The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-01-06
POLITICIANS. ARE
BADLY MUDDLED
THE SUDDEN DEATH OF HAM
MOND CHANGES SITUATION
IN MINNESOTA
BURNOUIST STOCK ADVANCES
ELEVATION OF LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR is BLOW TDTHE
49, OTHER CANDIDATES

st. Paul, Jan. 3.-Political Mime
sofa received such shock in the
sudden death of Governor w. S. HAM
mond at Clinton, La, that even at this
late date has scores over the state
gasping and wondering as to the out
come. Though days have elapsed
since the shock incident to the receipt
of the news of his untimely passing,
the question, where are we ?" still
agitates those concerned with the
governors future when he was still in
the flesh, and finds an echo in the
query of those on the other side of
the house, who anxiously ask, "And
publicans alike are hit and the tangle
even involves the United States sena-
torship. what will the harvest be-"
truly covers the political situation in
Minnesota at this time. Never in the
history OF the state has political Min
nesota been confronted with SINH
lar situation. Not even the death of
Governor Johnson, which scattered to
the four winds the most powerful pO-
litical organization ever attempted in
Minnesota approaches It. Hard on
the receipt OF the news Of Governor
Hammond's death those ambitious in
a political way plunged into a serious
review of the situation and the unan-
imous opinion was that the props had
been kicked from under more than
one house of cards. Whether they
could again be assembled was a ques-
ton. In the elevation of Lieutenant
Governor Burnquist to the office Of
governor it was agreed that the gu
bernatorial ambitions of former State
Auditor Iverson, James A. Peterson,
Charles A. Lindbergh and Secretary
of State Schmahl had in a measure
received death blow, and in the I'M
timely death OF Governor Hammond
the passing of leader whose place
the Democrats would find hard to fill.
Nor was this all The United States
senatOrship was involved for in the
death Of one leader and the elevation
of st. Paul man to the governorship
political geography was disturbed. 1t
smeared practically all Of them with
the odium Of Twin City residence
and the necessity of dividing a terri
tory they could Ill afford to battle
over. What to do about it was the
absorbing question and a score or
more of the leaders are engaged in
its solution.
No letter commenting on things po-
htical at the state capitol would be
complete without reference to the loss
that Minnesota has suffered in the
death of Governor Hammond. Win
field S. Hammond was governor in
fact as we'll as in name and his official
family was never permitted to lose
sight of the fact. No trades ever were
made with his sanction and nothing
savoring of partisanship ever was per-
nitJed in any transaction involving
his official duties. Because of this
fact he was a constant source of anX-
iety to his official family and advisers,
who could not always agee with the
governors viewpoint. His future was
their concern, but though he stretched
their political patience at times they
loved and respected him. Governor
Hammond was in every way different
from the others, and this difference
brought fi;Tl 2 n OF res ct and cor
fidence that might have given him adj
dit'onal Official horors had he lived.
A second term for the Democratic ex-