The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-05-18
PARTY control
OBJECT OF FIGHT
BITTER CONTEST ON BETWEEN
MINNESOTA DEMOCRATIC
FACTIONS
Three SEEK GOVERNORSHIP
S. ID. WORKS, c. NJ. KING AND
THOMAS p. DWYER. WANT
THE PLACE

democracy can nelp IL Is Tile VI. ".
going to have all the spotlight this
year. If you are skeptical about the
Democratic party's ability to stage a
row scan the filings which were fea-
ture of state capitol doings last week.
Just read 'em-three candidates for
governor, two for United States sena-
tor and the same number for lieuten-
ant governor. It's real row, too,
with organization control as the main
feature, and the spat is going to in
volve every member of the unwashed
in Minnesota before the finish is
reached. With party maintenance
more in mind than possible victory
the Democratic state committee,
headed by Albert Sorter and others,
scratched the state for several days
recently for material with which to
make up a state ticket. Finding a
complete ticket impossible the filings
were confined to S. D. Works, state
insurance commissioner, as governor,
and Julius Thorsen, prominent DEM
ocrat Of Benson, as lieutenant gov
ernor. D. w. Lawler of ST. Paul had
already announced himself as candi-
date for United States senator and his
willingness to make the sacrifice was
more than acceptable. Congratulating
themselves on the completion of a
good days work, the members were
about to enter upon discussion of
the coming campaign when a commit
tee from Minneapolis, headed by w.
W. Williams, former labor commits
siorer, appeared on the scene. Armed
with the necessary coin of the realm
they rendered the names of A. L..
Davis for United States SENATOR C. NJ
King of Deer River for governor and
SIN. Swenson for lieutenant governor
The residence of all three was given
as Minneapolis. Their business COM
pleted, the delegation left as silently
as it came. To say that the regulars
were stunned is putting it mild, but
they were not long in doubt as to the
reason for the filings. Williams clear
ed up the whole thing when he said,
I'VE want the organization" Briefly
put, 1T was challenge to Mr.. Works
and his friends to fight. If possible
the Williams contingent intends to
wrest control of the party in the state
from the Lynch forces.
With the chances for Democracy
pulling down any of the state plums
this fall decidedly slim fight now for
the several nominations would seem
suicidal, but Democracy seems to fat
ten on such. Two years ago contest
for the governorship was staged be-
tween the late Governor Hammond
and Dan Lawler, and still Governor
Hammond was successful in the cleo
ton which followed. Of previous hair
pulling contests many are still of
memory. In the present contest S. D.
Works enters the game with the or
ganization solidly behind him. C. M.
King of Deer River, who is the choice
of the insurgents, was one of the sue
cessful candidates for a convention
delegateship in the recent presidential
primaries, and to the surprise of ev-
cry one he polled a record vote. He
was anti-Lynch, and the forces antag-
Onistic to the Democratic national
committeeman specialized in his can
didacy. The third candidate for gov
ernor, Thomas P. Dwyer of Minneap-
oils, is known locally as the "boiler-
maker" He filed months ago. That
Dan Lawler will pull down the sena-
torship is generally conceded, though
Williams and his crowd promise
fight. A. ]. Davis, their choice, is
hardly known outside of Minneapolis
and his strength there is not regarded
as OF the vote-getting kind. AS tc
the other insurgent candidates their
prominence, like that of Davis, is more
local than statewide. Julius Thorsen
the organization candidate for lieuten-
ant governor, is generally regarded as
among the best of the Democratic fl
ings. He is we'll known and is re-
spected highly throughout the state.
County officers throughout the state
can rest in peace. Their terms of
four years granted them by the 1918
legislature has been held to be con-
stitutional by the supreme court. Find
ings to this effect were handed down
by the court last Friday and it is need
less to say there was great rejoicing
among those affected. That there
might be no slip up in the arguments
presented in support of the law the
organized county auditors, county
clerks and sheriffs had attorneys pres
ent at the hearing and the attack on
the law, as made by a Wright county
voter, was vigorously combatted.
Many of the congressional districts
this year will have a chance to sec
how their representatives in Washing
ton look. This even applies to the
senators. When the closing hour for