Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-25

the campaign fiourishins their tomahawks.
Governor Tanner and his state administra-
ton have not moderated their hostility to
Senator Cullom. They seem to want his
scalp worse than they want republican
senator. The Chicago republican organiza-
ton, Of which Representative Lorimer is
the head, Is in line with Governor Tanner.
Throughout the state Senator CullOm Is the
stronger. This kind of factional warfare
may be carried on without endangering the
national ticket, because both factions, for
their own salvation, must be loyal to Nc
Kinley. Nevertheless. It Is bad business,
and it does endanger the senatorship.
Minority Representation.
In Illinois the system of minority repre-
sentation obtains In electing the popular
branch of the general assembly. Its work.
ings are not we'll understood. The state Is
divided into flfty-one senatorial districts.
Each of these districts chooses state
senator and three members Of the house.
The senator is elected by a straight vote,
but in voting for members Of the house
the voter can vote for one, two or three
members-that 1t to say, he has three votes,
which he may distribute or concentrate.
The latter process is called pumping"
In theory the majority party will elect two
candidates, while the minority will be GER
tain of one member.
In practice sometimes 1t happens that the
majority party will feel strong enough in
a certain district to nominate three candi-
dates In others the minority may take the
chance OF electtng two candidates or losing
both. Voters rarely distribute their ballots
In exact mathematical of fractional ratio.
Ih1s Is what confuses the politicians and
often upsets their calculations. An ordi-
nary party majority in the state cannot be
relied on always to insure a party majority
In the legislature. The same thing happens
In states which have no system of minority
representation. Nevertheless the Illinois
pohticlans were In the habit Of laying their
fhn fcl,
tain to Joseph Medill, the great editor
through whose influence this provision was
inserted In the state constitution. The same
ldea was carried out in the law governing
corporations, so that Illinois minority stock
hoiders have some rights which majority
stockholders have to respect
During his lifetime Mr.. Medill was SUBJ
1ected to much criticism, especially from
nor1ty representation. He took the criti-
cism with equanimity, and pointed out to
the complaining politicians that 1t was
usually through their own trickery that the
system failed to accomplish its purposes
Generally, 1t has been satisfactory to the
people OF Illinois, though in a situation like
the present one 1t does breed uncertainty.
How Benefit is Expected.
In this campaign the democrats expect to
benefit by making two nominations in many
districts, where a majority sometimes
melts away into a minority They have
the partisan advantage Of a gerrymander
of the legislative districts, made when they
were in power. and which makes 1t posi-
BILE for them to carry the legislature when
the state may be republican by $1,000 to
10000. AS a slight Offset to this advantage,
the republicans have most of the holdover
state senator's, yet the condition Is not
promising one for them. Instead of en-
couraging factiona1 warfare, 1t should be a
warning to close their ranks and elect a
republican legislature first and fight over
who shall be the republican United States
senator afterward.
AS to the possibility OF the democrats
electing the governor with the state going
republican on the national ticket do not
see what warrants it. Richard Yates, the
the factions. and has been fairly success
full In keeping out Of their broils. He has
the good will Of the old line republicans
who elected his father war governor and
subsequently senator, and he is in touch
with the young republican element Of the
state.
Samuel Alschuer, the democratic candi-
date, has some points Of availability, and
these probably have given an exaggerated
notion OF his prospects. He was a member
for integrity. He Is OF German parentage.
and his hope Is to get large German sup
port. Years ago John P. Aitgeld, who was
political leader Of great force of charac-
ter. took advantage of the resentment Of
German Lutherans in Illinois against school
legislation by the republicans. and cap
tured the solid vote of the Germans. Can
didate Alschuer Ia seeking the solid vote
of the German Lutherans, the German
Catholics, the Hebrew Germans and Ger
man Turner's. In doing he is trying to
disassociate himself from Bryan. the presi-
, Dental candidate, but l have seen no in
dicatioEs that he will succeed.
CHARLES NJ. PEPPER