Railroad & Warehouse Commissioner, 1900 Election

General

Date: November 6, 1900
Cycle: 1900
Office: Railroad & Warehouse Commissioner
State: Minnesota
District: Statewide
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent Margin
Ira B. Mills Man Republican 166,133 19.77 +5.25
Joseph G. Miller Man Republican 157,997 18.80 +4.28
Charles F. (C.F.) Staples Man Republican 156,254 18.59 +4.07
Peter M. (P.M.) Ringdal Incumbent Man Democrat-People's 122,009 14.52
Sidney (S.M.) Owen Man Democrat-People's 114,728 13.65
Thomas J. (T.J.) Knox Incumbent Man Democrat-People's 112,739 13.41
Miner (M.R.) Parks Man Midroad Populist 4,386 0.52
Michael (M.P.) Moran Man Midroad Populist 3,454 0.41
John J. Hibbard Man Midroad Populist 2,808 0.33

This was the first election for Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner - a three-seat commission. Five elections for the single-seat Railroad Commissioner were conducted from 1875-1883. Staples was elected to a two-year term. Mills and Miller were elected to four-year terms.

Mills was a former Commissioner. Ringdal and Knox had been appointed Commissioners.

Mills was a resident of Moorhead, attorney, district court judge, and former Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner (1893-1899). Mills was elected to a four-year term.

Miller was a resident of Two Harbors, former telegraph operator, Lake County Republican Committee chair, and clerk of the district court for Lake and Cook counties. Miller was elected to a four-year term.

Staples was a farmer and dairyman from Mendota and sitting state Representative (HD 24, 1893-1899; HD 30, 1899-1901). Staples was elected to a two-year term.

Ringdahl was a resident of St. Paul, appointed Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner, People’s nominee for Treasurer in 1892, People's Party state Senator (SD 51, 1895-1899), Democratic-People’s nominee for the 7th CD in 1898, and Democratic nominee for Governor in 1900. He identified as a Populist.

Knox was an attorney from Jackson, appointed Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner (1899-1901), Republican nominee for SD 08 in 1890, and Democratic nominee for SD 14 in 1910. He identified as a Silver Republican

Owen was a resident of Minneapolis, editor of Farm, Stock and Home, and People's nominee for U.S. Senate in 1893. He identified as a Populist.

Parks was a resident of McLeod County.

Moran was a resident of Graceville and president of the National Grain Growers' Co-operative Association.

Hibbard was a resident of Duluth and founder of the Minnesota Point Street Railway Company.

Sources

  • The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota, 1901 (p. 535). The Worthington Advance, December 28, 1900 (p. 3).