The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-05-06
ALTGELD AS HE rs.
The Illinois Governor Not an AM
archist, After All, but Bush
ness Man in the Capital.

The Slnged cat in American politics il
Gov. John P. Altgeld, Of Illinois. Through
the columns of the newspapers and through
the medium Of common report, he looks
worse than he really is by greater per
cent than any man now in the public view.
Everybody knows of him. Everybody
has heard of him. He has a national repu.
tation, and that reputation Is as far from
the truth as it well could be. To the pub
lic," that great mass of humanity who
reads, but who has not time to think or
inquire, John p Altgeld is known as dam
gerous anti-American fanatic. accidentally
in power, who, for reasons wholly vicious
and personal, pardoned the so-called anar-
chists of Chicago from life Imprisonment,
and at the same time attacked and criti-
cised the finding Of the court in that case.
He is known, further, as that friend Of riot
and disorder who went out of his way to
critic.se the action of President Cleveland
in sending government troops to Chicago to
quell the railroad strikes. He Is known.
generally. as dangerous element in poll.
tics, which, it is devoutly hoped, will speed
lily be eliminated, thanks to the elective
power Of the people he represents.
find, much to my surprise, that in New
York men of affa:rs-business men, politi.
clans, newspaper writer's believe John p.
Altgeld to be ignorant, blatant. unprinci.
pied, illbred, loud-mouthed, pothouse poll.
tic:an, who has pardoned an unusual num-
Der OF criminals from the state prisons be-
cause of his sympathy with that class Of
humanity, and who seeks in his Official acts
little beside the notoriety which eccentric
ity may bring him.
This conception of his character is based
solely on his one act of pardoning the an
arch.sts, and beyond that no inquiry seems
to have been made. The world Is acquaint-
ed with the facts in this celebrated case an
presented by the State Of Illinois through
the Chicago police. 1t has also read the
good Judge Gary's magazine articles, his
knowledge being dipped from that same
pure and pellucid pool-the Chicago police.
It is not the purpose of this sketch to dis
cuss the anarchists case The true story
of the spirit Of that prosecution will not bo
told in print by any polite man of this
generation. The historian of the future can
afford to write it, and his presentation Of
the case may possibly change the abhor-
renee now felt for John P. Altgeld, to ad.
miration, at least. There are scores of men,
| whose social and political sphere is entirely
| lieve that when the great State OF Illinois
| hanged the accessories before the fact Gin
| the remotest connection) to the murder Of
Policeman Matthias ]. began it was In the
position of prize fighter hit in the dark by
| four-yearold boy, and who, in his ridicu-
| lous terror, kicked the infant to death in
stead of spanking him.
AS SEEN IN ILLINOIS.
John p. Altgeld pardoned those men the
| Chicago police failed to hang, and while he
| has received the thanks of many a con-
sentative man for his act he will not live
| long enough to hear himself entirely for
given. But for this act Gov. Altgeld would
| be practically unknown outside Of Illinois,
and the Eastern visitor, inquiring IN Chi
cago as to what sort of governor the state
has, would be informed that he is an able
| lawyer a keen legal analyst strict con.
structionist, an impartial judge and skill-
full, far-sighted politician, to which latter
estimate any member of the late RepubE-
can legislature in Illinois will testify. II
the visitors informant was business man
without party passion he would volunteep
the statement that Altgeld's administration
of the states affairs, from purely business
| standpoint, Is the best in its history. Look
| ing at Illinois as big corporation, conduot-
| ing its business at great expense of money
and requiring the best ability for its eco
nomical and efficient conduct, Altgeld is
away and beyond the best governor Illinois
ever knew. He has been successful in pri-
vate business and he has applied his ability
to the states affairs absolutely regardless
| of party politics or sentiment. He has
| cleaned out and renovated the state insti>
tutions in manner that has made him
many enemies in his party. but host Of
silent friends in all parties, who have not
yet had occasion to speak. The Republican
politician who knows the condition Of things
grants in private conversation that Altgeld
will leave to his Republican successor the
best managed state government In the
Union. If he would promise to keep his
mouth shut and not interfere with the work
Of the criminal courts, most of the business
men of Illinois would be willing for Altgeld
to be governor as long as he lives.
AS a private citizen Gov .Altgeld Is q
Christian gentleman, with larger share Of
the moral graces than the majority OF men
in public life. The prevailing idea that he
is coarse, ill-mannered and plebian in his
| associations Is so false as to be almost funny.
To those who know him well his unostenta-
tious charity is a beautiful trait in his char
acter, and, more than most free-givers, he
does not allow his left hand to know what
his right hand doeth. Perhaps his greatest
weakness as public man comes from his
tender heart. He is unable to resist the
appeal of grief or poverty. He has par
doned many criminals, and usually with
his grim mouth closed to public inquiry, as
if to imply, What are you going to do
about it," II the truth was known, in
many Of these cases ragged boy and a
weeping mother left his private Office about
the time the pardon papers were signed.
| STRONGER THAN HIS PARTY.
Gov. Altgeld is supposed to represent and
belong to the political rabble, but 1t would
surprise the country to know how many
conservative bankers and merchants, how
many large taxpayers he can mount among
his constituents. The day after he par
doned the anarchists he could not have been
elected poundmaster Of any township in the
state, but today it is granted by the politi-
clans that he is 10000 voters stronger than
the Democratic party in Illinois, Although
he sincerely desires to quit politics and re-
sumo his law practice, the Democratic state
convention will renominate him by accla-
nation, and he will be compelled to make
the race. He will be opposed by John Tan
ner, who will be nominated at the Repub-
lean state convention on the first ballot,
with votes to spare. It is not within the
probabilities that Gov. Altgeld will be re-
elected. Illinois is Republican this year on
the national issues by above 100000 votes,
and Altgeld, strong as he is, will no doubt