Evening star., 1902-08-18
TOSUCCEEDM' MILAN
Three Probable Candidates
Mentioned.
MICHIGAN POLITICS
SOME REPUBLICANS WANT A
CHANGE.
Burrows Will Support Late Senator's
Son-Gen. Dufield and VIM. Alden
Smith in the Field.
MICHIGAN POLITICS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich, August 10, 1902.
The death of Senator James Mcmillan
will make a great change in Michigan poll
tics IL will call for new alignments, and
II is probable that new men will come to
the front. For nearly a generation Senator
Mcmillan had peen at the mead of the re-
publican party organization. He was not a
political boss in the common sense of the
word. but his position was that of leader,
and he held his place by virtue of his
strength and the wisdom of his counsels.
IL became second nature to need his wishes.
and when Quarrels arose among the party
chiefs he looked upon the arbiter
whose decision was final AS the recog-
nized head of the party In the state, Sen
ator Mcmillan had at his command force
Of lieutenants whose skill as shapers of
public opinion and party action was un-
surpassed. This constituted the Mcmillan
machine. His death leaves the machine
without head, and there are not lacking
those who are ambitious to take command,
and those who would like to see it scattered
that a new machine may be constructed
from the fragments.
Three Probable Candidates.
There will probably be two leading De-
troit candidates for the vacancy in the
Senate and one from up the state VIII C.
Mcmillan. the eldest son of Senator McMil
Ian. will be one of them; General Henry
VI. Dufield will probably be the other and
William Alden Smith the third. Around
VIII G. Mcmillan will rally most of the
members Of the old machine and they will
endeav0r IL peTpetuate their own grasp
upon affairs by promoting the son to the
fathers place. 1t will be impossible how
ever, To maintain the Old machine intact.
There Will be more or less scattering. eSpe
Cially among the little wheels and minor
CugS. The chief reason for this is that 1t
IS Iot recognized that young Mcmillan has
any particular claim upon the party or title
10 the honors which his father held. Until
the last four or five years he manifested
10 great interest in political affairs. He
has very slight acquaintance around the
state. He is unknown, except by name,
rather by reason of his fathers name,
among the people. He has no achievements
to point to. He has wealth and is the son
Of his father, and these, with the machine
he inheTtS. constitute substantially his
tire capital In politics If elected as his
fathers successor he may develop a
strength and character which will insure
him continued prosperity in public life, but
his present position Is not of the towering
kind
General Duffield. who will be at the head
Of the line upon the other side, represents
the element which calls for a change,
which desires a shift of the power, that
there may be shake-up further down.
He will be backed by the Alger interest,
and other important influences may be
brought to bear in his behalf. General
Duffield is advanced in years, has no large
bank account to draw upon and has no per-
fectly organized machine ready for immedi-
ate operation. but his claims upon the par
ty are fairly respectable and his name IS
well known throughout the state.
Mr. Smiths Designs on the Senate
Representative William Alden Smith of
the tifth district has long entertained de-
signs upon the seat now held by Senator
Burrows and which will be vacated in 1908.
He has already done much preliminary
work To advance his boom and will go into
the next legislature with bunch of votes
at his disposal large enough to command
respect and perhaps to invite serious con-
sideration He will not be Extensively ag-
gressivr In his campaign and will maintain
terms Of cordiality with both Mcmillan and
DuffieId but he will plant as many posts
about the state as ne is able. If the McMil-
lan-Duffield fight becomes bitter and the re-
suits are at all close, Smith may be in
position to dictate terms even if ne is not
himself elected The election would natu-
rally go To the eastern part of the state,
but there is no law against both senators
being from side of the state, and there
are several precedents for it.
General Alger, eX-Gov. John T. Rich and
Benton Hanchett of Saginaw are among
others mentioned for the succession but 1t
Is unlikely that any of them will pass far
beyond the complimentary stage. Should
circumstances arise which seem 10 make an
appointment by Gov. Bliss advisable one of
these may be named with the understand
Ing that the appointment is not to interfere
with the liberty of the legislature to elect
some other candidate. Gov. Bliss prefers to
leave the vacancy as it Is, at least until
after election. as thereby ne will insure full
Interest in the campaign by all the candi-
dates
Effect on Senator Burrows Seat.