The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-03-25
ILLINOIS CONTEST
FOR us. SENATOR
WILL BE BETWEEN MASON AND
HOPKINS THOUGH OTHERS
HAVE ASPIRATIONS.
Legislature viii Decide Easily Be
tween Two Compics stions
Would Arise From Three
Cornered Fight.
Special to The Euiietin.


Springfield, ILL.,, March 24.--A few
days ago there were some newspaper
reports to the effect that Congress,
man Foss of Chicago was considering
the suggestion of some of his friends
that he become a candidate for United
States senator-that apparently he
took kindly to the idea. and might
be expected to announce his candidacy
soon. It is to be observed. however,
that the Chicago congressman has not
yet proclaimed himself a senatorial
candidate, and there are some good
guessers in Illinois politics who pre-
dict that he will not seek the toga
now worn by Senator Hopkins-not,
at any rate, as a candidate in the pri.
mary campaign.
This Is not the first time that Mr.
Foss has been mentioned In connec-
tion with the senatorshp. He is a
man Of acknowledged ability, and in
popular contest would, in all prob
ability poll big vote. His friends
declare that he would get in the state
a much larger vote than either Sen
ator Hopkins or former Senator Ma
son.
The besitancy of Mr.. Foss to get
into the senatorial contest calls at
tention to the peculiar situation that
exists at his time in connection with
that office. 1t Is well known among
those who are on the inside" of Illi-
ncis politics, that several men of sen.
atorial stature have looking longingly'
at the chair in the senate now occu-
ried by A. j. Hopkins, and most of
them have had self-confidence enough
to think that they could do as well as
Hopkins, if not decidedly better, on
popular vote. But after thinking the
matter over they have concluded not
to try it--not yet,
The reason for this conclusion was
explained the other day by a man who
has had the senatorial bee buzzing
lieve," said he, that at the primaries
next August | could beat both Hop
kins and Mason-that is, ] could get
a larger vote than either of them. II
the senatorial contest could be abso-
iutely settled at the primaries-if the
candidate receiving the highest vote
We're to be declared the nominee of
the party as in the case of state Off
cers--I would become a candidate TO-
morrow But the fact is that the pri-
mary election will not necessarily set
tic the senatorship at all If a candi-
date receives clear majority of the
popular party vote, 1t Is assumed that
the Legislature will elect him senator.
Put what will happen If there is a
three-cornered fight, and no candidate
gets a majority of the popular vote?
That will mean that each of the three
candidates will use all his influence
in the legislature to prevent either of
his rivals from carrying off the honor,
with the inevitable result that the
senatorship would go to some man
not voted upon at the primary at all.
So have decided to keep out of the
primary fight If some other fellow
gets in there may be a chance for
me when the legislature meets next
winter
That is the line of reasoning that
has kept several ambitious men out OF
the fight for the senatorship. All are
hoping that "the other fellow" will
enter the primary contest, and thus
open the way for frce-for-all combat
in the Republican caucus in the legis-
lature next winter.
But It looks now as II the Republi-
can voters would have to choose be.
tween Honkins and Mason so far as
they are to register their choice at the
primary election. The managers Cf
the Hopkins campaign are depending
on the record of the senator to give
linn the popular verdict against the
personal popularity of BILLY" Mason.
They say that when the people fully
understand the issues that have been
raised by Mason they will vote for
Hopkins. II is said that the junior
senator will personally go upon the
stump in his own behalf some time in
May. and that he will make a thor
ough canvass of the state.
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