New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-26
THE FIGHT IN ILLINOIS.
cr-LLoM AND TANNER CAUSE A GREAT
REPUBLICAN SPLIT
STORY OF THE CONTEST THAT MAY RESULT
IN ELEcTING A DEMOCRATIC SENATOR.

ELECTINCI A
Chicago. Feb % CSpeciaD.- Senator Cullom
and Governor Tanner OF Illinois furnishing
the spectacular factional political fight of the
year in the West The Senator's official seat
is the thing directly at stake. The Governor is
believed 10 want IL for himself, although he has
not confessed. He has, however, sworn to
take the Legislature away from Cullom and 10
prevent any State convention declaration for
his reelection. But the senatorship is only
axis which Republican politics Of the
whole State turns. The effects must be felt
for years.
Every active Republican from State leader
down 10 precinct and township managers. is
being forced TO take sides, whether he likes
ii It is an issue in every local conven-
ton primary Bestowal of all nominations
for office. from Constable to Governor, is in
huenced. if not wholly controlled by it.
The combatants both giants. Senator
Cullom has been in Illinois politics forty-fve
years. and never lost fight Governor Tanner
has quite as good a record for thirty years.
The Senator is gum shoe" politician a still
hunter who has at his back all the quiet but
powerful influence which comes of a lifetime
skilfully applied to the political possibilities of
a term in the Governors chair and eighteen
years in the United States Senate Governor
Tanner is regarded the most consummate
master Of organized machine" politics in the
West. The party organization and all State
patronage are his 10 use as he pleases The
consequence is a fight such as Illinois never saw
before. Black jack Logan's wrestIe with
Charles B. FarwelI in 1880 to get the National
delegation for Grant on a similar scale,
but that had not the bitterly personal and all
embracing character Of this one
DANGER IN THE FIGHT
There is positive danger that this fight may
election OF Democrat to succeed Cullon even
though the State did go Republican in 1896
by nearly 10000 Yet there is no serious
thought Of compromise. The fight must go on
TO that absolute finish which is death One
faction or the other must be destroyed If in
deed they do not destroy each other like the
Kilkenny cats Of tradition. The Cullom- Tanner
fight is I family fight, always the bitterest pos
sible when the differences are fundamental
Two men never were closer in politics than
Shelby NJ. Cullom and John r. Tanner have
been for a quarter Of a century. Tanner helped
although in small way. for he was then
young-to nominate Cullen for Governor in
1876 and to renominate him in 1880. That year
Tanner entered the State Senate, and rounded
up the last few votes needed to make Cullom
United States Senator. Cullpm responded by
making Tanner United States Marshal From
that day until this fight started they were part
ners. Followers Of one were followers of both |
Tanner managed CulIom's successive CAMPAIGNS
for reelection TO the Senate. The Cullom in
huence was behind Tanner TO make him sue
cessively State Treasurer United States Sub
Treasurer, chief of the State Central Commit
tee and Governor. For twenty years the soli- |
darity of their interests was unquestioned and
their dominant position was invulnerable
OLD FRIENDSHIPS BROKEN
One striking consequence Of their separation |
Is the way old personal and political friendships
are broken by the necessity of taking sides
Families have even been disrupted. In San
canon County. where the fight was at its bit |
terest week ago, David T. Littler one of the |
party's old wheel horses. led the Cullom forces |
while Stephen L. Litter his son. captained the |
Tanner brigade.
David T. Littler, by the way, had been |
the most insistent Republican in the State for
the denomination Of Tanner for Governor I'D to |
the time the Cullom- Tanner division came Last |
week ne led the Cullom men in a bolt from the |
county convention, where the Tannerites held |
the whip hand. The most bitter newspaper at |
tacks which have been made on the Senator |
have appeared in THE Springfield Journal" the |
chief owners Of which are the Senator's nephew |
and his former private secretary And so the !
line Of cleavage has operated all over the State |
Nobody knows exactly what caused the first |
crack into which the wedge between Tanner |
and Cullom found entrance. Many little things |
seem 10 have operated. The State machine !
managed by Tanner, tried in 1896 to make Gull |
lom Presidential candidate In the Reed inter |
est, so as TO prevent Mckinley instructions in
Illinois Then came the first failure ever scored |
against either both in State politics The
people ran over them. While the venera BILE SEN
ator was present in the State Convention, a |
resolution instructing National delegates for |
linn was thrust aside and a Mckinley resolution |
was substituted. Senator CulIom is said to
have thought, after he awoke from his Presi-
dental dream. that he had been used" by his
Illinois friends and therefore belittled. The sore
may have festered.
After President Mckinley took office the Sen
ator was made much of in Administration cir
cies, while Tanner never has appeared TO be
highly regarded at Washington During that
campaign Of 1896 differences arose between the
Tanner men and Chairman Hitch Of the State
Central Committee over of campaign funds
received through the National Committee Cul-
lom took the part Of Hitch who is now United
States Marshal in Southern Illinois There
was more friction when Governor Tanner took
office, and of the Senator's friends were
not so well treated they thought they de-
served
LITTLE WALL OF ICE ERECTED
So. little by little, thin wall of ice was erect
ed between the Senator and the Governor Prog
ress of State affairs heightened and thickened
It. Governor Tanner. on account of certain leg
'slation which he approved and other official
acts arrayed q large section Of his party in |
Eerce opposition to himself. More than two |
years ago 1t became apparent that he would
be either not renominated for Governor or re-
nominated after such a fight might endan-
ger party success IN the election of this wear
senator Culiom then made UP his mind say men
VINO AFFECT to know his mental processes that
was hapo