Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-17
BIG AND LITTLE BOOMLETS
THE sENNT1a1AL SITUATION IN H.
LIsoIs Gisgs MORE INTERESTING.
oppositioA to senator cullom Seeking
Ouf>~Candidate to Come
bine Upon.
Special Cores oD{enco Of The Evening Star.


CHICAGO, ILL.,. January Is, 1901.
1t is now Governor Richard Yates and
Ex-Governor Jhhn R. Tanner. but the in
coming of new governor and the outgoing
OF the old haYe done nothing to clear the
senatorial situation. Efforts to start stam-
pede to the Cuitom band wagon have failed.
The members of the legislature have stood
firmly by their respective candidates and
apparently mo- candidate has gained ground
In the past week. AS matters stand now
the situation maybe summed up in these
words: Senator Cullom is well in the lead
in point of voted. but has not enough to
secure majority on the first ballot in the
republican caucus. One question remains
to be answered..
Can the field combine to beat Shelby M.
Cullom?
Supporters OF the senior senator from
Illinois, answer. OF course. that no such
combination cain be brought about. There
certainly seems to be no one candidate
upon whom all the anti-Cullomites can or
Will unite While Ex-Governor Tanner has
many loyal friends. it can be stated as a
fact that good percentage of his support
ers would not consent to be delivered to
another man. and should Tanner step cut
OF the race there are several of the present
TANNER men who would go over to Cullom.
Some Change with Hit or Cannon.
The claim is Frequently advanced, and
with good reason, that even If Senator
Cullom fails of reelection, John r. Tan
ner would not be the man chosen to take
up his toga, The anti Cullomites could not
unite upon Tanner with any hope of sue
cess. They might stand show by taking
up such candidate as Representative Hit
or Representative Cannon In the event OF
a temporary deadlock In the legislature,
Representative Hit, it seems, would stand
tne best show The Cullomites. on the
other hand, claim that should 1.-The fox of
Sangamon" be in the lead in the republican
caucasus he undoubtedly will be-then
there VIII be enough assertions from the
other camps to give him majority on the
next ballot
In addition to the Cullom, Tanner. Hit
and Cannon booms there are little boomlets
on the political horizon. Representatives
Prince and Smith have announced them
selves as in the race. and there is always
the possibility of Representative A. J.
Hopkins entering the fight as a dark
horse. Wfthal, the situation is most puz
cling, and the battle has been fiercer than
any In Illinois politics in recent years.
Nearly all the betting is even money on the
proposition that Cullom will not be re-
elected There is scarcity of anti-Cullom
money on this proposition. No one will offer
even money or even taken reasonable odds
that Tanner will be elected. Shrewd poll
tfcians regard John r. Tanner already de-
feated. Few governors of Illinois have
made more implacabe enemies
Fighting for Secret Ballot.
The Tanner men now are lighting tooth
and nail to have secret ballot on all
propositions, submitted to the republican
caucus. just as. fiercey the Cullomites are
fighting this plan. There are many legis-
lators whes at heart are most friendly to
Tanner, but would not dare to vote for
him on POLL call, as they are instructed
for Cullom The Tannerites rightly figure
that secret ballot would greatly aid
them. AS George c. Rankin, the man
lected to preside at the repub lean caucus,
Is a Cullom man, the Tannerte3 will have
an uphill fight to bring about secret bal
lot The Republican caucus will be held
Thursday of this week. The last night
that Governor Tanner spent in the execn-
tive mansion he called together all his fol-
lowers and gave them final instructions
to the plan of action. Each worker was
impressed with the Importance of securing
a secret ballot in the republican caucus.
The TannerlteS are now claiming 60 votes
for secret ballot. while but 81 are neces-
sary to carry the proposition. This claim
is probably exaggerated, as the vote on
this question will show clearly how the
lines are drawn as between Cullom and the
opposition and men who vote for secret
ballot Will be held responsible by their con-
stituentS.
No Annrchistic Legislation.
AS had been predicted. the Hopkins-Ga-
han crowd captured the democratic state
committee. mis- is the gofd democratic
faction. The Harrison Burke-Hinrichsen
faction, or the silverites, were routed by
vote of p to 9. In his speech of accept
ance Chairman John p. Hopkins made
strong point in declaring that democracy
should turn Its back on the statement.
| 1.-The possession of property is a proof of
theft" Almost at the same time Speaker
Lawrence Y. Sherman of the state house
Of representa- tives was making a speech ac-
cept ng the gavel for second time and
saying, "Confscation is not legislation
What with the republicans and the domi-
nant faction, Of the democratic party thus
| arrayed it can be safely predicted that the
| Illinois legislature. will pass no anarchis-
tic legislation directed against the corpora
tions The defeated faction In the state
democracy. however, is shouting trusts"
and Oppression as loud as ever.