The record-union., 1896-04-29
McKinleyites Making a Hard Fight
for Endorsement.
Want IrOnclad Instructions for the
Ohio Statesman-Senator Cullum's
Adherents, However, Are Making
Gallant Fight, With Prospects OF
Carrying a Majority in the Con-
VentiOn.

SPRINGFIELD Ill), April 2S.-On
the eve of what will be the largest and
promises to be the most stormy State
Convention in the history of the Re
rublicans of Illinois, the situation is de-
cidedly chaotic. From the most con-
servative estimates. based upon the
counties that have instructed for or in
dorsed Ex-Governor Mckinley, the
friends of the Ohio candidate up to this
morning lacked but few score of dele
gates out of a total accredited to the
convention of ,335 to secure the adop-
tion of ironclad instructions. But the
McKinleyites, while having the dele
gates, the sympathy and enthusiasm
have lacked organiza ton, and above all
a tactful and resourcefuI leader.
On the other hand, the managers OF
the State machine, all of them adroit
politicians, have brought to their aid
some of the most skillful manipulators
to be gathered from all parts of the
State, have brought into play all their
influence, authority, artifice and argu-
ment to a two-fold purpose, one to con-
vince the delegates whose conventions
indorsed Mckinley that Endorsements
are not instructions, and the other to
stem the threatened tidal wave to Nc
kinley from the ranks of the unin-
structed delegates.
1t has been a day of fine work rather
than of excitement and noisy enthu-
siasm, and while the Mckinley ele-
ment claims not only to have held it's
own, but to have secured enough ad-
ditional pledges to make it's victory
certain, the opposition is apparently
more confident and certainly more de-
fiant than twenty-four hours ago.
The bringing of Senator Cullom from
Washington is conceded by both sides
to have been a master stroke on the
part of the State managers. The senior
Senator has held forth at his headquar-
ters without scarcely an intermission
for refreshment or conference since an
early hour this morning, and hundreds
of country delegates have been piloted
to his immediate neighborhood by his
lieutenants.
Never in the midst of the excitement
and cleverly fought contests for his own
pre:erntent to nigh office has Senator
Cullom been more tactful or earnest
than to-day. State pride, old acquaint-
anceship, past friendship and favors
his own record as a stalwart Repub-
lican, have been urged, and appeals
We're made to keep the uninstructed
ones from aiding in sending to st. Louis
four delegates-at-large implicitly in
structed for the Ohioan- That the Sen
ator's arguments and pleadings have
had their weight with large number OF
delegates is tonight admitted by Nc
Kinley's followers.
Neither side is giving ont figures. The
tug of war viii come just as soon as the
permanent organization has been ef-
fected. The State Central Committee
has selected Alderman NJ. b. Madden of
Chicago as Temporary Chairman, while
its choice for the regular presiding Off
Ger, Senator Orville T. Berry, will be
accepted by the Committee on Perma-
nent Organization. Both of these Sc
lections are satisfactory to the McKin-
ley leaders. Speaker w. L. Calhoun of
Danville, a skilled parliamentarian, ag-
SresSive and courageous, has been Sc
lected to lead the Mckinley onslaught,
and his efforts will be seconded by the
venerable Ex-Governor Uncle Dick
Oglesby, who is now en- route from his
country home.
The candidates of the managers for
delegates are Ex-Governor Fifer of
Bloomington, William Penn Nixon and
r. w Patterson of Chicago, and David
Littler of this city. The McKinleyites
have not agreed upon a ticket beyond
the names of Ex-Governor Oglesby and
Mayor Swift of Chicago. Patterson and
Fifer, however, would be satisfactory
to them, provided instructions are
voted
Outside Of Captain Tanner for Gov
ernor and H. l.. Hertz of Chicago for
State Treasurer, it is a free-for-all race
for the State ticket. The Presidential
question overshadows all Others and
the headquarters of the legion of can
didates were almost deserted to-day.
Emissaries of the machine were busy to-
day endeavoring to effect deals with
some of the country delegates who have
favorite sons for State officers, and are
also instructed for Mckinley, by which
their support would be thrown to such
candidates on the condition that the
delegations reject their instructions. In
every case reported, however the over
lures were rejected.
The convention has brought to the
city a throng estimated at from ten to
fifteen thousand, and the brass bands.
glee clubs, street parades, curbstone
debaters and other side lights give the
atmosphere a suggestion of a national
rather than a State Convention.
With the view of avoiding tempest
uous scene on the threshold of the con-
vention tomorrow. State Chairman
Jameson tonight made a compromise
offer to the Mckinley commission that
the matter of instructions be voted
upon after the nomination of Tanner
for Governor. The commission made a
counter proposition for Attorney-Gen-
eral. This was accepted.
The Mckinley leaders gave out to-
night a table claiming $40 delegates
for Mckinley instructions to o15 that
are against.
rIYE YyHNEZnET pnIINnADv