Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05

Written for The Evening Star by Guy T. visknskk
votes of the state of Illinois two men stand
out heads and shoulders above all the other
politically contending suckers. One of these
meE is John p Hopkins, leader of the
prairie states democracy. The other Is
Shelby NJ Cullom republican.
There doubtless can be found many Illi-
nois democrats who do not look upon Mr..
Hopkins as their leader; for example Car
ter H. Harrison and his Eeutenants who
were excluded from the state convention
last summer at Mr.. Hopkins behest. But
by that very act and the subsequent recog-
milton of his delegates at the St. Louis
convention Mr.. Hopkins became his party's
leader-not to say autocrat-and the ma
tional managers are looking to him to
carry the state for Parker. He has made
several trips east to consult with them, and
In the distribution of the campaign fund in
the state he has had the final word.
Likewise, there are republicans who
pooh-pooh the idea that 1.-The man who
looks like Lincoln is their grand marshal
Governor Yates is one man high in the
party's favor who holds this view. Perhaps
Charles S. Deneen, the party's gubernatorial
nominee, is another; he and Yates together
frustrated the plan of Cullom ct al to
nominate Frank o. Lowden, Pullman SON.
in-law, for the office that Deneen is now
running for. At any rate, there are quite
a number of more or less prominent state
members of the G. o. p who think that
their senior United States senator isn't 1.-The
whole show" But despite their opinion,
two facts cannot be got away from-that
Senator Cullom is regarded by the rank
and file as the pre-eminent leader, and that
for some twenty-odd years he has distrib-
uted the federal patronage-and the man
who does that comes pretty near being at
the head of things in his own particular
bailiwick.
1t all SINNERS down to these two men,
with Hopkins playing lone hand, as 1t
were, and with Cullom surrounded by able
assistants, chief among whom are Uncle
joe Cannon and the states Junior United
States senator, Albert ]. Hopkins.
John P. Hopkins.
Mr. Hopkins began to take part in politics
ten years after his opponent had been elect
ed to his first term in 1.-The most august
legislative body in the world" He began
moderately, as treasurer of Hyde Park,
then suburb, but now a part Of Chicago.
Three years later he had acquired such
liking for politics that he wanted to be
delegate to the democratic national conven-
him nay and named A. w. Green, lawyer
from New York, and former pupil OF
Daniel Manning, for the honor Nothing
dacy, and from then on until the election
the fur flew. But while he did not secure
the coveted honor, he succeeded in giving
the managers a big fright, with the result
that they made Overtures to the young
man, gave him a seat in their midst, and
TO prove their confidence in and respect of
him, placed him on several important COM
mittees.
This little fight served to bring Mr.. Hop
kins to the attention of the party leaders
in Chicago, and in the autumn or the same
year when the presidential campaign was
on he was commissioned by them to Or
ganize the town of Pullman for the demo-
Gratis Pullman was strongly republican. Mr..
Hopkins went into the town, hired the
theater, secured John M. Palmer as the
star speaker got the democrats out and
paraded them through the town, and alto
gether astonished the republicans by the
big showing and enthusiastic meetings. Mr..
day and night, and. when the returns came
in, had the satisfaction of knowing that
Pullman had gone democratic.
The Industrial conditions in Pullman at
the time probably had much to do with the
result; but however that may be, Mr.. Hop
kins got all the credit, and the rank and
file of his party began to hear about him.
Next year all Chicago knew his name. The
movement looking to the annexation to Chi
cago of the suburbs of Lake, Hyde ParS,
Lake View, Jefferson and Cicero sprang up,
and John P. Hopkins was one OF its lead
ers and had a lot to do with bringing 1t
to successful termination. Chicago just
then was anneXing every collection OF
houses 1t could possibly annex, and Mr..
HOPKINS naturally came III lOT Hucu pupiiC
p' Carried State for Cleveland.
Three years later Mr. Hopkins was one of
six men engaged in the herculean task of
trying to carry the state for Cleveland.
Mr.. Hopkins wanted to do this very much;
besides the power that would be his If he
and his associates were victorious, he and
Mr. Cleveland were from the same town,
and he had known the latter there and had
been befriended by him. Illinois had not
gone democratic since 1t had elected Ste
phen A. Douglas United States senator;
the task looked hopeless. But, 10 and be-
hold, when the ballots were counted Illi-
nois-rock- ribbed republican Illinois-had
gone q GOO for Cleveland!
Somehow or other Mr.. Hopkins got more
credit for bringing about the landslide than
any of his colleagues The republicans have
kept a close eye OH him ever since; the
democrats showed what they thought of
his work by nominating him the following
year as their candidate for mayor and elect
ing him by a majority of ], 461 votes over
the republican candidate, Acting Mayor
George B. Swift. He enjoys the distinction,
of having been the city's youngest execu-
tive.
Mr. Cleveland also evidently held Mr..
Hopkins before him as the one man to
whom he should be grateful for Illinois
electoral votes. He saw to 1t that Mr. Hop
kins was consulted before federal appoint
ments were made, and Mr.. Hopkins enemies
have charged that Mr.. Cleveland dictated
Mr. Hopkins nomination as mayor That
may or may not be soft is true that Mr.
Hopkins is the only living democrat in ILL
nois who has had the privilege of recon-
mending federal appointments. He and
another democrat-John M. Palmer-have
alone enjoyed this honor since civil war
days
His opponents and even members of his
own party have charged Mr.. Hopkins with
many political offenses, but no one has
ever denied that he has the power of lead
ing men. He has been doing SO. on a con-
tinually increasing scale. ever since he be-
gan to take up politics as a recreation from
business cares. He Is frequently inclined
to be arbitrary-extremely autocratic even
yet he leads and holds men to him who
would desert any other man who tried the
same tactics and utterly disregarded their
advice.
His Smile and HIS Nerve.
Perhaps his smile has something to do
with it. He smiles just as pleasantly when
he is laying down political law to some
baking follower as when he is chatting
with his sister in their home. He smiles
when news of defeat reaches him. and when
he is mad: but his smiles are most serene
when he has hard fight on his hands. In
atanca this dispatch to one OF the Chicago