Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04
PROPHETS ALL HEDGE
Local Outlook Dubious in the
Illinois Campaign.
STATE TICKET REPUBLICAN
Some Districts, Normally Democratic,
Likely to Revert.
LANDSLIDE WILL NOT REPEAT
Best Estimates Obtainable Give the
Democrats Seven Members in the
New State Delegation.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


lore mostly red fire. In the last three days
the storm centers Of the spellbinders eff
forts and the energetic work of the man
ayers of the two old and the innumerable
new parties, styled by old politicians as the
'butting-in gangs" have been Chicago and
all the city congressional districts and the
leading ones out in the state. The excite
ment and noise incident to the close of the
| campaign were in marked contrast to the
tameness which characterized the two
months preceding the day Of the battle of
the ballots.
Predictions. with very few exceptions,
even by the most experienced and usually
confident expert political prognosticators,
| are made with a degree Of reservation that
detracts considerably from the value of the
prophesies. All the prophets Of hitherto
good repute, whose statements have always
been regarded absolutely reliable, If not
in fallible, seem to be up in the air as to
general results and refuse to crafty the
eager demands Of faithful partisans for
forecasts of victory in sight for all that
Is being contested for. The few excep-
tons wherein the party wiseacres are ready
to assure success include the state ticket,
certain congressional and state assembly
districts. with no line or hint whatever that
Is not In some way qualified as regards
the local election. which in the eyes of
| some of the biggest political leaders and
| their adherents is of greater consequence
| than the struggle for the state offices, con-
gressmen and members of the legislature.
Must Get Out the Vote.
The claim of the republican leaders of
| Illinois that their entire state ticket will be
| elected is possibly well founded, as also is
| the declaration that the republicans will
! continue In control Of tho legislature by
! good working majority In both houses. The
democratic state managers practically con-
! cede these claims. The confidence of the
| G. o. P. state leaders Is further borne out
| by the only complete poll Of the state
| which has ever been taken and which has
| just been finished. 1t indicates republican
| success by substantial pluralities. A final
roundup of district and precinct leaders
| took place two days ago. and reports showed
| that all organizations were In fine shape.
| Instructions were given by the leaders to
| their lieutenants and workers, with positive
| injunctions to leave nothing undone up to
| and including election day to bring out the
| full party vote and all the new recruits
| gathered in during the campaign Accord
| ing to Chairman West Of the republican
| state committee the poll of the state was
not only satisfactory. but removed any ap-
prehensions that might have been enter
! tanned by timid partsans. 1t has demon
| strated that a strongly loyal sentiment ex-
| lists among the republican voters and the
| only thing the leaders need do now in order
| to win by substantial majorities is to get
| out the vote. AS stated, this sanguine feel
! Ing on the part Of the republican managers
concerns the state ticket and majority OF
the legislative nominees.
Democratic Quarrels.
The democratic state organization has
been and Is so rent by factional quarrels.
| reyolts and divisions that it has only hope
of getting enough state legislators elected
| to maintain its position as the minority in
the general assembly. The campaign con-
| Quoted by the state leaders has been desul-
| tory, every candidate for office. even the
| state nominees, looking after their own in
terests from the time the convention put
them on the ticket until the end Of the can
vass.
The fight William J. Bryan made on Ma
| tional Committeeman Sullivan. who is also
| the boss Of the state organization and the
opposition to him by the party elements an
| tagonistic to the clique in control. all have
| served to split UP the Illinois democracy SO
| badly that there Is not now any general
| adhesion to the welfare Of the party. This
| long ago destroyed whatever hopes the ILL.,
! nois democrats had heretofore of lettering
| their position. 1t has been indeed period
| of chaos with the disrupted bourbon party
| in the state.
| Aside from the strong fight they have
! made in the congressional districts where
| they are normally in the majority, but
which they lost through republican vic
| tories in the Roosevelt landslide in 1904,
| the democrats have given more attention to
| and made more desperate struggles for sue
| cess with the county ticket and the Chi
| cago judicial nominees, counting possible
victory with these as a stepping-stone to
strengthening the general organization in
| Cook county, the biggest and most popu-
| lous of the state. In consequence their
| candidates have been forced to fight their
| own battles. either on their individual
standing as partisans with the rank and file
| Of the democratic voters or through al
| liances with the "butting-in gang" What
| progress in the direction of success the
| democrats have made in view of these eff
| forts and deals only election day will show,
| for it is going to be a perfect revelry for
| the scratchers.
November will be busy day from the
moment the polls open until they close for
| the wielders of the pencil. This certainly
| is what has put the political prophets up
| in the air. regards the outcome of the
| local contest, which overshadows the more
| important struggle and makes its effect an
uncertain factor SO far as concerns the is
sue in the congressional and Legislative
races. Non-partisanship in Chicago and
Cook county has gone to the utmost ex-
IRENE. with. 1t Is asserted. a mass Of en-
| tangling deals by certain straight party
nominees to trade off others of their candi-
dates to get the secret support and votes
of the opposition organization in some dis
| tricts.