The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-24
Evidence Shows He Is Openly
Lending Aid to the Yates
Hopkins Machine.
P0STMASTERS WERE SILENCED.
Administration Faction, Backed
by the President, Is in a Fair
Way to Run Over Mason, Cul-
Ium and All Opposition.
REPCRLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Springfield. H., March 23-The Republi-
can party OF Illinois is facing crisis al
, most parallel to the one In New York years
| ago. when Folger was SO overwhelmingly
defeated. The PARTY is machine-nothing
but machine. Its Governor neslects the
| States business or turns 1t over to in
competent clerks and stenographers. while
| he strives for the crown OF 4 Warwick.
The Cullom-D awes-Sherman faction has
been on top for nearly year.
Lately the tables have been turned. Now
the Yates faction appears 10 be In the lead.
President Roosevelt's Inconsistent and ar
bitrary action in taking sides in the fac
! tional quarrel is responsible. His Post
Hasters and other appointees can labor all
they please Tor the Yates side, but they
must not help the Cullom or Mason fac
tion.
Republican leaders contemplate the situ-
alton with gravity They fear that there
will be no means Of heading on IN 1904. this
combination Of Roosevelt-Y ates-Hopkins-
Cannon. The first battle is for the new
state Committee elected at the State Con-
SeLt0n. The next L. the control OF Senate
and House organizations next January.
Powerful Organization.
Last summer, in an article in The Re
public. stated that the most powerful
political organization ever perfected IN IL
Lnois was behind the candidacy Of Charles
U. Dawes for United States Senator;
that II was invincible and that II Mr..
Dawes maintained himself for a year no
nculd not be defeated. and il he did not
maintain himself. he was not worthy cleo
tion. The Sonponent parts OF that com
biEation OF Republican politicians were get
out, as including Senator Culiom, Speaker
Sherman. the successful organizers OF the
last State Senate and also the last House
rnS Iriendsp Of rrssidsnt Mshinsy Nc sr,o5 LS5
made. that the President would not be
hostile 10 the combination Unless some
ed. nothing could defeat Dawes. nor stop
the combination from running the Republi-
can politics of the State for at least six
years
At that time there was absolutely no
question about the correctness of the state
ments made. The assassination OF Mckinley
changed the conditions. az matter OF
course But the syndicate still had q tre-
mendous advantage. Nearly all the hold
over Senators had pledged themselves TO
President Roosevelt would not personally
take hand in the scrimmage. II was pre-.
der requesting Federal officeholders to
keep out of factional fights in ali the
States. and let II go At that. He issued that
order in December.
ROosevelfs Position.
On the surface that was Roosevelts po-
sition at the time Congressman A. J. Hop
date for the United States Senate. The Cul-
m-Dawes-Sherman syndicate already had
their plans made. their candidates for the
was running with exceeding smoothness.
Mr.. Hopkins had about as much show for
his time and money as a disabled mouse
between the paws OF a cat. The Yates ad-
ministration was discredited everywhere. 1t
was stencil in the nostrils OF the people
Of the State. Democrats and Republicans
Its only defenders and apologists were
Yates's apPointees: and many Of them were
openly against their chief -
terest of Yates and his fasticn. and nd ts to the
aston.shment OF the big syndicate. Presi-
dent Roosevelt followed his formal first or
der to Federal ofiiceholders recently with a
curt warming to them. particularly in Illi-
nois: TO keep hands off, He went even
further He took an aggressive stand with
the observation-disclosures faction.
That settled the status of the big comhi-
nation. 1t promptly went into liquidation.
1t became a disorganized mass at the very
moment the order to charge the enemy was
due. The Federal ofiiceholders sorrowfully
separated themselves from Sherman and
ais were In the front rank. issuing reand-
robins of defiance and charges Of Criminal
ity against Yates and Chairman Rowe of
and captains in the counties and districts
had vanished and there was none to com
mand the companies and regiments
Condition of the Strife.
publican factional strife In Illinois to-day. |
Roosevelt astonished the Cullom faction.
and Cannon added another surprise. He
not only declared for Hopkins and Yates
but he took Il personal interest in the mat
ter. While other Illinois Postmasters were /
rade Bin Jewell OF Danviile. Personal rep:e- |
sentative of Cannon. assumed command of !
the Yates forces in Eastern Illinois. He |
gar counties and received in return two !
members of the lower house for the Yates I
combination; He asked 5uds:e WriSh. of
tion into the Yates camp. and Wright did /
It. Wright will do anything. however |
servile. Mr.. Cannon wants done. Postm.s- ,
ter Jewell had the senatorial convention for |
the kankakee-Iroquois-Gr district post |
poned until fall. in order to insure Grundy |
Yates
In brief. Roosevelt and Cannon have
with Yates. Hopkins and i.orimsr 1t has
become the. powerful political combination
in Illinois. and the other combination has
of the success of the Ya,es-Hopkins COM
bination? Suppose HOPKINS Is elected intel
States Senator? The Republicans OF iiSnois
machines pulling together-and nothing on
earth Will stop its mad career-unless the
bullet Of an ASSASSIN ;h & or 'hs ,,s, haa vear "
Yates for Vice President.
The slate would be about this way: Roose-
velt for President. Yates for Vice Pre.ident
Northcott for Governor and Lorimer to sue
To the Pos.masters Collectors. Marsbals.
attorneys and all Federal jobhoiders the
order would be: Lime up for the slate. or
give way to somebody who can help the
President: you must deliver y1ur county
and see that the district Is al, s'Sn. Snc,vs the
same orders. The Republican ConSress-
men would have no alternative but 10 ,oin
the procession. or. in extreme cases. 'hey
might keep their hands on.
The result in the State probably Would
be known in advance. Illinois would send
a delegation to the National Convention Tor
and Yates: Sorthcott would BE-
nominated for Governor. and that faction
would rule every office In the State.
Would II be possible for the opposition to
divide the proposition. and the anti-i atss
faction obtain a foothold by declaring for
Roosevelt and leaving the balance OF the
slate blank? President Roosevelt II al
ready committed to the Yates propaganda.
and ne will probably be with II two years
hence with all his strenuous mind
In the United States Senate HOPKINS
would be the representative ~ the Pres!-
dent in Illinois Cullom would be relocated
to the rear as n piece os antique furniture.
faI dxoto IN