Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-08-07
AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION
OF MINNESOTA POLITICS

IAAo"o OA pOAAIACS past duu present.,
and not because we endorse the views
it expresses in every particular:
THE BATTLE "OVER HERE"
The political situation in Minnesota
is going to be very interesting this
fall-in fact it is getting pretty inter
ing just now.
The Minnesota Federation CT Labor |
has gone on record to the effect that |
it will have nothing to do with Gov.
Burnquist and that as far as Mr.. |
Wheaton is concerned he need not |
apply either.
What labor wants is third can
didate.
The same situation obtains among
the members of the Nonpartisan Lea
que. They do not want either one of
the two candidates.
So these forces are going to hold
convention on August Oath and there
name man to run for governor who
will be acceptable to all those to
whom the other two are not accept
able.
If this is done it will virtually mean
the elimination of Mr.. Wheaton, as the
NOnpartisan and labor vote Genes
from the democratic party in even
greater numbers than it does from
the Republican.
There has even been talk in the
papers about Mr.. Wheaton withdraw
| ing. This. however, may be only
newspaper talk"
But that there is going to be
third candidate in the field this fall
seems to be now a foregone conclu-
SIGN.
The convention referred to will be
held, and it will put forth a new can
didate, this may be accepted as set
tied.
| Who the candidate will be is yet
problem
Vic Powers, of Hibbing fame, has
been mentioned. But there are some
good reasons why he will not be the
man, reasons that are principally poll
tical.
John Lind would be the choice of
many, but he has his hands full as
a member of the federal labor board
and would probably not be spared by
the administration, even if he should
be willing, which he likely would not
be, to make the run.
A third man who has been mention
ed is DIR. Henrik Shipstead, of Glen
wood, the man who made the great
race in this district for the congress
sional nomination in June.
DR.. Shipstead has the confidence of
the labor leaders and he also has a
strong following among the farmers
| no no ind of
partisan League for his congressional
candidacy, but made it clear at the
time that he would not bind himself
in any way to the league or any other
organization, and where he came in
contact with the business element he
made good impression and was gen
orally looked upon as safe man.
He has not written a book on the
war, or any other subject, and his
stand on the prosecution of the wal
measures up one hundred per cent
plus.
He is republican but is enthusiasts
tically backing President Wilson in
his war program. Men standing high
with the powers that be at Washing
/ ton are friendly to Dr. Shipstead and
would no doubt exert influence in his
behalf for any Office that he would
run for.
But it is highly probable that DR.
Shipstead would not consider the
proposition to run for governor. II
is rumored that he is being consider
ed for an important position in con
. nectiOn with some war activities and
if this is the case, and if the position
is of nature that has some real serv
ice connected with it, then the doctor
will no doubt prefer that to any poll
teal office-seeking he might be soil
cited to make.
We know the doctor we'll and know
that he despises chasing around fol
votes as heartily as any white mar
ever did despise that sickening, dis
gushing, degrading occupation
The doctor is not politician. We
have known him to break every rule
of. the game in one sitting. And YET
he seems to have way of accomplish
ing things. Those who can remember
the "Anti-Machine Conference" of 1914
that political freak that the wise-ones
laughed at and said was the work OF
men who had not graduated from the
political Kindergarten, and which, new
ertheless, resulted in the unhorsing Of
!, Gov. Eberhart and the retiring from
the control of the Republican party
for while, of E. E. Smith, those wht
: can remember that conference and the
. fight before and after, may also be able
to recall the part played in that fight
by DIR. Shipstead. The other day &c
Smith was put back on the Republi
can State Central committee. We fee
that it is not fair, as some are doing
to charge that the republican party il
being delivered over into the hands
of the machine" crowd that was
boosted out in the upheaval of the
spring of 1914, and yet, if the situa
, ton would look to DR.. Shipstead az
it does to those who make that charge
!, we will not vouch for what he may
take notion to do.
If Shipstead were a politician We
know what he would do. But as he is
not that the chances are that he will
{ go out into the woods, south of Lake
Minnewaska, hunt up his old hermit
friend, who lives in hut and just
, fishes and thinks, and for half day
recite, to this lone-not lonely-fisher
man, from Npling, Wefold and Verge
land!
Or when the insurgents" convene
on the oath Of August, they may find
. DIR. Shipstead on his way to France
or he may be out fishing with his
friend the Hermit, or he may be, as
we have seen him, sitting on the door
steps of the Poor House swapping
dialect stories with an old lady and
accepting from her the hospitality
of her old clay pipe.
A man like that is an impossibility
in politics-why, he would insist on
remaining human being even ii
elected governor!