The Cairo bulletin., 1911-06-09
ILLINOIS POLITICS
CAIRO DEMOCRAT TELLS HOW
THINGS STAND IN PARTY
FOR COMING CAMPAIGN.
Many Strong Men for Governor, with
Col. j. Ham Lewis at Head Of
List-Success in Recent
Elections.

The National Democrat, publishes
in Boston, gives in its late issue IN
following regarding the Democrati
situation in Illinois, as seen by 5
d. Lewis Of Cairo, secretary of thu
Democratie> Senatorial Committee
Of the Fiftieth Illinois district.
Democrats of the Prairie State ARK
enthusiastic over the bright prospects
of guhernatorial and State wide
victory for the party in November
lf2, and preparations are being made
from Chicago to Cairo for the launch
ing OF successful campaign to cleo
the second Democratic governor o.
the State since the Civil war.
Steadily in recent years mas the
majority against Democratic State
candidates grown smaller. and as
surely has the Republican majority in
the legislature been shrinking that
the Democratic hopes are seen to be
well founded Had two candidates
been nominated in every district in
the State, as is allowed under the
minority representation, plan the
Democrats would now control the
lower house of the assembly. having
had a sufficient number of votes for
legislative candidates to have done
this at the 1910 election.
But the Democrats will profit by ex
perience and wherever the party has
the slightest chance for victoryaawo
candidates will be nominated in next
years campaign that The party may
return to power in the general assem-.
bly,.
The Democratic success in the last
campaign was marvellous. Out of the
twenty-five gerrymandered congress
sional districts, eleven Democrats,
Messrs. McDermot1, SABBATH Stack,
Buchanan. Gallagher, Evans, Stone
Rainey, Graham, Foster and Fowler
were sent to Washington and in the
third district Congressman Wilson,
Republican, elected on the official re.
turns by majority OF fifty-seven. is
having his seat contested by Demo.
crat, Hon. Fred ]. Crowley.
The Democrats of the State have
been gaining in congressional repre-.
sentation steadily since 1904. In that
year but one Democrat. Hon. Henry
T. Rainey, was awarded a congress
sional seat. Two years later, how
ever, five Democrats were elected and
in 1908, six, and this number was
nearly doubled last year, when eleven
Democratic candidates were success.
ful.
TIL entire State by congressional
districts went Republican by only a
few votes more than 1000 last fall
and this in face of the fact that in q
few of the districs the Democrats Aad
no primary candidates and waged
comparatively no fight while in all
parts of the State the Republicans
were on the alert.
Democrats hear with delight that
GOV. Deneen will again be a candidate
and that the other faction is deter
mined that one OF their brand shall
be nominated.
The Democrats are certain to wage
the fight under aggressive LEADERSHIP
and number of prominent Illinois
ans are being considered for standard
5earer of the party.
Most OF the sentiment at present
is for Col. James Hamilton Lewis Of
Chicago, because of his popularity
with all factions and his ability as q
campaigner and orator, but Others
are coming in for their share of con
sideration. Among the latter most
prominently mentioned are Former
Mayor Edward F. Dunno of Chicago
Circuit Judge Eugene r. f. Kim
brcIgh OF lDanville, State Senator
Frank w. Burton of Carlinville, Sam
uel Alschuler of Aurora, the candidat
in 1908, Former Congressman Ben F
Caldwell OF Chatham Mayor Fred j
Kern of Belleville, Congressman Hen
ry r. Rainey of Carrollton, former
Vice-President Adlai Z. Stevenson
and State Representative George w
English of Vienna, all of whom witt
q number of others, would make 6
most acceptable candidate.
The recent success of Carter Fl
Harrison and the Democratic munich
pal and council tickets in Chicago, by
such astounding majorities, make!
Democratic prospects even more rosy
-f Il.