New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-26

and Uncle Shelby was coming. little circle
of Culloms friends took cognizance of the cloud
on the horizon about the same time
Neither had yet committed overt act.
Neither did commit one until close to the first
of this year, although there had been 'straws"
in the motions Of Cullom's friends and in utter
ances from Tanner men holding State offices.
Shrewd political observers, however, refused to
believe that a final break would come. "Cullom
and Tanner have been hooked up together so
long the usual comment ran, that they can
not afford to quarrel. split will mean the de-
struCtiOn of both"
If the Senator could have had his way an
open fight probably would have been averted.
By quiet exertion of his influence he could
have fixed up his own fences for reelection and
could have kept out of contests for State nom
nations. But Tanner had interests at stake in
State nominations and his only salvation lay
in an open fight
Between Christmas and New Years Of this
year during the quadrennial love feast Of the
party at the State capital, Governor Tanner
declared himself out Of consideration for renom-
ination. A few days later the report became
current. on fairly good authority, that the Gov
ernor would seek the United States Senate An
other few days and the Governor came out in
newspaper interview in fiat opposition to
Senator Cullom's reelection, and INDUCED in
one of the most savage verbal assaults the
Senator ever made in Illinois. Among other
things he said the Senator in his dotage,
and called him ''pauper," political tramp"
and like pet names.
HOSTILITIES BEGIN.
That was the signal for the beginning of hos
tilities as between Cullom and Tanner all over
the State The Governor opened the fight in
Senator CulIom's home county. Sangamon, where
the State capital is. He had had wires laid.
The Senator's friends were caught off their
guard. After a campaign of two weeks before
the primaries and convention, in which money
flowed like water both sides, the forces lined
up tie with the deciding delegate one whose
right to sit was challenged. The result was two
conventions and a contest sent up to the State
convention.
That result has only intensified the struggle
elsewhere The Sangamon County split is likely
to be duplicated in many other counties. Fed
eral ofiCehoderS and pOStmaSterS are generally
on the Senator's side. State officeholders
unanimously with the Governor.
STATE CANDIDATES IN LINE.
The candidates for State nominations are al
ready pretty generally aligned with one or the
other faction. Judge Hanecy, .of Chicago, and
Congressman Walter Reeves of Streator are the
leaders among the four candidates for the nom
ination for Governor. Congressman Reeves's
campaign goes hand in hand with Senator Gull
Ions and Judge Hanecy's with Tanners. Other
candidates have managed to keep under cover
as yet, but must be drawn into the fight before
the State convention is over. This will happen
as a consequence of the unprecedented number
Of contesting delegations sent there. 1t happens
that Cullom and Tanner have been strongest in
tnOSe democratic districts where the senator
has named the postmasters and where State
patronage, in the absence of Republicans In
county offices, has been most effective. There
the hghtlng has been hardest. twenty-five per
cent Of the county conventions held up to date
have split. When these contesting delegations
get 10 the State convention the minor Candi-
dates for State nominations must take sides
But the feeling is intense that a split in the
State convention is by no beyond the
range of possibility.
Senator Cullom ought, in the nature of things
to win He has the big newspapers Of Chicago
hle of the party are with him But the Tanner
faction has majority of the active party work
ers and the machine. The situation is so serious
that there has been talk of having the State
Central Committee try to make peace but that
has been abandoned s Chimerical. Republicans
who depIore the situation find they can do moth
ing but look on and dread the possible loss Of a
Republican Senator.
DANGER OF LOSING A SENATOR
Danger of the election Of a Democrat 10 sue
coed Senator Cullom is enhanced by the method
Of choosing a Legislature. The State is divided !
into ffty-one legislative districts each OF which
elects one State Senator and three Representa-
tives, the latter being chosen under a con- |
provision which provides for minority |
by means of cumulative voting |
voter has three votes for Representatives. and
may cast three votes for one man, divide the |
three among two or give one each to three. In |
districts where one party has overwhelming |
majority the minority party makes only one !
votes for him and Get him. In close districts
each party usually dominates two candidates, |
one Of whom Will be sacrificed
There are many districts that close but |
the Republicans ought to carry them in a Presi- |
Dental year and thereby elect two members of |
the Legislature. But the conditions are such in |
most OF them that Tanner man and a CuIom /
man are likely to be the two Republican nomi- !
nees Expectation is that they will then begin |
TO eat each other and BY each advising his !
friend to plump" three votes in his behalf the !
effect Of Republican votes will be minimiZed and |
a GTGe luyhu nbI
districts TO make the Legislature Democratic on |
JOINT ballot, and for this further reason the Sen
atorial apportionment in effect is a Demo |
cratic gerrymander. Under the most favorable |
conditions, with this gerrymander the Repub- |
lcans must carry the State by at least forty !
thousand in order to make the Legislature safely |
Republican
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