The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-03
Officeholding Families Have
Grown Rich and Are Still
Reaching for More.
DEMOCRATIC OUTLOOK BRIGHT.
One Administration Has Followed
Another in Providing for Rela
tives-Nonresiden Was
Given Office.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Springfield. Ill. March The Democratic
party of Illinois never before had such bril-
liant opportunities for successful cam
paign as the present year. The Repubii-
cans not only are divided in the State, but
the party in nearly every county In the
State is divided by jealousies and factionai
differences Hardly a county can he
named where the majority party is harmon
icus and united. The principal reason for
this condition does not appear ON the sur
face and only a close analysis will prove
the correctness OF the proposition. The Re-
pubicans who held office five and ten years
ago are yet drawing salaries Some OF
them have made Independent fortunes out
OF politics. and they are still hanging On
like grim death. If n new office Is created.
or death makes q vacancy in an old job,
these leaders who run conventions and rule
with the arrogance Of CZars. bring out
relative to fill the hole. BY this means one
family becomes a tremendous power. anu
the poor devils in the rank and ME- VINO
furnish the votes that keep in once the
aristocratIc bosses" receive only the poor
consolation from their masters OF "good
fellows"
Nepotism Practiccd.
Should n Republican slave show little
independence, utter "A fllilu protest dS'isSe
the family hog" he is threatened with
ostracism in society and loss of business
il he is in mercantile life. 1t Is the patri.
otic duty of the common voters to DO all
the work, but the bosses eat ali the cake.
A few illustrations will bring the point
home to the dullest mind. Governor Tan
ner provided for not only his blood relatives
on the State pay rolls, but relatives OF his
brother and other members of his family
We're handed some of the good things. The
list was printed the year after Mr.. Tanner
was inaugurated, and the total footed some
thing like $4,000 a year. Most OF them are
still at the trough.
Governor Yates followed the excellent ex-
ample of his predecessor. The only mem
ber of his own or his wife's family not on
the list in some way or another. Is be-
lieyed to be his father-in-law. and it Is re-
ported that Doctor Frank Hall. Superin-
tendent of the Blind Asylum. has been
forced to resign to make room for Father
in-law Wadsworth. The place Is worth
$500 or $1,000 a year, with cuisine limited
to the market. servants. carriages and a
lot of ct ceteras.
Governor Yates has not confined himself
to taxpayers, nor even to Iilinoisans. He
imported one relative. cousin. from Ne
places % in W the w service Of the State. 1t is
Unnecessary to dwell on the Governors
disposition to flll the offices with nephews
and cousins, and the Yates and Wadsworth
will contradict it
Senator Shelby NJ. Cullom has been an Of
lceholder most of his life. In fact. he has
done little else. He has been interested
more or less in taking care Of some of his
United states Marshal Charles P: Hitch
BY ee ana is
$500 q year. and twelve years at that price
when there are SO many hungry patriots
working for living. Mr.. Hitch takes
care Of his nephew. Charles Finn. in the
Springfield. present acting State Treasurer.
has actually been State Treasurer for eight
years. and he is again seeking the place.
was United States District Attorney for
four years and then was elevated to the
's'rG. Made das 51s f piaie so,,,,c
Cicero j. Lindly, former Railroad Com
missioner, now a candidate for Representa-
tive. has made a fortune out Of politics.
Lieutenant Governor Northcott will have
been In office eight years when his term is
out. and he is believed to be independently
Teaithy. Senator P. 7. Chapman. in the
dozen small banks in Southern Illinois, sew
eral farms. and Is reaching out for a seat
IN IN Congress General James Campbel.who
Is contesting the nomination for Congress
more. ''' -
Dolici floSdu, CnleI register OF the grain
department in Chicago. and now a candi-
date for Internal Revenue Collector fo,
the Southern Illinois District. owns farms
and houses in Pulaski County and n great
deal Of valuable real estate I'm Cook County.
He returned from the Civil War a yery
poor man. his salary as telegraph operafnr
by any money. Major Hogan is one or NJ NJ
wealthiest men In Southern Illinois. and is
as hot on the trail Of an of1ce az n his
next meal ticket depended on hts success in
landing IL. "
Former Governor Fifer was elected State
Senator. then Governor and a couple Of
years ago made Interstate Commerce Com
missioner. 1t pays $500 a year and ex
penses. and is satisfactory TO Mr. Fffer But
when Postmaster Barnes Of Bloomington
died last year. Mr.. Fifer secured the an
pointment of his son-in-law through Sena-
,or Culiom's good offices. lot OF people
ha,Is in Bloomington thought the Fifer family
could afford 10 be modest under the cir
cu,nstances. In Chicago Lorimer, jamie
SON. Manner. Hertz: Ames. Knopf Mayer
dependently wealthy as servants of the
dear people.
Chance for Democrats.
And SO II goes. Some Of the whales are
mentioned. but there is not a county in the
State where these conditions do not exist
Ihe same ceaselesS. morotonous rotation of
Tnadr Snar. warIaers; II Is abou. time that the
counties, rose in their might and put in a
new set of men.
The Democratic party is not in the hes,
condition for battle. even. though the
enemy is In a disorganized condition.. The
Democrats are having troubles of their
own They may be righted in the State
Convention.
The present State Committee has lost its
influence and its usefulness by absolutely
disregardfnS the work OF organization in
the State. and confning its EFFORTS to mix
ing in the Cook County broils There is a
giimmer of hope for the Democracy, but
not under present auspices. The next State
Convention should choose new State
Committee and order II to organize at once
and conduct the campaign of 1902 That's