Morris tribune., 1916-08-25

southern Minnesota rather f1ippantly
inquiries "Whoinhell is Eric Thornt-
un?"
Mr.. Thornton, we admit is COM
paratively unknown in Minnesota polit-
ical circles, but the people will in the
future, and very near future, come
to know him we'll. He is a conner and
is built of the material of which con-
gressmer, governors and United
State senators are made.
AS we have known Eric ever since
he was creeper, and his father be-
fore him, and as the Herald is widely
read by the best people, we feel it
incumbent upon US to supply pre-
liminary introduction of the young
chairman.
In the bygone years, and lot of
years have gone by since that time, a
young captain of volunteers, fresh
from the wars, located with his
young bride in the then frontier town
of Benson as the station master of
the Great Northern depot. The Cap
tain was a bundle of dynamic energy
and he mighty soon outgrew the mar
row confines of the railroad station
and branched out in business for him
self. He started a hardware store,
established farm machinery depots
in Benson and other towns, later Or
ganized the Bank of Benson and engag-
ed in other lines of business, &C
cumulated a comfortable competency
and reared family of eight child
ren, five boys and three girls.
Captain Thornton was we'll known
in Central Minnesota as a sturdy
uncompromising fighter for Repub-
licanism. He was one of the men who
placed US in nomination for congress
in the Fergus Fall convention in
1894, and always supported US to the
length of his cabletow as long as we
remained in public life. This in itself,
is sufficient guarantee of the sound
ness of his political discretion.
Eric L.. is the third child of this
anti-race suicide bunch. He was born
in Benson in August, 1874, distin-
guished himself among his kid as
sociares as a scrapper and base ball
player, graduated out of the public
schools, annexed diploma from the
St. Paul College of Law. Although
his father was able and willing to
maintain him, young Eric took the
night course and maintained himself
by working as reporter on the Pioneer
Press while the progress of annexa'
/ Eion was taking place, and finally
settled down in his native town
to the practice of his profession.
He is red headed, left handed,
square as they make them, straight
as a plumbline, conscientious as q
priest, patient as a fsh-hawk, self
confident as a divinity student, keen
as a Damascus blade, Industrious
a mole, stubborn as a Missouri mule
methodical as a clock, pugnacious as
Prussian and persistent as bull
terrier.
He has the gift of organization
amounting almost to genius, an uncan
ny knowledge of weak political spots
and an intuitive knowledge of how tt
strengthen them.
In 1897 he married Miss JESSIE
Dinsmoor, popular Austin girl ant
at present writing has an embry'
short stop and second baseman in hi
family.
Eric has served three terms a
county attorney of Swift county, on
term as mayor of Benson and at tn
last primaries was elected delegat
from the Seventh district to tn
National Republican convention, dis
tancing all his competitors. His off
cial capacity has been marked wit
careful preparation, painstaking met
thods and fearless performances L
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