The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1917-12-19

happsaings and Gossip g. Tho Poi.
itfosl Circles { tlss state s
Capitol.


sers and what particular Individual.
has the inside when perplexing prob
lens involving matters of state or
political policy are involved? Is any,
one or has any one ever been excep-:
tionally close to his excellency, Gov
ernor J. A. Burnquist? These are
questions one hears frequently asked
in state administration and capitol
circles and since the labor upheaval
in the Twin Cities more often than
before. If any person can answer:
any one of them he has what is re-.
garded down here as the best posted
beat mile. In fact there is no one
in state capitol circles who will even
hazard a guess. It is now better
than ten years since the late Cover.
nor Johnson held the throne and de-
spite the passage of time all things
harmonious and wise in political
way are supposed to- date from his
brief regime. No one concerned with
official life or politics considers a
political dissertation finished unless
he includes a few remarks concerning
Governor Johnson and how he hand.
led the game. Johnson and, "The
Kitchen Cabinet" 50 dubbed by the
former State Auditor Bob Dunn, is
ever reminder of things perfect in
political and administrative way.
There are those too who, if the &C.
casion presents itself, are wont to
praise former Governor, A. o. Eber-
hart and his following, who they say,
while possibly not as magnetic as
his predecessor, was anxious to be
regarded as a worthy successor and
in support of such was not averse
to the advice of close friends and
hackers. The late Governor Ham
mond, ever sore trial, to those who
regarded his dignifed ways and man.
nerisms as constant menace to his
and their political future, was not
averse to advice. He played the
game but in a different way from
the others. But if there ever was
an enigma in an administrative way
it is Governor Burnquist. No one as
yet has been able to solve him or
explain his political methods and
there is nothing as yet to show that
the solution is even in sight. All
traditions, political and otherwise,
as they pertain to the governorship
of this state, have been shattered
since he has been at the helm. And
yet no one can say that the St. Paul
man has not been good governor.
Shorn of all romance and the press
agents touch, the story of Governor
j. A. A. Burnquist might be said to
have begun with the gubernatorial
ambitions of one Lieutenant Cover
nor S. Y. Gordon of Browns Valley,
now state printer. His excellency
then member Of the house of rep
resentatives appealed to the hackers
of Gordon as the one running mate
for the Browns Valley man and after
much persuasion they induced him
to enter the lists. What the induce
ments were, if any, Sam Gordon and
his manager James S. Arneson, with
l. "A. Caswell as usual very much in
the background, can best tell. The
fact that his excellency was a pro-
nounced dry and Scandinavian per-
haps explains, but in any event Gov
ernor Burnquist filed and won and
Gordon lost. What happened when
Governor Hammond died suddenly in
hotel in louisiana history records.
His nomination and election in the
campaign which followed was a fore
gone conclusion. Providence, the vo.
ters said, decreed it and they bowed
overwhelmingly. Without DELAY
those in on the victory at once be-
gan planning for his future and that
OF the party. But they builded
wrong, however. Over night the
whole structure went tumbling. Re-
ported promises, some of them &C.
cepted as genuine, melted like snow.
They savored too much of the ma
chine for his excellency, it was said,
and the executive would have none
of it. James S. Arneson faded into
the cleaning, S. Y. Gordon went
back to the publishing business, to
return later and best the governor
in spirited fight for the Job of
state printer and I. A. Caswel re-
turned to his job Of filing supreme
court records and connecting trouble
With the latter too went a <respec.
table following that, even the bravest
would fear to pass up. H..
., With the Twin Cities in the throes
4 OF a threatened nasty clash between
capital and organized labor all eyes
are on his excellency the governor