The Sauk Centre herald., 1919-11-20


greatly enhanced as the years pass by |
and while far short of expectations
the Roosevelt fund was by far the
largest ever raised in this or any other
country by voluntary contribution to
perpetuate the memory of any man
that ever lived, and there is no doubt
that when the managers decide what
form the memorial shall sufficient
funds to make it reality will be pro-
vided.
Two veteran campa1gners met In the
lobby of the ST. Francis hotel, the
present meca Of Minnesota politicians
the other day, and one said to the
other:
What is the political situation?'
There amt any" was the reply,
politics are between hay and grass.
This expresses the matter in better
terms than column of newspaper
surmise. The situation has not de-
veloped enough to base even an un-
Intelligent guess upon. Very natural
ly what little discussion that has taken
place has been in regard to guberna-
torial candidates and it is reasonably
certain that some of the ones most
talked about will fall by the wayside
and that names not even mentioned
or thought of at present will loom
largely on the horizon before primary
time.
There has not been Republican
candidate mentioned so far but what
would make an excellent governor ano
be credit to the state, but as sure
as the rain falls and the stars shine,
unless the real Republicans get to-
gether and by some process of elimina-
ton narrow the field down to but one
candidate there will not be any Re
publican nominated in the primaries,
and the same is true to certain ex-
tent of all the other state officers.
There are many who say and think
that the Nonpartisan League is dead as
political factor in this state. In fact,
favorite political amusement is kill
! ing the League 1t was killed by the
Maxwell exposure once, it was done to
death in the primaries last year, the
finishing touch was put on it in the
general elections, and now the North
Dakota bank scandal has up and killed
! it again, but the darned thing won't
stay dead. 1t possesses an uncanny
faculty of coming to life and raising
the very devil with political calcula-
tions.
There is no doubt that the League
is not increasing in numbers at the
present time, it is even possible that
it is losing numerically, but this is
doubtful. They are concentrating" as
they never concentrated before and
right now they are in better shape for
a campaign than they have ever been
before and in much better shape than
either of the old political parties.
Say what you please about A. z.
| Townley, it must be admitted that he
| is the best political manager OF the
present time in the United States, AMI
| he keeps his forces i'm line with as
much skill and as rigid discipline as
Boss Tweed ever controlled Tammany,
/ He is veritable Napoleon in pollt cs
and he follows Napoleonic tactics, dl-
viding his opponents and smashing
them in detail. Napoleon dreamed OF
ruling the world and Townley dreams
of ruling the United States. Napoleon
met his Waterloo, but he well nigh
wrecked Europe before he was over
thrown and Townley will eventually
meet his Waterloo, but it is among the
possibilities, and one might say among
| the probabilities, that he will wreck
this country before his dreams OF am
hilton are upset, unless those tnat op-
nose his Socialistic theories manifest
more sense and Judgment in the fu-
ture than they have in the past ana
unite against him as Europe united
against Napoleon.
All is not lovely, however, In the
League ranks, Governor Frazer may
nroye the Bernadotte of the ToWnley
dream of dominion. He wants to run
as Farmer-Labor candidate for Presl-
dent. ahs the Big Chief may not De
able to head him off. If he persists
| Il will necessitate the formation OF q
new party, and third party stands no
more show Of winning than. as Uncle
Toe Cannon put it, "Than snow dog
chasing an asbestos cat through
hades."
The Townley plan is to hold the bal
ance of power, to have the League
arecommend" candidates at the pri-
maries and have them file as Repub7
!, ,licans. and if he has his way, as ne
nrobably will, he will surely win out
in the primaries and capture the re
publican organization as ne ola IN
North Dakota, where while ne had less
than one-third Of the actual votes ne
cantured the state and still holds it IN
his grasp.
This will surely happen unless the
Republicans take leaf out Of Town
lley's book and follow his plan of unit
ling on single candidate for each Of
fee in the primaries, and the question
lis. is there enough patriotism among
Republican office-seekers to adopt such
a course.
The wiley Democratic leaders are
Il eo,. +1,;c uorv thing and are In