The Washington times., 1915-09-06
Minority Leader Of House Likely
to Be Eliminated in RepubIi.
can Campaign.
ILLINOIS CONDITIONS UPSET
Considered Questionable II Rep.
resentative Can Obtain Sup
port as "Native Son."


nomination in 1916
Reports reaching Washington rom
Chicago today are that the oaoiy-
tangled political situation IN llnhols
may cause the elimination of Mr.. Mann
m q .'favorite son" In the convention
next year.. He will turn his attention
instead Of landing the Speakership
when the Republicans regain control
of the House-which the Republicans
: expect to do next election day.
The Washington friends Of the MI
nority leader find 1t hard to reconcile
these reports with the ambitions OF MI.
Mann, who, they think, has every rieht
to be taken into consideration when the
GO. p. casts about next summer ior q
standard bearer. II the Republtcans
have made legislative RECORD o., woItn IN
cIeat Tns du1rs d. Hiven fs srkeiy paist to JONI Mann
He took the disorganized Republican
minority in the Sixty-second Congress
and kept it in tigh;ting shape; maj was ~as or.
ganized, and Mann was the hub OF the
CONGRESS Mr. Mann was leadet Of the
majority of the minority-meaning that
Biil the Bull Moosers also had a minority
leader.
Bull Moosers Beaten.
elections last winter. The Republican,.
however. showed strong indications OF
a comeback spirit and Democratic
majority Of nearly 15o was turned into
a majority of less than 49,
When Mann becomes minority leader
In the Sixty fourth Congress ne wiz
have a trouble-making organization at
his back, for II the Democrats 90 NOT
vote solidly the Republican phalann
NAV overcome them. A Democratic de.
fection of less than twenty woes couio
turn the complexion Of the. House on
any vital issue. 49,.
Ihasmuch as Mann has mace ers ers
record OF the party In the lean years
which began in 1911, he was regardeo as
a formidable candidate for the pres,, 81
DENTAL nomination. Despite engage
dispatches 1t Is not atrenEth
in the convention for his name may Ds
presented although he doesn't controi
the illinois delegation.
dope" In Illinois.
The Illinois "dopesters' according 10
disnatches from Chicago today. have
the situation all worked out as re-
cards the ambitions Of Mayor William
Hale Thompson. Senator Lawrence T.,
sherman and Congressman Mann-ahhS n
one Of whom ination mlgnt De sl iishtnins. A
Republican nomination hsh''e'
Mayor william Hale Thompson OF
Chicago. hailed as Presidential I'm
when he turned a Democratic ma.
inritv into a Republican landslide or
100000, has pinned hts hopes on lanu-
ING TIE titular honor of national com
nf senator Lawrence Y. Sherman for
President and Col Frank .. Lowden'
former member Of Congress. for gov
ernor. r
Fred Lundin, and Colonel Lowden re-
Gently cenvassed the situation IN a
conference at Lowden's summer place
in the Thousand Islands. and Thomp-
that this program had been mapped
out. The program did not take into
consideration the potcntialities or
James r. Mann. minority leader IN IN
district. Moreover. it did not take
cognizance of the new Presidential
preference primary law, englneered
through the assembly by Medill NC
Cormick. vice chairman of the ma
tionai Progressive party committee.
bosom companion of Colonel Roose-
Welt, and the assembly's Progressive
minority leader.
Mann's Ambition.
The Mann end of the question vir-
tually settled itself few days after the
Thompson crowd had mapped out their
tentative program. In the last week In
August supporters of the minority
leader held a mass meeting in the Hyde
Park district. which Mann represents.
and virtually drafted him as a favorite
son In the Presidential free-for-all.
At that time it was taken for granted
there would be at least two of the IA
rorites In the race. Sherman and Mann
F'it soon after the meeting, and on the
DAY it was announced that William J.
m
,=on the Illinois delegation for McKin-
ley in 1896. had accepted the leadership
of the Sherman fight, Mann permitted
it to be known that he had no Presi-
least. and probably would decline to
volunteer.
1T was pointed out in his behalf that
II the Republican landslide materializes
as per schedule land they seem to be.
lieve 1t wilD Mann Is the logical Re-
publican choice for Speaker. Bv avoid.
inc the Presidential race at this time
he is assured of the solid Illinois dele.
ity leader. and of the same support ir
1917 for Speaker. should the House be
Republican,
THE same Progressive Presidential
primary law. which the Thompson
forces did not take into account, also IL
said to have entered in the Mann de-
cision. Under this law the delegates
who vote Illinois choice for President
III tne national convention also VIII say
who is to be the next national com
Iitteeman in place of Roy o. West
--no. backed by the Deneen organiza
'Son. does not take kindly to the Thomp
son aspiration for that place.
Mann's friends have been advised tha
there probably would be little chanc,
of his being able to win a victory owe
Sherman's organization throughout til,
State.
In Mayor Thompsons case the stu
alton is hat his friends offered supper
for Sherman in return for unpledGe,
delegates on the natter of the nationa
coinmittecsh.p but as may be inter
prcted from the law the selection o
DELEGATES in the manner prescribed
seems TO leave little room for trading
and should sherman fail to instruct tn,
delegates whom he naturally would in
sist upon being pledged to him to vot,
for Thompson for committeeman, :her,
would be no way of getting back of tn,
leprns for the Thompson organiza