The Cairo bulletin., 1907-12-10
THREE ASP|RANTS
FOR CONGRESS
MEET GOVERNOR DENEEN IN
cARBoNDALE IN SIGNIFICANT
CONFERENCE.
Mayor Parsons Among Them--Noth
ing Given Out az to Purpose OF
Probable Effect.

yesterday 81 Louis Republic con
tanned special from Springfield un
der date Of Sunday, as follows;
Whether by design or accident, Gov.
ernor Deneen met three probable can.
didates for the congressional vacancy
| in the Twenty-ffth District at Carbon
Idale. Former CIRCUIT Judge Oliver A.
/ Harker, Banker Edward f. Mitchell.
OF Carbondale and Mayor GeorgeyPa
sons, OF Cairo. were the three persons
who entered into q conference with
| Governor Deneen. 1t IS not known
| what the subject under consideration
was, but the postmasters in the dis
trict have suspicion that the govern
or wants the new congressman to be
a close ally OF the state administra.
| ton.
| Congressman George w. Smith, de.
lceased. was not unfriendly TO the De.
Ineen family OF officeholders. but he
acknowledged allegiance to the feder
al crowd, and in the event of bat
tile between the two factions most OF
the postmasters of the Twenty-hfth
District would have thrown their
strength to the element headed by
Senator'S Hopkins and Cullom and
Speaker Cannon
The selection of the candidate to
succeed Congressman Smith is del
ieate matter. Mayor Parsons has been
in the field in a tentative way for
some time II was known thai he
would be a candidate against Smith I
in the primaries next year had Smith |
lived
Four years ago when Governor De |
neen was a candidate for governor. he |
had an uphill task obtaining dele |
gates in the southern part of the |
state. Pleasant r. Chapman. OF Wen.
ma, now congressman, and Edward f
Mitchell of Carbonate. were the only
strong and pertinent friends Deneen
had down that way.
Mitchell. who Ii cashier OF the Car i
bondale Bank. did hard work for De.
neen In a territory barren OF Deneen
sentiment. After HE election In 1894 !
it was believed that Mitchelrs ser
vices would be recognized by Govern
or Deneen, but the governor had moth
ing to offer that was acceptable to
and there has since been no
opportunity to place credit against
he account
Word reached Springfield that Mit-I
.hell is ambitious to go to congress.
md in the death of Smith the oppor-i
unity Is presented. He believes hei
'an win the nomination II given AFR
native assistance from the governor,
md IL Is understood here that the con
erence in Carbonate was to discov
II the sentiments OF Governor De
leen
Mitchell has been active in politics !
n the district for the last twenty-five
ears-state, congressional and Judi
ial. He stands well just now, with
most OF the county leaders in he dis
rict and with the active assistance
/ the state administration il seems
0 be almost certain he will be nomi |
ated. II Mayor Parsons can be in.
iced to forgo his claims for time
fitchell will likely be nominated by
exclamation. There will be special
lection to fill the vacancy. and the !,
overnor has not indicated when Il
IN h. rifiled.
The district is strongly Republican :.
lat for the past twelve years. but the
lection last November, of . county n
in Williamson county,
y the Democrats. and the shifting of
Olitical sentiment OF the last year. \
nd more than anything else the wave
harmony now pervadiDg the e
emocracy OF Illinois. all tend To the
'obability that the Democrats will
AXE fight for the district There
not county in the district that
Res not contain a Democrat who is
Die to make a strong fight on elec-
On day. n,
II the Democratic leaders would pl
lalyze the situation as it exists to =