Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-28
LATE NEWS BY WIRE
Illinois Democrats and the Question
of instruction.
SENATOR CULLOM ON TEE SCENE
Conflicting Claims Regarding Con-
troll Of the Gathering.
TANNER REFUSES A DEMAND


kpecial Dispatch to The Evening Star
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, April Ex-senator
Cullom is glad he came out from Washing
ton. His friends think now that they have
n good chance of preventing the state con-
yention tomorrow from instructing the dele
es-at-large for Mckinley. In his alb
sence there would have been no chance.
This is now apparent
J. Otis Humphrey, Cullom's lieutenant,
who is one of the district delegates from
Springfield to St. Louis under Mckinley
Instructions, this morning assured the Chi
Cago anti-Mckinley leaders that 400 dele
gates from the interior of the state could
be counted on to oppose Instructions. If
$40 of the 373 from Chicago could be relied
On he was confident Mr. Cullom would win
a handsome victory. The Chicago leaders
will turn In their quota, but they are lot
81 sure about the county delegates and
4p is beyond the limit of their expecta-
items.
On the other hand. there is no basis for
the claim that 800 to 800 of the delegates
are for Mckinley. II he has a majority it
IS narrow one, 50 narrow that the SUI
perior Engagement of the Chicago leaders
and of Cullom's friends may get it away
from him.
Mckinley Forces without n Manager.
Mckinley has practically no management.
a number of ambitious gentlemen are
1EarrelinS among themselves over the right
to be delegates-at-large under the shadow
of his name. y caucus of the Mckinley
leaders last night was remarkable chiefly
Tor q quarrel between Mayor Swift of Chi
cEgo and Gen John McNulta and other
candidates for delegate-at-large.
McEinley's real strength hes in the coun-
try delegates who are coming into Spring
field with the ore object of seeing that Nc
kinley gets the support OF Illinois These
delegates care nothing for the quarrelS of
their leaders. They favor Instructions, and
Will be satisfied with nothing else. Mchtn-
ley's chance lies with them.
However. Senator 'Cullom has called in a
good many OF his personal friends also.
The fact that whoever is President Cullom
will be a Senator from Illinois the next four
years is used with effect on the candidates
for post offices who have imagined that all
they had to do was to hitch onto the Nc
kInley band wagon.
The Mckinley people claim 20 fear that
they viii be cheated out of their rights in
the convention unless they can get vote
on presidential ms tructiOnS in the begin
ming. There IS nothing to justify this claim.
\ majority of the 81 delegates viii con-
troll. TIE machine lea iers from Chicago re-
gretfuIIy admit that the only way they can
prevent Mckinley instructions is to have a
ma jOrity of the convention behind them
Demand Made on Tanner.
Samuel W. AlIerton. waited or John r. Tan
rer and demanded that after the organiza
ton of the convention tomorrow. and be-
fore the nomination of stare officers, a vote
H. taken on a resolution 10 instruct the dele
gIjes-at-larSe for Mckinley.
Mr. Tanner announced that he would see
them at very long distance before he
would agree 10 such an arrangement.
The Mckinley leaders insist that they will
force the issue at the outset, but they Will
be beaten on all preliminary questions of
This kind MIR. Tanner is determined to
prevent presiden tial Instructions; he is sure
u b. nominated fer governor by d major
ity Of several hundred. and is in position
to do as he pleases On the presidency. 1t
pisdses him 10 hold Illinois for CuIlon or
Allison. If possible, and he Is making ex-
trs2Ti.nary effort to do it.
Congressman Larmer, Murphy, Hopkins,
Reeves AMI ether of the Illinois members
are on the ground. Mr.. Hopkins IS still
90 before the convention, but he and Tan
ncr are on remarkably good terms.
Mr- Larimer is the head of the Chicago
crganiza ticn. which is bitterly opposed TO
Mckinley Hs said to The Star correspon-
dent this morning: The situation is close
but 1 am satisfied that the Mckinley can
dldates for deiegates-at-large will be beat
en- and Mckinley instructions will be
thrown down. This will put Illinois in its
proper position DIT st. Louis. 1t will also
do justice to Ser ator Cullom before the
country. and will in all probability have d
decided effect In other states which are
yet to hold their cor yer tiers"
A. p. A. Leaders to Meet.
A meeting of the A. P. A. leaders is 10
be held this afternoon to determine wheth-
er the order shall take hand In the con-
vention. Originally the organization in Hi
nois was United for Mckinley: now there
is Mckinley faction and an -McKin-
ley faction. The former is led by the Peo-
ria delegation and the latter by Clarence
p johnson. the president, and members of
the national advisory board Johnson in
slstS that the order IS against Mckinley,
but the Peoria faction denies it. While
there are a number of A. P a members
among TIE delegates, the politicians who
are fighting Mckinley instructions appar-
emily don't look for their help.