The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1920-09-30
CHAPMAN REVIEWS
POLITICAL HISTORY
CITES OLD REPUBLICAN Stains
OF STATE IN YEARS
PAST
RIG HARDING VOTE EXPECTED
NONPARTISAN LEAGUE MAX
ING FIGHT IN SEVERAL
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS

hood has Minnesota repudldleu Ihe
regular Republican national conven-
ton presidential nominee and that
was in 1912 when President Taft,
Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roo
sevelt were the principal contenders
for it's EDITORIAL vote. While Mime
stoa did not go democratic, Presl-
r. dent Taft, the Republican nominee,
was not to the liking of the voters
and Theodore Roosevelt was the
choice instead with record vote OF
1856 to "a, 1884 for President Taft.
Woodrow Wilson, who prevailed that
year, participated in the general dis
content to the extent OF lOo,4Zo
Gopher state votes. The nearest
Minnesota ever came to invading the
Democratic column was in 1916 when
President with his Kept us out of
war" slogan upset all Gopher state
traditions with record vote of 49,
544 to 1882 for Hughes, his re-
publican rival. Minnesota has been
4 voting her straight ever since 1901
when Abraham Lincoln was its pres
idential choice by vote of 22,O69 to
1920 for S. A. Doughlas, the demo-
cratic candidate. Four years later
the Immortal "Abe" was again the
republican candidate, but his Mime
sofa majority on this occasion was
only 1858. In the following two ma
tional elections covering the years
1852, Gen. U. S. Grant WAS the
Republican choice and he prevailed
by a majority 1926 in 1868 and
by 2O,497 in '72. In 1876, the Green
back party, the parent of practically
all third party infections that have
since followed, made its appearance
with Peter Cooper as its offering.
The Greenback ticket, however, had
little effect on the general result, 1t
polling less than $500 votes. hayes
and Tilden had the popular call, the
former prevailing by majority Of
nearly $4,000. James A. Garfield
was Minnesotas choise in 1880 and
and the latter by 41,62O. In each
election the Greenback party was
contender. In 1884, Prohibition par
ty made it's first bid for support with
St. John as it's choice and found MIN
nesota agreeable to the extent OF
nearvl 5000 votes. Four years later
the dry vote in Minnesota reached
the $4,000 mark.
While the Gopher State has STOOD
solidly against Democratic encroach-
ment with the prospect of record
breaker in a Republican majority
wav this year, the onward march OF
the G. O. P. was slightly halted in
1888 and again in 1892. Grover
Cleveland was the stumbling block
and he piled up the unheard OF vote
of 1O4.385 in '8S and 1888 in '92.
Ben. Harrison candidate pulled down
the Minnesota electoral vtoe in each
case. but by a reduced majority, the
count giving him 142,492 votes IN
'ss and less than $4,000 votes in'92.
In the latter year the Peoples fartv
male it's appearance with 29,313 votes
to it's credit. The memorable year
in Minnesota's political history was
1896. Like the "Big Wind" all
things political date from the specta-
lar appearance of William Jennings
BRYAN, and to quote any old timer
~the Peerless one sure had the Min
nesota G. o. P. guessing" that year.
The fight was bitterly contested
one and when the smoke OF battle
had cleared away the best unwashed
could find was 130,735 votes for their
fayorite. William Mckinley the Re
publican presidential candidate naa
prevailed by a majority OF 4O,9ei.
Bryan was again the candidate III
1900 and also in 1908, but WIN
decidedly decreased vote in each. In
the first, McKinley's majority was
nearly $4,000 and in the second
Theodore prevailed by nearly 9o'ooo'
: Women will have the ballot tnls
:. fall, which means decldedly
creased vote and likewise an IN
creased majority for the national re-
nublican ticket. A Harding majority
of 100000 would be at all surprising
Word comes that a number OF leg
islatiye old timers are being nafo
pushed by Nonpartisan League FL RI,
walls and that some extra work WIN
have to be done to get them n.y.
Among the number reported as nav
inc a lively fight on their hands are
Oscar Swenson of Nicollet County
and Theodore Christianson OF Lacqul
Parle County. The two named were
heavy weights in the last house .s anu
the state can ill afford to have them
stay at home Rep. Christianson was
chairman of the appropriations com
mittee nd was recognized iesoe-
The chances are excellent that II re-
turned he will be the speaker OF tne
next house. Oscar Swenson was
nractically active in the passage 0,
the good roads amendment and aioe'
materially in its adoption.
In a number of congressional dis-
tricts of the state the sitting co .s
4