Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-01
THEY DESERT BRYAN
Illinois Democrats Will Drop the Ne
braskan as a Candidate.
DIVISION IN TIE STATE COMMITTEES
The Fight for Successor to Sena-
tor CuIIom Wakes Hot.
LATTER'S CHANCES GOOD

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
CHICAGO. ILL.,. December 81. 1900.
William Je nings Bryan can no longer
consider the democrats Of Illinois as his
supporters. Whatever may be the ambi-
ton Of the Nebraskan. he cannot count
upon the backing OF the Illinois delegation
in national convention. Illinois democrats
have turned their back on the silver apos-
tle-at least. big majority Of them have.
The democratic state committee has split.
On the gold democratic side are twenty-one
members; on the silver or Bryan side are
but ten members. The new chairman will
be a gold democrat. The reorganization
will soon be consummated.
Ever since the Chicago convention Illinois
democrats had been most loyal to Bryan.
There never was serious doubt that Bry-
| an would not get the Illinois delegation in
the Kansas City convention. But the sec
ond defeat t the Nebraskan has brought
about tremendous change of sentiment.
John P. Hopkins. ex-mayor Of Chicago and
other gold democrats have come back Into
power. Mr.. Hopkins and his friends man
aged the campaign which Resulted the
election Of John p. Altgeld. and although
they were with the gold democratic move
ment in SO. they supported Bryan in 1900.
They claim that the second defeat Of the
silver issue means that Bryan must be put
u
candidate in 1904
State Committee Reorganization.
In January. after each state election. the
Illinois state democratic committee elects
new officers. Soon after the election Of last
| November John P. Hopkins was announced
as candidate for chairman OF the state
committee Last week the Hopkins demo-
| Gratis took the aggressive. They issued q
call FOR meeting OF the committee to be
held at Springfield on January I. This call
| was signed by twenty-one of the thirty-one
| members Of the committed This week
Walter Watson, the present chairman, who
with Buck" Hinrichsen and Bobby
organization issued a call for a meeting to
| be held In Chicago January 9. The Watson
| faction claims that a meeting can legally
be called only by the chairman of the COM
mittee. The Hopkins faction claims that
the majority is all powerful.
Two sets OF officers may be elected. but
with the majority Of the committeeman be-
| hind him 1t Is practically certain that John
| be the acknowledged chairman Of the dem
| ocratic state organization. The principal
reason that the Watson and Burke faction
| wanted the meeting postponed until Janu-
| airy and held in Chicago was because Bry-
| an is to speak in Chicago on the night Of
| January before the Bryan Legion, and
| they counted upon the Nebraskan's pres
ence and support to help them in their fight
| for control. 1t Is a significant fact. how
| ever, that John P Altgeld, who has been
| the most loyal supporter Of Mr.. Bryan, now
| favors the election of Hopkins as chair
man of the committee. When men like Alt
| geld are found backing the gold democratic
| faction there can be no question that 1t Is
| all OF with Bryan as far a. Illinois 10 con-
| cerned.
| Although there will be q reorganization
! of the democratic forces Of Illinois. no
Cleveland democrats need expect considera-
ton. according to the word of the leaders.
l itro W demo-
| Gratis in 1896, supported the ticket with
| considerable loyalty in 1900. viii come back
| into power or control. but there ID nlccn
bitterness toward such men as former Con-
| troller Of the Currency Eckels, who either
! secretly or openly aided the republican
| cause.
The Senatorial Fight.
| Charles g. Dawes. controller of the car
rency, is now in the thick Of the Illinois
senatorial fight and has created considera-
BILE of a furry in senatorial stocks. He Is
| out for Shelby M. Cullom and is frequently
at the headquarters Of the senior senator
| from this state For publication Mr.. Dawes
| saws that he Is not with Senator Culiom'
| but that he is acting for himself alone.
Despite this declaration the general u ahe
| Outstanding here Is that Mr.. Dawes Is the
| specfal emissary Of the federal adminstra-
| ton. His special object In coming TO I'M,
| cago, according to the generally creoitea
| report was to seek out Governor-eect
~ ~ senatorfaI fight. Under the circum-
! stances more cannot be expected OF Judge
Yates That is is all all t than the Judge Yates
| now holds the key to the senatorial sa1ua
| ton He can elect either Tanner OF Cui-
| lom. In the opinion OF snrewo ponucians
| however neutrality on the part of the gov
| ernor-elect means the defeat OF Governor
| Tanner. r,,.
| Yates favored Governor Tanners election
! "a United States senator. He is under GER
| tain obligations to the Tanner faction In
| Illinois politics. He received the loyal sup
| port of all the Tanner office holders IN his
| Campaign. and it was the Tanner votes
| which gave him the nomination IN the
| Peoria convention. The Tanner-Hanecy
delegates had no place to go other than TO
| the Yates standard, but the Tanner men
| have industriousy been trying to make
| virtue out Of a necessity. Other cons1dera-
| lions cause Judge Yates to feel friendly to
| Tanner.
| Conference With Judge Yates.
| Controller Dawes had a long conference
| with Judge Yates upon his arrival The
result of the talk is not known, but It is
| significant that soon after the governor
| elect gave out statement In which he
| said that he had no fight with any one and
| that as far as possible he intended to keep
out of all factional controversies. Con-
| troner Dawes proved a power at the Illinois
state convention last spring. He IS likely
to prove as great power in this senatorial
| fight. The emissary of the administration
| is OF necessity a man Of power. It would
| behoove the governor Of Illinois to have NO
| quarrel with the President Since the ar
| rival Of Mr.. Dawes the Cullom followers
have become most cheerful.
| new candidate has entered the senator
| fal race In the person Of Representative
Smith of the twenty-second congressional
district. He starts out, It is understood.
with three votes pledged to him There are
| now five avowed candidates In the race
| Senator Cuilom, Governor Tanner, Repre-
| sentattves Hit. Cannon and Smith. There
| Is still much talk Of a compromise being Of
fected by giving Governor Tanner q federal
appointment, but the Tanner men win not
| listen to this at present writing. They pro-
TESS confidence Of winning out In the sen
| atorial fight.
| Tanners star ut q Banquet.
/ Enough colonies to stock q Kentucky
| town sat about one table in the wellington
Hotel the other night. There ware Just
| twenty-thres colonies. members Of Cover
| nor Tanners STAFF They were the guests Of
| the retiring governor at Q sumptuous fare
l hon q wnf