories of
a big man. AS I once stated, Governor
Hammond is the poorest press agent
j proposition that ! know of, which to
many may be disappointing. Still. it
is a novelty, and who knows but that
very novelty may prove the needed
asset for Democracy year hence.
4 $50
This is offered only as a tip, but it