Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-07-23
L0R|MER SCANDAL
IS MAIN ISSUE
IN ILLINOIS
Republicans Must Answer to
Charges Of Negligence and
Graft in Administration OF
Cities and Counties,
Morning Journal Bureau,
G13 Munsey Building.
AAn shinnInn ID q InlN ~

Washington, Nd. G., July -.
Tho Lorimer scandal will be the
paramount issue in the campaign in
Illinois this summer and fall, accord
ing to politicians from that state, Ma
tional issues viii be prominent. but
overshadowing everything else win.
he the effort Of the people to shake
Themselves loose from q political sys-
tenn which has been a disgrace to the
state.
The preliminary campaign in Illinois
il already well under way. The strug-
gle promises to be one of the most in
teresting political battles of the year.
The primaries win be held Septem-
bcr 10. and win be holly contested.
the people Of Illinois are thoroughly
aroused in support Of the proposition
that the state Legislature shall be
cleaned out from top to bottom Of all
men who voted for William Lorlmer
FOR United States senator.
OF the 204 members OF the Illinois
legislature. fiftv-five Republicans and
fifty-three Democrats, los in all. vot-
er for Lorimer for the senate. A few
of the los are hold over senator's who
cannon be reached by the voters at the
coming election. Another, who has
not confessed, has already been tried
once for bribery. and will be tried
again. Still another has been indicted
for alleged bribery.
The situation is similar in many re-
spects to that caused by the action Of
the Legislature Of 1897, which passed
IL II,-,.I,.,s nn. htII md Tho Altpp
street railway bill, the result of which
was that only one member Of the leg
islature was reelected. For thirteen
years Illinois has lain dormant, but
now il is aroused. n an Indignation
that Is non-partisan is sweeping over
the state as the result Of the Lorimcr
scandal.
The issues %in'Illinois this fan prom
Use to be as follows:
In the congressional campaign, .Can-.
nonism, the tariff Ian, and the high
cost of living will be the most dis
cussed.
In the state campaign the Lprlmer
scandal will be paramount,
In the Chicago county campaign the
republican party viii have to answer
charges OF negligence and graft in the
administration Of the business affairs
of the city.
The most significant thing with re-
spect to the state campaign to date
has been the recent n%on-partisan
meeting at Peoria. at which the failure
of popular government in Illinois, due
to the rottcnness Of the state legtsla-
ture, was under discussion. The ini-
quitics Of the present political system
in the state were dwelt on, and com
mittees were named to root these out
at the coming primaries and elections.
Various county committees, rcpubli-
can and democratic. have passed rcso-
lutions condemning members Of the
state Legislature who voted for Lori
mcr and i'm some instances have al
ready demanded and secured the res
ignations of such members ana promi-
ses from them that they Will not run
for recollection. Also, non-partisan
meetings in several counties have ac-
compllslled the same result, and in
Chicago the democratic county central |
committee has gone on record against
returning 10 the legislature any CHI
democratic members who voted
for Senator I.orimer.
ON the other hand. the republican
leaders Of Cook county have virtual
ly determined To make up their county |
for the primaries without ref
enc to Senator Lorimer and his
friends, who admittedly control five
wards in the city.
At present The Lorimer forces in
Chicago appear quiescent. Whether
they viii make up a primary slate of
their own. whether they viii knife
their opponents In their own party
at the polls in November. or whether
;hey viii support them. is Il problem.
The democrats have an opportunity To-
carry Cook county, in which Chicago
Is located. such as they have not had
in q number Of years.
ono thing that favor republicans
In the state Is tina no republican
member of the legislature has been
To have been either a bribes
or taker in connection with the !
Lorimer scandal Governor Deneen's
administration moreover. has been
free from scandal. N repub-
senator has been Indicted iu
connection with the alleged graft In
the purchase Of furniture for the leg
The republican majority on
Joint ballot in the legislature Is nfty.
Governor Deneen was not In sympa-
thy with the Lorimer forces In the
and In fact, the choice FOR
speaker OF h!s own supporters In that
body was defeated hy q combination
of Lorimer republicans n demo-
Gratis. much similar to that which
Lorimcr to the United States
scr-tc.
The facility with which republicans
and democrats i'm the legislature were
together on these " prcpo-
~ one OF the manifestations
" the allegation heard through the
state for the last ten years 20 the el-
hat the democratic party has
been merely an annex to the rcpubli-
machine. This allegation was
especially true w 60 1905 when VIII
Lorimer was in undisputed con
troll Of the republican machine in the