The Cairo bulletin., 1908-07-22
IN EARLY DAYS or ILLINOIS
POLITICS AND ARE LIKELY
TO LEAD NOW.
MANY TO CHOOSE FROM
At Coming Primary Election on Both
Sides of the Fence--Ex-Vce
President Stevenson Cand-
date For Governor.
Special to The Bulletin.

Springfield, H., July 2l.-The self.
made man" has dominated Illinois pol
tiles for long time. and his sway IL
likely to continue for sometime 10
come; for II the primary law brings
the candidate for office close to the
people, as 1t is supposed to do. the
man who has risen by his own efforts
win command popular sympathy AMI
support Under the old system ii was
sometimes charged that rich men
men born with the traditional silver
spoon were able to control eonven-
tions through the purchase of dele.
gates, something that In not possible
under the new order Of things. REr
whatever the evils OF the old system
man" from getting to the front In
public affairs, A study of the roster
OF public officers from the beginning
of the state government will show
that vast majority of the men elect.
ed to office have ben men of humble
beginning. Somehow the people have
generally preferred men OF the "seli.
made type The greatest OF them all
was Abraham Lincoln, for none other
was born so lowly. none other had so
few advantages. none other had such
gigantic obstacles to surmount, AMI
none other rose TO such lofty heights
The unlettered youth became SD
lAIene master OF the English tongue
He stands upon ptnaeIe alone
Americas greatest. most wondroas
man. whose name Is known In the
lremotest spot upon the globe, and
whose influence viii touch all tha
spheres OF time.
Another ''selfmade man was Lin.
coins great rival Stephen A. Douglas.
who came to Winchester, H., In 1885
with thlrtyseyen cents In his pocket
and without friend In thousand
miles" and who rose with marvellous
rapidity to the leadership of his party
In the state and nation. II one win
call the roll of Illinois governors. Ii
Will be found that almost without ex.
ception they have been men Of the
"self-made" class. Not a single gov
ernor of Illinois within the past hat
century had the advantage Of wealth
In his early career Governor John
Wood was rugged pioneer, buildln;
the first house in Quincy. War Gov
ernor" Yates. Beyeredge Cullons
Hamilton, Altgeld and Tanner were
farmer boys. Oglesby was a farm
hand and carpenters apprentice
Palmer was a clock-peddler aud a
school teacher. Fifer son of a brick
mason. learned the trade of his father
The second Richard Yates. though in
heriting name, was without wealth.
Charles S. Deneen, son of college
professor. was obliged to fight his own
way.
The modern "self-made man" Ia
public life Is somewhat different from
the primitive type OF half a century
ago. There are no log cabius now.
there are not many virgin forests 20
clear not many trees to be turned
into fence rails; there Is no cipher.
ing on slate before the dim light
Di a broad fireplace or a fickerir.
taiow candle The "self-maie man"
Of today has educational advantages
OF in the time of Lincoln
youth. He is generally able to go -
college and thus to start. from mn
standpoint. quite as VEL
equipped as the youth OF wealthy par
'nts.
A casual study of the list of cand
lates for legislative and other offices
whose names will appear on the pri.
nary ballot this year shows a large
ler centage of self made" meI
among the number Thete are men
rom the mines. from the factory
rom the farm. No doubt when tic
election returns are footel
lp, 1t will be found that the set
made man" is quite as potent in state
md local affairs as be has been from
he beginning.
Ii is announced that former Vice
President Adlai f. Stevenson. now a
candidate for the Democratic nomns-
lion for governor OF Illinois. IS Ia
make an active campaign In Chicago
Turing the next two weeks. Many aie
low predicting that Mr.. Stevenson
~ill get a large vote. possibly largs
enough TO nominate him Out in TIE
state it would seem that Douglas Pa
ison Of Freeport is making the haIt
sst fight. He is making a speaking
campaign that embraces the entirs
state. and is getting into the news