Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-18
ILLINOIS POLITICS
Democrats Expect to Get Legislature
and the Governor
COUNT ON REPUBLICAN lBsEuslob
Gold Wing of the Party is Split
Up.
FARMERS ARE PROSPEROUS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

| Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
CHICAGO. May 16, 1900.
| Illinois democrats think they chance
to elect a governor and state legislature.
The chance does not seem quite good
since the republican convention made its
! nomination, yet there Is enough in it TO
encourage those partisans who are always
| hopeful. The renewal of the movement to
nominate Mayor Carter H Harrison is a
sign that the Observation-Disclosures think well
of the prospect. Mayor Harrison can be
nominated if he wants to make the race.
His friends control the party machinery
and the general sentiment is favorable
enough to insure him against formidable
| opposition within the party.
The mayors popularity is not great
as it was when his followers began to talk
of him for governor. At that time he mad
| been elected mayor, though Ex-Governor
Altgeld ran as an Independent candidate.
| Harrison had taken his stand against ex-
tending street railway franchises which
were construed by the people to be for the
benefit of the corporations at the expense
of the public. This stand had given him
strong support among independent repub-
licans and with the business community
generally. Since lnen he has weakened
the city by his alleged double dealing with
reference to the labor strikes. His munich
pal administration has also lost some Of its
earlier popularity. Nevertheless. Mayor
Harrison is probably the strongest candi-
date that the democrats could nominate
with view to carrying Chicago, and in
order to have any show Of success in the
state they must secure a goodly majority
in Chicago.
Depends on Republican DissensfOns.
The prospects for the democrats in the
state contest whether the nominee be May
or Harrison or some one else. depend large
ly on the degree to which republican dis
sensions are healed. The republicans are
not yet entirely harmonious, but they are
getting closer together. The Tanner state
administration faction is still resentfui to-
ward the national administration because
of the part which Controller Dawes, Inter-
state Commissioner Fifer and other federal
officials took in breaking their slate. 1t is
true that Senator Cullom. in the fight
which threatened his political future, did
not show much delicacy in utilizing the
federal patronage but he had justification
that his party enemies lacked sensibility in
their employment Of the state omcials
against him.
To an observer 1t looks as though the re-
publicans were in somewhat better shape
than If the anu-Cullom faction had been
able to control absolutely the republican
politics of the state. Richard Yates. the
.ion IN tor governor "hlie not as great
% ms iitner' tne WAL governor, mas SHOWN
unexpected ability politician His
iriehos thlnk that ne has strength of char
acter enough not to become the creature of
either faction, while treating them both
fairly His nomination IS satisfactory to
the great mass Of republicans in the state,
VINO are indifferent whether the Culom ma
chine or the Tanner machine gets the bene-
fit Of controlling the campaign organiza-
ton. He will mol the fIrll
Doubt about tho Ieu;.,..
,,, 49, ,.', ' .'s
Aoou' ,he iesisia'"re there Is more doubt
IT, 81. VIC susei no' snip ~ IS pos
h, 40 C.ro ,,,o,as,.,- l. rs ~ az, i'iiiiois
st;, Is.o 49, 1901, 80 .'enet anu
.;o,. - I--;.,. N'e VI 'he pun
49, ca IIn ~ 40 "a. uia'''i eiaiih
to insure a renubiican ieeisIat,ra ,. V t iuJl
processes of reaching this conclusion are
too complicated for the ordinary voter The
present system OF apportionment is due to
rrynlanoer Whicn was made by the
ueihocrats' ana "hlcn, therefore, gives
them the advantage. The system Of mi
nority representation Is also likely to bene-
Mt them. Under this system the voter may
pump or concentrate ms ballot, SO that 1t
Will all go 10 one candldate Tor the lower
mouse. whlie the majority party Is sup
posed to divide Its strength equally between
two candidates the system does not work
badly In electing legislatures which shall
represent the whole people. but it confuses
the politicians and makes their plans uncer-
tain.
The local situation in Chicago Is not al
together reassur1ng to the republicans. In
spite of their bitter fight over the governor
ship the local factions nominated county
ticket. which is regarded as fairly good
one. Nevertheless. symptoms Of discon-
tent are manifest and the factions will
have to pull together in order to win.
There is also trouble over the drainage
trustees. Editor Kohlsaat has notified the
party leaders that unless they withdraw
their present ticket he will publish some
disclosures that will be damaging.
1,,,no,. D.ro.-,t wuaa.d
-
OUTSIDE OF the local aspects the ILLINOIS
democrats are muddled about the issues on
which they shall go into the campaign.
while Rrvan,s hold On N. nartv 10 tigbter
y. M N 80 . . 80, "a. ~ p",., 40 go
thah ever bryan ioeas nave niue weight
1t Is surprising to note the absolute subsi-
dence of the 16 to 1 sentiment. The Bryan
managers aIso note n A war ago wben
Mayor Harrison was eunnosed to he in the
scheme Of the eastern democrats To dunn
both BRYAN and the C,hica 90 niatform he
was comnelled To make n,,Slic decIaratio
that he was still tr11e not onIv to Rrvan
hut also To every nhrasa and sverv syila
Bic os The nlatfornn NJ ,,,h,Ia anvtbin.