The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-05-27

the political horoscope 30 foresee
traffic congestion" on Minnesota's
political highway the coming season.
While the next primaries are yet
more than a year distant there is
probably much specultion already
being INDUCED in relative to the
1928 election as ordinarily has been
the case in past years five or six
months before election.
Even the country press of the
state is getting early into the game,
as is evident from cursory perusal
of the exchanges, and when so-called
country editors" once get started
writing politics there is no stopping
them, simply because so many of
them have ideas of their own and
just can't resist giving them express
sion.
This unusually early activity in
the field of political oppression is
a good sign for more reasons than
one. 1t affords a change, for ex-
ample, from the frayed-at-the-edges
arguments about the best way of
getting farm relief. 1t also tends
10 increase public interest in mat
ters of overnment-which is some
thing sorely needed, judging by the
increasing numbers of vote-slackers
in recent years.
Besides, the more discussion
there is about candidates and issues,
the better the voting public will get
TO know the candidates and their
qualifications Tor lack of them) and
the clearer the issues presented will
be understood-all of which should
make for more intelligent voting
and, in the long run, better govern
ment.
Switching from the abstract to
the concrete (no pun intended on
amy candidate), it seems from the
general tone of political speculation
right now that Gov. Christianson is
the keystone" in the arch of con-
lecture.
Is he going to be third-term can
didate for governor or is he going to
enter the U. S. senatorial battle?
/ tried to worm some kind of an
inkling or admission out of him last
Saturday-on his first official ap-
pearance at the capitol since he was
ordered to bed by his doctor shortly
after the legislature adjourned-hut
the substance of my report must be:
nothing. doing"
Tha Oh fn die
cussing the political situation in a
general way, even referring to the
probable candidates. of others, but
mhen it came to- himself and his own
plans all l could get out of him was
this: "WeM leave myself out of con-
sideration for the time being"
But the fact is that all eyes are on
Gov. Ted, politically speaking, and
ambitions now dormant in several
likely candidates for either cover ""r
or senator await the governors de-
cision before coming to the surface.
1t is coming to be believed here
in st. Paul, at least, that former
Mayor Arthur Nelson is planning to
try "a comeback and that he has de-
cided to get into the game next wear
in statewide way. If Gov. Ted de-
,cides to try for a third term, Art
Nelson will get into the race for Re-
publican nomination for U. 5. scna-
tor-and if the governor announces
himself candidate for senator, then
st. Paul's former mayor will enter
the lists for the governorship.
Then there's Ray Chase state au-
.ditor, said by political wiseacres to
have been nursing gubernatorial
ambitions for some years. Rays
friends are divided as to whether he
will get into the game in 1928. Some
of them declare he will make the
try even if Gov. Ted decides to run
again for his present job. Other of
Rays friends declare the popular
state auditor will not enter the lists
in 1928 if the governor does.
Speaking of the possible candidacy
for governor of Art Nelson, whose
middle name was "Up-'n-at-'e
during the four strenuous years he
was st. PauPs mayor, reminds me, of
"a situation that may have bearing
on the next primary campaign,
namely:
That there seems to be consider
able foundation for the growing
sentiment that none but a man of
Scandinavian blood has any real
chance of being governor of Mime
sofa.
A brief glimpse into history shows
that seven of the ten governors who
have served the state since 1892
35 years-have Deen of Scandinavian
ancestry. Four of these were Swed-
ish and three Norwegians. All of
the latter were Republicans-Nel
son, Preus and Christianson-while
only two of the four Swedish execu-
tives were of the G. o. P. brand,
namely, Eberhart and Burnquist.
The other two were Lind, elected on
|fusion" ticket, and johnson, a
Democrat.
The three non-Scandinavian gov
ernors in the last 35 years were
: Clough somewhat a political acct
dent becoming governor by the res
ignation of Knute Nelson), Van SAINT
and Hammond first two Repub-
licans, the last named a Democrat.
From the purely Swedish-Repub-
hcan standpoint, that element of the
party is on the short end of three
to-two count in the game of supply