Evening star., 1898-10-29
Leaders in Illinois Elated Over Last
Days Registration.
DEMOCRATIC CONFIDENCE DESTROYED
Congressional Delegation Likely to
Retain Present Complexion.
DIR. JAMIESON'S ESTIMATE
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

CHICAGO, October 26, 1S9S
A week ago Illinois was in the doubtful
column. Now she is considered safely re-
publican. History is repeating itself. In
1896 Illinois was considered lost or doubtful
by the republicans up to October 8, the day
of the greatest political parade Chicago
has ever known. The next day republican
M ragers claimed the state by the greatest
| majority 1t had ever given. Their predic-
tion came true. and Mckinley carried the
state by 141 600
Before the final day of registration
publican managers in every section of the
state We're in the dumps most dreadfuly.
While they again predicted defeat for the
party, they set to wock to out the
workers and to round up every voter in the
state who had not registered The result
exceeded their fondest hopes. The total
registration for Chicago yesterday was over
10000, or 2o,GU0 more than in 1894, and
10000 more than 1896. Based these
hSures, every republican manager in Hi
nois claims the state ticket, the legislature
in both branches and the election of as
many republican representatives as there
are now from Illinois.
But it required heroic work to bring about
this condition. Apathy was prevalent to
alarming degree in every section of the
state. Nowhere was it more evident than
IN Chicago. The peace jubilee and pouring
rains on the first day of registration made
the result the poorest shown in years.
Republicans Were Discouraged.
For day or two the republican workers
and leaders throughout the state were dis
couraged to the point of surrender but
they recovered rapidly, and for the last six
days they worked as they never had before
to get their voters to the registration
booths. Every billboard was covered with
mammoth posters calling attention most
VIvidly to the fact that every voter was
required to register. A plea was made for
the support of the Mckinley administra-
ton, and voters were advised that every
American ought to do well by his gov
ernment as the Spaniards did by theirs
stand by those in power when the na ZION
is in tr1dbie." Every hall in the city was
rented and mass meetings Were held every
night and at three different hours on Sun
day. Band wagons to the number of a
dozen Daraded the streets day and night,
| appealing to voters to do their duty and
register.
| While the republicans We're working thus
unltedly and increasingly, TIE democrats
| appeared to have stood still. They were
supremely satisfied with the first days
registration. When it rained again on the
| last day they felt so absolutely certain
| that their workers gave up in many see
| tiOns of the city and particular effort
was made to get the vote out. Today they
are almost doleful as the republicans
were last week
From the country districts most encour-
aging reports coming in to state head
quarters. The 'mileSquaTe' system, used
| so successfully in 1895, is again in opera
ton. and the old precinct organization plan
is also being utilized. Two canVaSSes made
up to date show the state almost as safely
republican as it in 1896
One of the most conservative politicians
III Illinois IS DR.. T. N. Jameson. clerk of
the appellate court and repub' b'ican national
commi ttccman. He has carefully watched
the situation this year, as he did two years
ago, and as he is counted the best judge Of
political conditions in this state his opinion
at this time is valuable.
Jamieson Says 1t is All Right.
To The Star correspondent tonight he
said: illinois is all right. If the rest Of
the nation stands by the administration in
this crisis well as Illinois will the next
Congress will be just safely republican
the present House is. There is no long
er any doubt about it. l have felt pretty
sure of the state from the beginning, but
we were all doubtful about Chicago and
Cook county. l felt we might lose two or
three representatives, from the state outside
THIS city and that we might also lose four
or five of the seven in this county.
yesterdays registration in Chicago set
ties II, however. We will win. How much
of a majority? Well, | prefer not to boast
and l Simply say we will have enough AS
for the representatives,, we will carry every
district in the state outside of Chicago
that we carried in 1896, or in other words,
ry two more, which we lost in 9G w A.
ROdenberg of East st. Louis will win in
the tWenty-tirst, and B. +. Williams viii
carry the eighteenth. In Cook county,
where there seven districts, we will
carry fve of them loss Of two over two
years ago. This will balance the two we
gain in the county, and 1 sm absolutely
certain we Will have just many rcpubli-
can representatives from Illinois this year
as nave in the present Congress.
The legislature will be safely republic
can, bat not so strongly as two years ago.
we VIII get a good majority Of the Sena-
tors, who hold over four years and vote
for Senator CullOms successor in 1901 In
Chicago the county ticket, most essential
to the local and state organizations be-
cause of the great amount of patronage
involved, will be elected by from 80 800 to
10000 majority. better fight would have
given US the full seven representatives from
Chicago. but We are pretty sure to lose
two of them"
The two districts referred to by National
Committeeman Jameson are the third an1
fourth. ~ the former Hugh r. Belknap
won by seventy votes in 1894, and 29O in
1896. George z. Foster. police magistrate
and justice of the peace. is his democratic
opponent this time, and BelknaD has the
hardest fight he has ever had. In the
fourth district D. W. Mills is the present
Representatives, renominated. The district
is normally democratic by from 1000 to
5000, and Thomas Cusack, for many years
prominent member of the board of edu-
cation is making the race against Mills
The second district. represented by Will
liam Lorimer. one of the three important
men in the state organization, and prob
ably the biggest cog in the local machine
had always been democratic by about 3 600
until LOrimer ran the first time. four years
ago. 1t may be considered n doubtful dis
trict this time. but 1t Is now believed Ior.
inner viii pull through by small majority
The first, fifth, sixth and seventh are alb
solutely certain for the republicans
Wants Quickly Filled.
At this season. when so many orc so,.x