Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-12-25
A BIG SCRAM BILE
Those Who Are After the Illinois
Senatorship.
CANNON, HIT AND HOPKINS
These Are Formally in the Race,
Besides the Chicago Men.
THE SITUATION AT PRESENT
THE SITUATION AT PRESENT


CHICAGO, December q 1896,
Illinois congressman find it difficult to
concentrate their attention on what is go
ing on at Washington. Even the Cuban
computations fail to counteract their alb
sentmindedness. The truth is. there are
thhk OF more immediate personal con-
cerh 10 them at home. Several of them see
prospects OF transferring their baggage to
the other Side of the Capitol and checking
II IN the marble room for six years. The
reading ones as to hopes and expectations
are cannon, Hopkins and HIT Each feels
ambition grow within his heart because
ne Is Oh list submitted by Editor Josenh
Mediii to Gov--elect Tanner and the loca,
machine In serving notice that he would
not support Alderman NJ B. Madden and
two or three other candidates he thought
Objectionable Mr. Medill gave list of men
VINO would be acceptable. Messrs. Hop
kihs, Init and Cannon were all on it and
he indicated no positive comparative and
superiative degrees of preference as among
Messrs. Hit, Cannon ard Hopkins
Each TO Make n Personal CAMPAIGN
All these representatives will make
personal campaign in Springfield when the
legislature meets next month. They have
their iieutenants out through the state now.
When he went to Washington before the
opening Of Congress Mr.. Cannon was in
doubt. He wanted to end the turmoil of a
struggle In his district every two years,
but he was not certain the Chicago peopIe
would split up badly enough for any one
outside the county to secure the nom;na-
ton, and he did not think Gov. Tanners
state administration would observe neu-
tranty. Recent events, however have sat
isfied Uncle Joe" that he has a chance
and he intends to improve 1t by an omen
contest for the caucus nomination The
Chicago machine is hostile to Cannon in
dlnerent to Hit and friendly to Hopkins
as reserve candidate. Mr.. Hit has been
| in the field for some time and has main
tanned headquarters in Chicago Mr.. Hop
klns has been IN the background and has
not formally declared himself a candidate
Now he is coming to the front and it is
with the conniyance of the local organiZa-
ton, which wants him in case its effort 10
nominate Alderman Madden fails.
Effect of Mckiniey's Visit.
The machine. or the republican Tam
many, has been hurt by the visit of Presi-
dent-elect Mckinley to Chicago. yet i'm a
way of which it cannot complain The
major has reiterated what he told National
Committeeman Jameson, its emissary who
visited him in Canton. This was that he
would take no part whatever in the strug-
gle, and tnat any reports of his administra-
ton being committed for or against any
particular candidate were unauthorized
The major In his own protection could as
sumo no other attitude. He could not dis
criminate among Mason, Adams Hopkins
Cannon and three or four other staunch
friends. The benefit the organization got
from his declaration was In showing that
ne had no feelings Of hostility toward
Madden 1t made the mistake of going
further and seeking to create the impress
sion that the President-elect really had
slight leaning to Madden, and that the
federal patronage would be controlled in
iS hrnIr st,a
The representatives in the house sent
word that they did not intend to abdicate
their privileges and let any combination be-
tween the Chicago machine and Governor
Tanners state administration control the
patronage. 1t developed that not more
than half a dozen of the representatives
would act with the machine. Then Major
Mckinley came along and by his specific
declarations of non-interference destroy ed
the illusion that the administration was in
any way back of Madden. The opposition
to the Chicago alderman took fresh life
until now 1t Is in the nature of a revolt.
The Machine and Madden.
The regular organization is now confront
ed with an emergency that 1t has not had
to meet since various elements were welded
into the most compact and formidable DO
Etical machine in the west. 1t aims to gain
municipal control of Chicago by the cleo
ton of the mayor next spring. To force
Madden's nomination ard election as SEN
ator 'busts" the machine, temporarily st
least Its leaders are fully convinced that
popular uprising will cause them to lose
the mayor. Yet the majority of them are
in favor of choosing Madden and then
gradually working out from under the
wreck. They say that every other member
of the combination has realized his ambi-
ton by their Loyalty standing together
While they wish Alderman Madden had not
scared SO high, they think they cannot
afford to desert him. Some change, however.
has been made in their plans Instead of
an open declaration that the alderman is
their candidate, the movement is to go
forward under cover. County members of
the legislature are not to be asked to de-
clare themselves publicly. All that is want
ed is their votes when the caucus meets.
Then they can meet the uproar of their con-
sttuents and find soiacc in the rewards
they have grabbed off in advance. Alder
man Madden himself does not like this
scheme. He is a good fighter and likes to
have his friends out where they can be
seen. But even he is amenable to the dis
cipline of the organization of which he is
a part. Representative Larimer off in
Washington. has been filled with misgivings
about Madden's candidacy. He has wanted
to support John N. Smyth. a leading mer-
chant, who is prominent in local politics
After Smyth his choice is Representative
Hopkins. Nevertheless. he, too joins in
the arrangement to make final and SUI
preme effort for Madden before seeking
another candidate.
Governor-elect Tanner finds himself In a
delicate position. He has told all the can
didates he was taking no part in the fight,
and this has been true up to date Some
good friends have besought him to keep
out. They have told him that in a normal
year he could not have been elected gov
ernor, and the election figures which show
him SO many thousand votes behind the ma
tional ticket bear out their statement
They tell him now that If his influence is
thrown for the machine candidate for sena-
tor his state administration is loaded down
at the beginning. Mr.. Tanner knows the
possibility Of a mistake, vet he knows also
that his nomination was due to the Chicago
machine. He will not refuse to honor its
drafts when they are made on him. Mem
bers of the legislature, who wish to know
what the governor wants before COM
hitting themselves. will undoubtedly be
given the hint to hold themselves in readi-
ness to support Madden.
1t is yet an open question whether with
all the machine influences exerted in his
behalf. Alderman Madden can be nomi-
mated. The machine leaders count on their
own discipline and experience against the
divided and undisciplined forces which are