The Washington herald., 1914-07-18
ILLINOIS COP.
| TO GONE BACK
Judge Peter Grosscup Pre-
diets Eighteen Congress
men at Next Election.
SAGE A POWER IN STATE
Probable that He VIII Help Sdfen Up
Party's Back for Approach
ing Fight.
By FRANcIs D. eEssNER.
he washington Herald.


Special to me wsshinstoa Herald.
New York. July 16.-Judge Peter Gross
cup. Of Chicago. long on the United
States Circuit bench. but who resigned
to increase his income to a dozen times
the salary, is frequent visitor 10
H Gotham town and, while insisting that
he is not mixing in politics, indicates by
interrogation and no comment that he
retains a very fervid interest in all pres
ent or impending political propositions.
With all his professed independence, the
| Hon. Peter remains very much in
cIined to the Republican faith. and the
wonder TO discerning wise men OF the
effete East has long been that the Gross
cup name has not figured for higher than
judicial honors. There is a swing and
spirit about Ithe Grosscup way Of telling
what ought to be done or left undone by
his beloved parry that appeals to the
Eastern leaders who come under the
spell Of the Grosscup eloquence. Some
how he has never quite Impressed the
Illinois organization the same way. or,
at least. not enough to figure as the
choice for governor or Senator.
Near the Sixty Mark.
! He is somewhere near the sixty mark
and young enough for something to hap
pen in the general stirring up that IL
linois will be given by the Republicans
within the next two years. Like SO
many other distinguished citizens who
has reached high political places in II
Iinois. the Hon. Peter was born In Ohio.
and learned his first political lessons at
Ashland, near the home of John Sher-
man. The county OF Ashland was Demo-
cratic and offered little hope to an
aspiring Republican. so Grosscup decided
! on to locate in Chicago.
He had been intended for the min
istry and was educated at the Lutheran
College. at Springfield. but in his senior
year wrote home to his parents that
with their permission and approval he
would take up with the law. They sor-
rowed some but gave their blessing and
approval, living TO see the son a dis
tinguished turist.
Each Of the three other sons. Fred.
Paul, and Ben, were in turn chosen for
the church but each duplicated the Peter
action. preferring law and business. Ben
is a big lawyer in Seattle, and Fred and
Paul active in both business and politics
down West Virginia way
There are intimations that the Hon.
Peter, after a judicial sizing up of things
in Illinois, may decide to take q hand
in stiffening up the Republican organiza-
ton even IL he may not Immediately
impress himself upon that organization
as a candidate.
Illinois Back to the G. o. r.
many States. who came into the Waldorf
circle eager to tell what ought to be
done and how II should be done, the Hon.
Peter certainly has discernment and
views as to what is needed in Illinois.
II he Is called into the game and puts
his plans int operation Illinois will get
back to the Republican column and do
something more than send an overwhelm-
ingly Republican delegation to Congress.
There are twenty-five members OF the
House from Illinois and only four are
Republicans
The Grosscup hope and view is that the
delegation chosen in November will have
at least eighteen Republicans with Uncle
Joe Cannon and William B. Mckinley
in the list. Really it is almost agonizing
for one like Grosscup. who recalls the
Republican loyalty OF Illinois In the past,
to contemplate an aggregation of twenty
one Democrats and Progressives in the
Representative delegation at Wash
ington. That the State of Lincoln, Grant
and Logan should turn aside from the
Republican faith was never expected by
those who rejoiced in the old domination
of the party throughout the prairie region
of the boundless West Judge Grosscup
sees a coming back to old conditions
with some spirit like that of the re-
pentant one who comes humbly to the
mourner's bench begging to be forgiven.
The Hon. Peter looks for this contrite
spirit movement not only in Illinois but
all through the central stretch of States,
laterally speaking, beginning with New
Jersey, going through Pennsylvania, Ohio, |
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and
still further on. 1t is a belt that Sup
plies the Republican majorities when |
conditions are normal and also has had |
a habit Of supplying the candidates.
The Presidential Belt.
If the discerning student of politics will
survey a map Of the Union or q globe, |
having in hand list Of Presidential
nominees, except Blaine in "a, and Presi-
dents elected since 1850, he will find that
all have been chosen from a narrow belt
across the continent not over 80 miles |
wide. Beginning with Lincoln, living at
Springfield. Grant counting Galena home, /
Hayes at Fremont. Ohio; Garfield at
Mentor. Harrison at Indianapolis, Nc
Kinley at Canton, Roosevelt at New York
and Taft at Cincinnati, each one did not
live 100 miles north or south of a line
drawn from New York to Omaha
Judge Grosscup commented on this
as indicating the tendency to select
from the most thickly pop
ulated sections Of the country, even
without reference to the political in
clination of localities. Possibly thai
habit and inclination would operate
against the approval of Senator Borah
who comes trife north of the linear
area, but geography does not discour-
age the Borah admirers as much as the
meager electoral vote OF Idaho, and
they feel confident his qualification
and achievements prior to 1915 will