The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-05
SAID TO BE POPULAR WITH
MASSES OF REPUBLICAN
PARTY IN THE STATE.
DENEEN FOR GOVERNOR
Has Inside Track Having Neutralized
Some Forces That Developed
Against His--Primary Law
Factor.
Special to The Bulletin.

| test for the United States senator
ship has some curious and interesting
features Senator Hopkins is not In
clined to admit that there is really
any contest he belittles Billy
Mason's candidacy as a Joke and
declines to meet the former senator
in Joint debate or to enter into any
agreement with him to abide by the
result of the primary election, a
man OF considerable political promi
hence and an astute observer said the
other day: Il attended a chautauqua
the other day and heard Mason make
speech. When he got to the Nor
mon question and roasted Hopkins
everybody cheered. After the speech
! | asked a farmer how Senator Hop
kins stood In that section. He re
llied: Every woman in the county
is agin him And that IS the sort
OF sentiment that is being aroused by
the attack on Hopkins so-called Nor
mon record
Politicians are waking to the fact
that If Hopkins and Mason are the
only candidates, Mason is very likely
to carry the primaries. Political
enemies of Hopkins declare that he
has no strength with the masses and
that il the primary law is not wiped
cut by the supreme court he will be
badly beaten. Yet most of them agree
that Mason's election to the senate
would be a calamity" Some so SO
far as to predict that If Mason should
carry the primaries the Legislature
would be justified in disregarding the
popular vote: but the Legislature is
generally responsive to public senti
ment, when definitely expressed, aud
in all probability the candidate who
receives a majority at the primaries
will be elected senator.
So there are two senatorial candi
dates neither of whom apparently Is
favored by a majority of the politi
clans or the masses of the party. This
unusual situation has caused many to
expect the entry of another candidate
for senator within couple of months
1t Is probable that no more candidates
will be announced until the fate OF
the primary law is known. If the law
is to stand, or if new one is to take
it's place, one or more additional can.
Gidates are pretty certain to appear.
Senator Hopkins, through his cam
paign committee. is getting the state
organized "even more thoroughly
than 1t was organized for Senator
Cullom last year." it is declared. But
il remains TO be seen whether the or
ganization can be made as effective
for Hopkins as it was for Cullom. The
senior senator had back of him a rec
ord of twenty-four years in the senate
and a record In public life running
back to 1856, that presented few weak
points. He was strongly supported
by popular sentiment, and that made
the work of organization compare
lively easy But the situation as to
Hopkins is admittedly different. The
organization that is being built up
gives promise of being a most effect,
i've one, but unless conditions change
ii will be seriously handicapped by a
hostile public sentiment.
The uncertainty of Gov. Deneen's
attitude with respect TO the senator
ship is supposed to cause some pcs
sible candidates to hesitate. Up to
this time the governor has shown no
signs of a purpose to interfere in the
senatorial contest. We may expect
him to act solely with reference to
his own political interests. So long
az Senator Hopkins and his organiza-
ton do not fight Deneen. the latter
is not likely to fight Hopkins. Each
will have enough to do to look after
his own fences. But conditions that
may arise later on may draw the
governor into the senatorial contest.
and Hopkins may be forced to line up
his forces for some candidate against
Deneen. That is the way of practical
politics. The men most vitality inter
ested are not always able to control
the situation.
So far as the gubernatorial contest
Is concerned Gov. Deneen, If surface
are to count for anything.
has the best of it up to this time. He
has succeeded I'm neutralizing certain
forces that sometime ago threatened
% be hostile. and has rapidly extend
I'd the work of organization. But
here are predictions of an important
change I'm the situation in October. |
rhe adjourned session of the legisla-
ure is expected to develop some po-
itical capital that will be of advant- |
'ge to Speaker Shurtleff and other
,ossible country candidates. Mayor
suisse. who up to this time has been
non-committal. is expected /
O show his hand in October. and the
general expectation is that 1t will be
lgainst Deneen.
J. M'CANN DAVIS.