Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-27
UP TO THE FOUR
Suggestion That Yates Allow
Deneen, Harnlin and Sher.
man to Decide
IN CONFERENCE LAST NIGHT
Yates Men Meet Deneen-Shennan and
Hamlin Not to Be Found-DeniaI
of Fifer Succession.

THE men who organized the state
convention and who are known as
members of the new state organization
ought TO decide this question" are the
words credited to one who was in the
Yates-Deneen conference last night
Let Gov. Deneen. ex-Gov. Yates. Lieut..
Gov. Sherman and ex-Attorney Gen.
Hamlin get together and decide what
ought to be done. |. for one, am will
ling TO accept this leadership and go
out in my county and make the fight
for the one they decide on"
1t seems quite probable that such
suggestion did not come from a man
who is anxious to support Yates, as his
chances with Deneen, Sherman and
Hamlin in a conference would bring
rable one in Springfield. If the Ques-
ton of whether or not Yates is can
didate for the United States senator
ship is up to that trio it is apparent
that he will not run. But the doors
were closed tightly around that confer
ence of last night and it is not stated
that the former governor entered into
any such an agreement.
shifted to Deneen.
The burden of former Gov. Yates
candidacy for the United States sen
ate was last night shifted to the shoul-
ders of Gov Deneen. Yesterday after
noon about 30 of the ex-governor's
former advisers held consultation
with him. They went over TO the exc
cutive mansion and laid the PROPOSE
tion before Deneen.
At a late hour the conference was
still in session and nothing had leaked
out as to it's result. 1t was signifi-
cant that neither Lieut.. Gov. Sherman
nor Attorney General Hamlin was
present. The lieutenant governor was
in the city, but scouts sent out TO bring
him into the conference were unable TO
locate him. Mr.. Hamlin had gone down
to Shelbyville This left the governor
to face the Yates men alone.
The Yates meeting was held in the
office of the ex-governor and was Sc
cret conference. One of the most vo-
racious of those present. however.
said that no conclusion was reached.
He said that Yates did not announce
his intention, nor was he asked to do
so. Early in the session one of the
conferees suggested that the small fry
were not the people to decide the mat
ter. and made the proposition as to
putting the matter up TO the leaders.
Fifer's Resignation.
The resignation of former Gov. Joe
Fifer from the interstate commerce
commission brought out the rumor i'm
mediately that Yates was 70 have that
position offered him, and following i'm
mediately behind the rumor is denial
from both the federal and the Yates
forces. ridiculing the idea. The friends
of the latter say that he refused the
Mexican ambassadorship. which car
ries a salary three times as large. and
point TO that as an indication that moth
ing of this kind can buy him OFF. On
the other hand il is stated that the sue
cessor to Fifer may not come from IL
linois. But it is believed that the an
nouncement of the resignation had
some bearing on the conference at the
executive mansion last night.
Might He Hamlin.
If the job should come from Illinois
ii would seem more likely that it would
be rendered to former Attorney Gener-
al Hamlin than to Yates. If Cook coun-
ty is not thrown to Yates by the state
machine he is out of business anyhow
and Hamlin would be the dangerous
man to the Cullom interests, If he was
backed by Deneen and his followers.
With Hamlin out of the combination
and Yates turned down by Deneen it
would be comparatively easy sailing
for the federal forces.