Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-26
ne PLANS To
RULE ABSOLUTELY
Roger Sullivan to Perfect ILL.,
n0iS Machine.
TO DOMINATE DEMOCRACY
In City, County and State 0rganiza-
tons.
SEQUEL TO BITTER BRYAN FIGHT
Rapid Rise of Crafty Chicago Ward
Politician-Rank and File Foresee
Party's Defeat.
TO DOMINATE DEMOCRACY
In City, County and State 0rganiza-
tons.
SEQUEL TO BITTER BRYAN FIGHT
ondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
CHICAGO, H., August %, 1906.
|. Democratic chances for success in the
city, county and state campaigns this fail
are believed to have been/entirely destroyed
through the manipulation of the party ma
chinery which has made Roger C. Sullivan
the absolute dictator of the party in this
state.
The fight which William Jennings Bryan
has made on Sullivan not only resulted in
an overwhelming victory for the latter, but
has raised the crafty Chicago politician to
pinnacle Of power and fame which he had
never dreamed of reaching.
1t transformed him from a ward boss, a
clever and INSCRIPTIONS organizer and lead
er of the more disreputable elements of the
city's population. unknown outside of the
boundaries Of his state. into a figure Of ma
tional political prominence
He now controls, as result Of his strug-
gle to 'vindicate" himself. the central COM
mittees of the city. county and state. He
has already dictated the city, county and
state tickets, and he plans to relieve the
democratic voters of the task of selecting
candidates for mayor and other city offices
next spring 1t is known through the
boasts of his close friends that he will pre-
vent, if possible, the denomination Of Mayor
buIlHe, WHO mas dS nuCn ilkinS 1OT Hllu anu
his methods as Mr.. Bryan has.
Seeks to Be a Dictator.
Many politicians declare that Roger Sui
Ivan will now proceed to perfect machine
that will make him as absolute master OF
the democratic party in this city and state
as Richard Croker was in New York when
he was at the head of Tammany Hall. In
fact, some Of sullivan's friends refer to
him as second Dick" Croker and declare
that he can give the ex-New York boss
cards and spades and then beat him easily
in political fine work.
This sensational fight of Bryan and his
friends to Gust Sullivan from the position
of national committeeman, which they say
he secured by the grossest fraud, has had
most far-reaching effects. 1t has been said
that Sullivan's triumph and the willful de-
fance of Bryans wishes by the convention
has proved a hard body blow to the Ne
braskan's reincarnated prestige as leader
of his party.
This may prove true outside Of this state,
but in Chicago. where Sullivan and his
methods are so wen known and where the
facts about the two last state conventions
are SO well understood. prominent demo-
Gratis who are not ofhce-seekers or 1dentl-
struggle has immeasurably strengthened
Mr.. Bryan with all classes Of good citizens,
in the party and out Oft.
They declare that Bryan has Demon
vincing manner that he is ready to hazard
or sacrifice his own personal interests to
uphold the lofty ideals In politics for which
he has always contended. In SUCH nights as
this, they say, Bryan has only the warm
est commentator from the great majority
of the citizens, irrespective of party, who
believe in clean politics and desire to see
the corrupt political bosses dethroned.
Rank and File Disguised.
Talks with scores of democrats reveal the
fact that the rank and file Of the party
are thoroughly disguised over the victory OF
Sullivan. The fact that Sullivan won by
methods just as questionable as those by
which he and John P. Hopkins ruled over
the state convention two years ago, when
two-thirds Of the delegates were against
them does not lessen the disgust and anger
of the decent democrats. On every hand are
heard their threats to bolt all the tickets
which Sullivan and his adherents named.
This strife in the party and the strong
feeling against the machine, 1t is believed,
democratic city and county tickets. The
state ticket, of course, has not ghost of
show, unless a democratic landslide should
occur. But without the strife and with
good candidates the democrats might have
carried both the city and county.
The city is normally democratic and re-
cent exposure of graft and theft among re-
publcan county office holders have reused
such feeling that a good, clean democratic
ticket might have been elected by big
majority as a rebuke for the republican
bosses.
Candidates who had received majority
of the votes in the primary election were
refused nomination by the conventions
which were ruled by Sullivan and band of
plug-uglies. Riotous were the scenes in
those two conventions, but they were only
a little more disorderly and shameful than
those at the state democratic convention
last Tuesday.
In the state convention Sullivan made
show of decency He had appointed as
chairman ex-Justice c. c. Boggs of the
supreme court, an old, feeble man, just
recovering from a severe illness. When
where the resolution was presented de-
manding the ousting of Sullivan, the dis
order created by the band of LOCO toughs
ward heelers, prize fighters and crooks
taken down to Peoria by Sullivan at his
| own personal expense. was so great that
Judge Boggs fairly collapsed in his vain
efforts to quiet them.
A Howling Mob Of Delegates.
Chairman Boeschenstein of the state COM
| mittee, one of Sullivan's aids took the
gavel from his feeble hand and the aged
| man was led out of reach Of the strug-
Cling, fighting. bowling mob of delegates"
| for fear that he might be injured in the
mixup.
From that time on Boeschenstein ran
| the convention. Speakers who sought to
present the case against Sullivan were
| howled down and jeered from the plat
form, and when 1t came to the roll call
| the vote was recorded just as Boeschen-
stein and the Sullivan secretaries wished,
without regard to the actual vote of the
delegations. Amid fist fights. struggles of
| the police and sergeants-at-arms to pre-
serve order and a perfect bedlam of
shouting and jeering-all Of which the
anti-Sullivan men say was a part of the
scheme to prevent an honest count on the
| its conclusion the vote was announced as
| 1858 for the motion tabling the resolu-
| ton to $40 against tabling. with 81 not
voting.
| AS there were only 1.645 delegates It