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
Scattering Write-In 10 0.00

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).