The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-05-05

bark, has nothing Oh Duluth
when it comes to politics. Long
ago, Odin Halden adopted the
policy Of starting preparations
for the next campaign just as
soon as the results Of a closed
campaign were known, and the
policy has been unconsciously
adopted by the entire population
Of St. Louis county and even
Northern Minnesota.
Although it is fully a year be-
fore much campaign talk natur-
ally would be expected, it actu-
ally is here and in quantity. The
fires Of factional feuds have
blazed up and set the old pot to
bubbling merrily. Undoubtedly,
the fires will die down and the
pot become lukewarm, if not
cold, several times in the coming
twelve months but, despite that,
much Of the gossip Of today is
interesting, if not important.
So far as state politics is con-
cerned, the big noise is the cross
ing Of the wires of ambition be-
TWEEN Gov. J. A. A. Burnquist
and State Auditor j. A. O. Preus,
ar alphabetical Svenske and an
alphabetical Norske, so far as
natural blood is concerned. OF
course both are influential, cred
liable, loyal Americans.
The trouble started, or at least
broke out violently, during the
late session of the legislature. 1t
is claimed that the governor,
who is more of a fighter than
many supposed, tried to annex
heavy sections of the pie-counter
in the capitol building and
Auditor Preus with Viking yell,
on ski and with shield and battle
axe, took it upon himself to head
off the gubernatorial foray.
1t was give and take for many
days. The governor lost his pub
lie domain bill but partly got
even by looping off a few mil
lions from the legislative appro-
priations.
1t is quite GENERALLY under
stood that Auditor Preus pro-
poses to run for governor year
from this coming fall and that
Governor Burnquist proposes 10
get another term, if possible, or
at least have the most to say
about any successor. He will
not pick Preus for the place, it
is certain.
Despite his failure to grab the
plum in the past, Odin Halden
may try to save his face at home
by relinquishing his grasp on the
county authorship and going
after Preus' shoes as state aud.
itor, provided Preus ties his pc,
litical fortunes to ego" for the
gubernatorial nomination.
There may be a dozen others
over. the great state Of Minnesota
who will try to slip into the
gubernatorial chair when the
Burnquist-Preus combat is thick
est but the Rip-saw has not been
close enough a student of state
politics to 60 into details. Watch
ing the st. Louis county court
house has taken time that might
have been spent in state study.
Even many daily papers have
been so one-sided in their re-
ports that their gossip cannot be
properly credited.
Tom Frankson, lieutenant-gov-
ernor, undoubtedly has the
gubernatorial chair as the goal
of his ambition and, once in thar,
he probably would try to put his
private mark on Knute Nelson s
shoes as U. S. senator.
This man Frankson not only
has a pot of money he made in
the land business, but he is will
ing to spend it freely if his po-
litical ambitions can be advanced.
In the last state campaign, he
had clever lieutenants and a bar
rel with the head knocked in. He
spent real money like drunken
sailor and came dangerously
close to punishment under the
corrupt practice act. In both
spirit and letter, he undoubtedly
exceeded any legal sum to get
his nomination. After that, cleo
ton was a mere detail.
With Burnquist, Preus and
Frankson after the same plum,
the Irish, Germans, Firms, Slavs,
and even the ignored Yankees,
yoio,bf Ahink +ha+ # was tfoo