The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-09-23
CULL0M FACTION IN
R00SEvELT'S CAMP.
Appointment Of Senator's son-in-
Law Regarded as a Blow at
Yates and His Cohorts.
SITUATION NOW UNSETTLED.
Advent of New President May
Transfgure Politics in Illinois
Speculation as to Dawes
and Mason.
SITUATION NOW UNSETTLED.

Springfield, ILL.,. Sept. 22.-Repubiican poll
ticians and ofhceholders in Illinois are be-
ginning to recover from the shock of the
death of President Mckinley. 1t was be-
lieyed ut first that President Roosevelt
would turn the politics OF the State and ma
ton topsy-turvy, following past precedents
of Vice Presidents who have succeeded
Presidents.
President Rooseyelt's public announce
ment that he would follow the policy OF Nc
Kinley and make no radical changes in his
administration was intended to allay pub
lie apprehension for the time being. But
Roosevelt is q positive man Of pronounced
convictions, and it is only u question OF
weeks or months until a Rooseveltp policy de-
velops. Democratic leaders are expecting
1t. They do not believe that the President
and Mr.. Hanna can long agree on matters
Of national moment.
Politics Unsettled.
Under President Mckinley certain pDliti-
cal matters and appointments in Illinois
were practically settled. The first event
of Importance to Illinois Republican polit-
icians was the appointment of a successor
to Comptroller of the Currency Charles
Gates Dawes. President Mckinley had de-
cided upon William Barrett Ridgely, secre-
tary of the Republic Iron and Steel Cor
poration, and son-in-law to Senator Cullom.
No selection could have been more obnox-
ious to Governor Yates and the anti-Cullom-
Dawes element of Illinois Republicans.
CullOm seems Stronger.
1t is a fair presumption that Governor
Yates entered a protest with President
Roosevelt against Mr.. Ridgely. Yet the
formal official announcement Of Mr., Ridge
iy's selection has been given out by the
new President himself. and there is plenty
of evidence that Roosevelt has gathered
under his wing Mr.. Cullom. and that the
Cullom faction will have a stronger grip
than ever on Illinois Federal patronage.
In the past 1t was necessary to secure
the Endorsement of Mr.. Hanna to insure an
appointment OF importance. Under the new
President the Influence of the Senator from
Ohio will probably be negative-it will not
be as potential. that is certain. Roosevelt
will choose his own confidential pantry adj
visors. and reports from Washington just
now indicate that Senator Cullom Is one
OF them.
.Roosevelt's Recent Visit.
on his recent visit to Illinois exhibited
strong repugnance to being hitched to the
Yates faction of Illinois Republicans. AT
that time The Republic made this plain:
and, also, the sensational development of
the intimate knowledge Colonel Roosevelt
had obtained of the true status of the senfl-
ment of Republican leaders: 1t was this
knowledge that induced the then Vice Pres
ident to summarily break several engage
ments made with the Governor and his
friends. and make new ones with Cullom
that compelled an unwilling Colonel on the
Governors personal staff to grudgingly and
ungracefuliy invite Cullom and a couple of
his friends to ride from Chicago to Spring
field in the special train provided by the
Governor for his distinguished guest.
CuIlonl Faction In Camp.
that before President McKinley.s death.
and when nobody had any thought OF an
early succession to the presidency, MT.
garded the Cullom and Dawes faction in
Illinois as the most important and the
most influential In the State. Now he has
dorsing Mr.. McKinley's selection Of young
Mr.. Ridgely as Comptroller OF the Cur
rency.
Outside his political Affiliations MI. Ridge.
flee. President Roosevelt could not nave
found a more capable man IN the country.
Practically every bank ana nnanciai ims1,-
out Illinois and many in New York ana the
East, wrote letters of Endorsement for MT.
Ridgely at the request OF frietdS hiEn IN
ury Lyman J. Gage was among the most
active In this matter.
Where Does Dawes StunU.
President Roosevelt's inclinations towards
Mr.. Dawes are unknown here at this time.
Undoubtedly some indication of his feeling
will be given when the politicians meet IN
a week Of. The adherents of Senator
Mason. and l mean those who are honestly
and earnestly DESTROYS Of Mason being his
the opinion that the Cullom faction viii
throw" Mr.. Dawes when the proper time
comes. 1 have the very best reasons for
- ~ III III hnt-n a
complete and positive understanding with
Dawes 1t is true that many of the Culom
faction openly express a hope that Mason
know it is an impossibiiity. They Know that
the Republicans of the State are not for
Senator Mason's reelection. and that It
eosts them aa. nothing tiain Tb 10 o are counter eunse,in on ,h n,t
Mason will make this discovery himself
within the next six months or year. and will
release them from any obiigations they ave
Then they wifi take their places where they
belong-on the side Of Dawes.
may disarrange tine plans already made by
the dominant faction. But he could hardly
do more than warn the Federal officehold-
ers to steer clear OF factionai nights and not
Dawes. or any other Individual. This would
be pie for the Cullom- Dawes section. for
III svs alre ,ssIs,a have d T satsn IN the srs saa1s' ana
in many places probably have picked candi-
dates for House or Senate to contest with
the Yates candidates. It is not presumed
that the President will take a decided stand
in opposition to the Dawes proposition.
That is the only thing that would place his
candidacy in jeopardy. If Mr.. Roosevelt
merely orders Glands of'-and he is likely
to do it-it will. not materially injure the
chances Of success of the young man.
Not Even q Hair In the Hash.
So far as Governor Yates is concerned. he
has practically eliminated himself from the
best paid employees OF the State Government
recently: in a brutal wa; expressed the
The condition of Illinois politics reminds
me Of a big dish Of hash. Tanners friends
friends have got what they wanted and are
out Of business. and the whole State looks
to me like a bowl of hash. And Governor
Yates is not even a hair. In it."
1t is yet possible for the Governor to re-
deem himself. But he will have to hurry.
II there isn't a radical change within the
next six months, the State Convention Will
omit his name from the platform.
J. L. PICKERING.