Morris tribune., 1909-02-06

berg would not only have melted, but
boiled in consequence. The fight ragged
In every county in the state, Deneen
speaking one or more times in each
and Yates following. Even the Demo
Gratis were dragged into the melee,
and in Chicago it was said both ma
chimes worked together for the gov
ernor's downfall. Deneen won and
proved that even if he were an ice
berg he could grind up the most for
midable obstacles that got in his path.
One of the most important measures
that the governor has carried through
is $20,0OO,000 ship canal from Lake
Michigan to the Mississippi river. This
enterprise is Of moment not only to
Chicago and Illinois, but to the COM
merce of the entire country. The peo-
pie have approved the project, and it
now only remains to carry out the de-
tails. There is an immense patronage
connected with the affair, and the pros
pect that the governor might have the
giving out Of the plums has caused
additional teeth gnashing among the
politicians. There has already been so
much of this gnashing going on dur
ing the last four years that with an
other term of Deneen there is danger
that most of the political teeth in Illi-
nois will be worn out. N
It requires big man to set an en-
tire state by the ears, and that Is
what Charles Samuel Deneen has done
for the third state in the Union. 1t is
no longer a question of Republicans
and Democrats in Illinois, but Of De-
neen and anti-Deneen. The senatorial
deadlock is a direct result Of the feud.
1t is confidently stated that Deneen
himself might have been senator, but
that he would not permit the use Of
his name. That in itself is no small
tribute to the strength of the man in
view of the fact that the state ma
chine Of his party and the federal in
fiuence are both against him.
A Soldier In Early Life.
1t is always we'll to have a direct
view of man, and since have never
met Governor Deneen myself took
the privilege of interviewing Judge
Jesse Holdom of Chicago concerning
him. Judge Holdom, who has Just
been elected president of the Union
League club of Chicago, has known
the governor intimately for years. 1t
is to him that am indebted for many
Of the details of Deneen's early life
and for a first hand impression. Gov
ernor Deneen was born in southern IL
is-"Egypt' 1863. His great
grandfather was speaker Of the Illi
nois house in territorial days, and his
father was a professor in McKendree
college. The elder Deneen was also
adjutant of an Illinois regiment in the
civil war, and the future governor spent
some Of his first years at the front.
Charles S. Deneen graduated from
McKendree college in 1882 and from
the law department Of the same insti-
tuition in 1885. He then taught school
and went to Chicago, where he had
more than his share of hard luck in
getting a start He was finally COM
PEELED to teach night school and to
hang about the criminal courts for the
purpose of being assigned to the de.
fense of poor prisoners who could not
hire a lawyer Of their own. There was
little money in this sort of practice.
but valuable experience. To be near
an old friend, a Methodist minister at
Englewood, young Deneen moved to
that suburb, and his prospects bright
ened. He took to politics as the pro-
verbal duck does to water, got in
a member Of the city committee, went
to the legislature for one term and de-
clined a denomination, thrived In his
practice and in 1895 was made attor-
ney Of the drainage board. 1t was In
1895 that Mr. Deneen was first elected
to the states attorneyship. His prede-
cessor in office was a Democrat who
had been charged with shielding big
criminals. The city was naturally
Democratic. and prospects for the
young candidate were not bright.
Nevertheless he resigned his drainage
DOaru aIlOrueySulp against LAe duFlcc
of his associates and went in to win
He did win, too, by good majority.
and his administration Of the office
was admittedly the most efficient in
the city's history. Among the murder
charges that he prosecuted was the
famous Luetgart case. He also sent to
prison number of crooked election
judges and several defaulting bank
ers So strongly did he arouse popular
favor in his behalf that in 1900 he ran
10000 ahead Of Mckinley in Chicago.
Does Not Bow Down to Bosses.
Before entering the race for govern
or Deneen broke with the Lorimer
machine A fierce fight followed, but
he won a majority of the delegates
from Cook county. His nomination
and election to the governorship mark
ed the first time that the Republican
party of Illinois had chosen Chicago
man for that important Office. 1t is
IL 1S