Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-23
McKinley's Colts Trotting in the
Senator's Pasture Lot.
Big FIGHT AGAINST INSTRUCTIONS
The Situation Befogged by Mas.
querading Delegates.
G U l. L o M A H E A D



will settle whether Senator Cullom can hold
his own state against Mckinley, for the
mckinley managers will put forth all their
strength to secure instructions. The con-
test promises to equal in interest that Of
1884, when Illinois was the battle ground
between the supporters Of Gen. Grant and
the opponents of third term.
VIII Senator Cullom be able to hold his
state, and thereby establish his claim to
be q presidential candidate? 1t depends
The Senator's canvass at a critical time
lost its backbone. The lack Of authorita-
tive advfces from Washington caused his
supporters to grow limp. When the word
came that he was still in the field some of
the districts had slipped away from him,
and during the present week these districts
choose delegates to ST. Louis who will
be instructed for Mckinley. The Ohio can
dldate's Illinois lieutenants say this will
again take the life out of Senator Cullom's
candidacy. and his followers will be too
discouraged to make a stand in the state
convention. The Senator says in plain IAN
guage that they are blood relatives of Ana
mas mas ne WI! be candidate when the
state convention meets at Springfield and
when the national convention assemblies at
st. Louis.
Strong Opposition to Mckinley.
Back Of Senator Culloms candidacy is
the Chicago organization, with Congress-
man Lorimer. Alderman Mad len and Chair
man Jameson at its head. Their purpose
TO nave an uninstructed delegation from
ILLINOIS, at st. Louis Is unchanged though
1t may be only half a delegation when they
get th.re. Allied with them is John r.
Tanner, who will be nominated for gov
elnor by an overwhelming majority Should
Senator Culiom accept the overtures of
Maj. McKinley's representa- tives and bow
to the popular WILL, the fight against in
structins the delegates at-iarge would not
be stopped. Mr.. Tanner and the Chicago
leaders would probably cause it to be
known that with Senator Cullom out of
the race Allison was their choice: but their
structed delegates. However Senator Gull
lom Is not going to draw out in advance
or the state convention: this phase of
the subject can be dismissed.
or the $50 delegates who will COMPOSE
the state convention. 1.241 have been
chosen, so it ought to be possible to know
what is likely to be DONE Nevertheless,
claims widely divergent are made that
a careful analysis is necessary to under
stand the situation. On the one hand Mai
Mckinley is declared to have more than
$40 positive supporters among the dele
gates, while equally positive assertions are
that he hasn't half the number. The
truth is, as usual, between these rival
claims.
How They Stand.
The score up to date is as follows:
L Il
instructed for Mckinley Observation-Disclosures. :bD
Endorsed Mckinley. ............... 113
Instructed for Cullom. Observation-Disclosures. 40
1236
In justice to Senator Cullom's poor show
ing. 1t should be stated that Instructions
We're not ought for him except in his own
county. His candidacy las been along the
lines of unrestricted delegates, so the I'M
instructed and the Cullom delegates should
footed ~ tol ken
a basis of calcula ton. On the surface, the
prospect of Mckinley securing a iority
in convention where he has only fourth
OF the delegates is not apparent. But this
assumption would be misleading for his
real strength is much greater. He will
have the delegates from a number of coun-
ties in which no instructions were given.
These counties had candidates for state
offices, and in order to protect themselves
these candidates withheld any expressions
on presidential preferences. Their chances
will be settled before the question of in
struct!ng the delegates-at-la1g e is reached,
and their counties will then be in the Nc
kinley column.
The bulk of the uninstructed delegates
come from Cook county. or Chicago. which
furnishes 3!3. 1t is evident that to succeed
the supporters of Major Mckinley must
break into this delegation. The Chicago
leaders declare that these 31t delegates
could easily have been instructed for Gull
lom, which IS true. Their policy, however,
against instructions, and they insist
that these 373 delegates are virtually pledg-
ed against instructions. AS an abstract
truth. this statement is probably correct,
but abstract truths are not given much
generation this year. The Mckinley folks
in the Cook county delegation an in
Viting field, and started out to cultivate 1t.
They claim to have pledges from 125 of the
delegates, but they haven't If they secure
sixty votes in the convention they will be
doing we'll Congressman Lorimer and his
associates when they picked out their dele
gates took no chances. Political discipline
is perfect, and however much they would
like to jump the fence into the Mckinley
pastures, few of the Cook county delegates
will try it.
Deceptive LOophOle.
In one point Major McKinleys calcula-
tors are weak. They lump together all the
delegates whose conventions have either
Endorsed him or instructed for him. The
question naturally arises why any loophole
was left as between instruction and in
dorsement. The answer Is 1t couldn't be
helped The skiilful hands of the polti-
clans who didn't want to be instructed are
seen in the Endorsements. In every county
which indorsed Mckinley instead of in
structing for him there are delegates who
will be against instructions in the state
entions. A glance through this list
shows everywhere the allies Of the Chicago
organizatitn and of Candidate Tanner. In
this keen maneuvering Major Mckinley
seems to have the worst of it.
For instance, Mr.. Hit had to endure the
chagrin Of seeing the delegates from his
district to st. Louis instructed for McKin-
ley in spite of his own efforts in behalf of
Speaker Reed. But when it came to the
state convention the tables were turned
Mr.. Hit heads the delegation from his own
county to Springfield, ard the convention
which mad him delegate simply indorsed
Mckinley. Other counties in his district
did the same thing. 1t is understood that
the popular chairman Of the foreign at
fairs committee will be at Springfield next
week ready to explain that an Endorsement
isn't an instruction in all cases, and this is
one of those cases.
Congressman Hopkins district IS per-
meated with Mckinley sentiment, and the
Congressman himself has added good deal
to the volume of Mckinley talk in the state.
Nevertheless, in his campaign for the gov
ernorship he was very badly treated by the
Illinois lieutenants of the major. Not much
was said, and when Mr.. Hopkins home
county chose delegates to the state conven-
ton the stiffest kind Of Mckinley instruc-
lions were given, but some of the other
counties In his district contented themselves
with a cold and formal Endorsement. It
may be that Mr.. Hopkins will be at Spring
field explaining to his constituents that an
Endorsement is the same thing as an in
struction, but II ne does SO 1t will be an