The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-19
HARRIsoy,s OPPORTUNITY.


Mr. Altgeld thinks Mayor Harrison lost
a golden opportunity when he refused TO
welcome The Democratic national commit
tee and other distinguished Democrats who
are 90 meet in Chicago on next Thursday.
Mayor Harrison undoubtedly takes a rad
ically different view of the mattel
il is regrettable that there are fac,ional
differences between leading Democrats
of the greatest city of the West The
meeting in Chicago next Thursday will be
a very important one It is expected that
prominent Democrats from all parts Of the
country win be present. Mr.. Bryan has
accepted an invitation and VIII deliver an
address, and il is expected that the con-
ference viii have an important bearing on
next years campaign.
1t must he admitted. however, that there
is some excuse for the position taken by
Mayor Harrison. The meeting for Thurs
day night is one of the Altgeld faction.
1t was gotten up by Mr.. Altgeld and his
followers known as the Chicago Platform
Democrats Mr.. Altgeld appointed the re-
ceptlon committee, hired the hall and in
vited the speakers. The Harrison faction
was practically ignored. Mayor Harrison
was invited 10 deliver an address of well
come; not as a Democrat, but as the ctys
chief executive.
Naturally Mayor Harrison declined TO
pay minor part in an affair where, from
his point of view, he ought to be
a the head OF the procession. It hasn't
been very long since Mr.. Altgeld boiled
the regular Democratic ticket in the Chi
cage municipal contest. He ran as an
Independent Democrat for Mayor and was
so badly beaten by Mayor. Harrison that
it was said at the time that he had ceased
to be factor In the political situation in
Chicago. 1t looks as if he had seized
upon the meeting of the Democratic ma
tional committee in that city to reinstate
himself in his party, and, a the same
time, to lessen the power and importance
of Mayor Harrison.
It was thought by Mayor Harrison s
friends that Mr. Bryan wouldn't accept
Mr.. Altgelds invitation. 1t Is stated that
Mayor Harrison's friends advised him not
10 do so. He declined to heed their adj
vice, and that fact, together with his
failure to congratulate Mayor Harrison
on his election, may have the effect of
causing the latter to be less active in his
interest when the time comes for electng
delegates 90 the Democratic national con-
vention.
There is going to be a struggle between
Mayor Harrison and Mr.. Altgeld for the
control of the delegates from Illinois to
the national convention. Mayor Harrison
will doubtless make an effort to keep Mr..
not improbable that Mr.. Altgeld will try
to keep Mayor Harrison out of it, What
has happened thus far, however, in the
contest between these two men justifies
the conclusion that Mayor Harrison is well
able to take care of himself, and that
he will go to the national convention as
the leader of the Illinois delegation. If
this should be the case 1t might turn out
chat Mr., Bryan made a mistake when he
accepted Mr.. Altgelds invitation to ad-
dress the meeting of next Thursday.
Mayor Harrison is intensely ambitious.
His friends claim for him that he will be
the Democratic nominee for president in
1904. That is a long way ahead. but the
fact that he has an ambition to be presi-
dent shows that. his political actions at
the present time are not the result of
petty spite, but that he Is planning for
the future