The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-10-31
GRAND OPPORTUNITY FOR AN AGGRESSIVE MINORITY.
REPUBLIC. SPECIAL.


| REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Springfield. Ill, Oct. ao-The Republic fire.
ouentIy b.s r.fe-red tn ,h. sis1pured con-
i,,,a, =. ~ p,t,,o,,, .,,.,;on 4, H.
-, 80. ,,,, ,..a.,.,a,:,,,
i'e. VIZ" ''''8', "'' =" -,
IL mas oeeh proven that .he aiiese" isao.' 81
nave diVided INTO Se'e.ai iact'ohs. anu 'i'+
Only ratioAai explanation Ior SUCH si'"
! alton !s the personal spitss. jealousies and
! ambitions of the omce-holding brigade in
! the marty
There is ahsoIuteI,. M question as TO the
! ooai.,o, -, III. p.,rtt;o,,s. Governor
~ u ~
'te pi''-'' - -
| In the state ana before t"ei'e hi"h'"s
| confidently predict tnat President koose'e't
| will be decorated with many wounds, ex-
! b,hi,inu the marty dlsanproval with his
r,,,,sr n,
poiicy. III otheF "oius' IsePupi''''' q
ampIi.ied By Roosevelt aad Yates in ILL
nois will stink like a rotten mackereI a
.'., ,a,a.. ,.. .,.o.io,, 20, ,.,r
Hiot'th Deiofe 'iie eielloi. "eA'
Opportunity Tor DemocracS'
What an opnorfIInity IL presented to an
.-a.s,,.a "a ,r,si,i,.,,,, ,sd minority
"et "u
ty of Illinois in a position TO take advan-
,,,. NJ ,b. t1urde-s nj i,s enemy2 There
- = ...,o.,io,, T, ,s
Is only one answer ~ the 4ues'i'N
not. Never before in its history in the
State was there such paucity OF able and
',,'se,e~,, ,aada-. IN .h. Da-,ocra,ic marty.
The private soldiers present a most pa
thetic picture of patience and perseverance
strengthened in this faith BY the grea.
! name and high principles of the Democratic
-. IL ~, - 81. ~. folIo,red blind
p"'' ''e N , ,....-.
ly after seihsh ane incompetent "aoeis
until they are natseatea; 'hsa s,;,,, ,., on,
Samuel AIschuIer are selfish and incompe-
"a, pn,b baya ,iycr i,drb,tabIe nroof in
an an eminen, degree OF their ability and un-
selfish devotion to principle. But tne cap
tains and lieutenants Of the party-in that
sinnina rt,h 1ssi sh.. state cnrnni-f.s has
80 -, -. -. - - -Nr.n.., ornh-
zen zen usea " ius,.er @ 'ae - as a., ,,.sd
10 cloak the deviltry OF a clique interested
IN promoting or preventing Iesisiatioh: G1
perience with past state committees 1ustl-
norant CT their duties aad less caoanie OF
ihtelhgentiy grasping opportuniues never
attempted TO pilot great political parry.
trate.
Committee Needs Strengthening.
In 1885 James W. Orr was made chairman
a certain extent Governor Altgeld's ideas Of
government Mr.. orr was and ia a cam
paign banker, with plenty OF energy, abil-
nightly against odds that were sickening.
He was supnorted by a state committees
that knew nothing OF political conditions
pretense Of political sagacity and added to
this was personal dislike by many for
Altgeld and Orr. The members Of the com.
their hope that the Campaign would be a
failure About two or three weeks before
the election Mr. Orr called in half a dozen
prominent Democrats; frankly acknowledge
ed that he was not receiving the support
and assistance he had right to expect,
and In the interest OF the party ne turned
tne campaign Hanasgneh. ose. t,,t. ~ tue Pc Pc,
sons ne aodIessea: me tespoISioi-f 1S E,;o" so
pageff pap fb = the ,6 6etas OF ans 81
what they wouid accomplish. The sequel
proved that it was very little, the principal
reason being that there was only raw and md
orders were sifted to the mass of the
voters
the hess canaian MAS '.e n 100 any Gbairman watson
did the hest that was nossibIe with the men
and means at his disposal. attended a
meeting of the State Committee in the
spring of 1869 in Chicago. The members
were requested to tell of the conditions ex-
istin2 in their congressional districts. Frank
W. :Havill was the only member who gave
He showed by his words that he was en-
tireiy familiar with the situation in every
county in Southeastern Illinois. One or two
others made a bluff at report for the
counties in their districts. which was gross
" Inaccurate and misleading. They proba-
bly, argued that II they did not know the
truth nobody else was posted, and whatever
they might say would be believed. A mem-
her from Chicago and a leader Of the party
in the state frankly acknowledged that he
could speak for his ward" but knew little
about the district. Excepting Mr.. Havili
all had shadowy and imperfect ideas about
campaign work. Several even did not know
the names Of the chairmen of the county
committees in their districts
camnoixn NlsmanaRed.
b.,,sre that that meeting Of the Demo-
Sas,r,i,t.a no. tb. oneninp of the
o.,,n,,eu Wh.t &. the hest that could be
campaign. VIVA. - '.e "a,..,' =, J,str,ct
expecten irTrn @ STsn ar.ts Insy the Ieais-
inotnreMIost everything. The personal pop
,,IoritI and veil adver,ised ability of Mr.
Alschuler pushed him away ahead Of his
ticket. But It was scandalous. II was Grim.
tnal. to lose the Lesislat ture IN Iye unneL .ns
DemocIa.lc l,s ger ~ ha,,a /. naiority In the
Tio House % NJ Representatiyes. The result was
astounding to them-thirteen Republican
majority In the Senate and nine In the
House
It emphasized in a startling manner the
telligent and able management OF party al
fairs in the Democratic party. Inc Diame
cannot be placed at the door of Cnalrmam
Watson. He was actually Witnout ,,, M.9hen ~,
and Secretary Nelson ana nlmseit oiu al
the work until the last few weeks, when
Mr.. Mounts took charge Of the speakers
bureau But there was from the beginning
essential quality that makes n political
campaign a success. More anxiety was dis
played at the condition OF the treasury tnan
what work there was on the chairman