The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-11-12

AND now m Il. A. McQuat the
democratic candidate for attorney gen
eral on the Minnesota state ticket and
says that during the campaign he was
approached in an attempt to have him
withdraw in favor of the non-partisan
candidate, Sullivan, and that $4,000
would be paid the democratic state
committee and il Sullivan was elected
he McQuat would be appointed as
chief assistant. McQuat says:
81 was called to ST. Paul October
/ for the express purpose of talking
over the question of my withdrawa.
in favor Of Mr.. Sullivan in considei4
ton Of Immediately re %ving for the
Democratic national ,.ittee $50,
900 and support from -cnpartisan
league newspapers
"My personal reward was to be. in
the event Of Mr.. S~ulivan's election,
an appointment as his chief assistant,
with the privilege of appointing every
alternate assistant. ! rejected the
proposition, but agreed to Withdraw in,
favor OF some prominent Democratic
lawye rwho could defeat both Mr. Sui
Ivan and Mr.. Hilton. / was assured
that the Democratic party was united
on my candidacy, and when l desired
to issue a statement was told that it
would not, in the judgment of party
leaders, be advisable to do 50 at this
time.
eff Mr.. S%ullivan's friends have cor
rectly represented him, then he dis
qualified himself as attorney general
Had he been elected | should have
instituted proceedings to disqualifv
him, regardless Of his vote"
On election day Mr.. McQuat said
II am not trying to ave the state
of Minnesota from Socialism, no
from the Republican party if the vot
ers desire either one, but it IS import
ant to the state of Minnesota to pre-
vent anyone from holding the office o
attorney general who is willing to pa.
$4,000 for the Office, to throw the sup
port of several publications to any
candidate, to promise the appointment
of several assistants to an opposing
candidate in consideration of his with
drawal.
81 hone | have made it clear, ! have
not talked directly with Mr.. Sullivan
but J am confident that the men who
submitted the proposition to me would
not have done so unless upon the au-
thority Of Mr.. Sullivan himself"
Howard Everett, chairman Of the
Democratic state committee. said yes.
terday that be never knew Of any
definite offer being made by the Non.
partisan league.
"That $4,000 proposition" he said
"was talk | heard soon after the pri
maries, Just after getting back from
the San Francisco convention. There
was talk then of pulling the Demo-
cratic state ticket off and getting sup
port of the Nonpartisan league fn
the national ticket, but no proposition
was made to me and it would lot hav
been considered.
"There was hardly a day that ".
did not have Democrats who leanet
to one side or the other come in and
try to interest us in a deal to pull off
u candidates In favor of the Nom
partisan league or in favor of the Re
publicans. At the time | sent for Nc
Quat, some Democrats were urgin,
that we pull out in favor of the Non
partisans. ! thought Mr.. Quat ough
to know about it, and asked him to
come down. We had no propositio,
direct from the Nonpartisans, howev
er, and Mr.. McQuat is mistaken, ! an,
sure, in saying that the $4,000 mat
Ger was talked of at that time
Attorney General Hilton said yes
terday that he has had no word yet
from Mr.. McQuat. Il shall be inter
ested to hear what he has to tell me-
said Mr.. Hilton. "Of course, it can
make no difference now in the result
of the election, but if there is proof
submitted to me of a definite pro-
posa! to induce him to withdraw. It
constitutes a violation OF the corrupt
practices law. and | certainly shall
take the matter up