Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-14
POWER or CHICAGO,S
MAYOR IS AT STAKE
Thompson Wages Big Fight to Obtain Control OF 9,
0. p. in Illinois at State Primaries
Tomorrow
By CLINTON w. GILBERT
star Correspondent Evening Public LedEeS


Chicago, Sept. 14.--The big fight OF
Mayor Thomson to obtain control OF
me state OF Illinois and the down state
republicans 20 confne the mayor s
operations to Chicago comes to q head
tomorrow. 1t IL the biggest political
pattic OF this year. The campaign has
been spectacular. Electrically oper-
ated megaphones below at you an
nouncements Of the Thompson meetings
for MONDAY and evening"
And Mayor Thompson has had tre-
mendous meetings, though the opposi-
tion declare that the mayors political
serfs here. the officcholdcrs. make up
the gatherings. being compelled to turn
out and demonstrate.
An odd feature of the local campaign
Is the candidacy Of County Judge
Barassa, who is running on his own
hook for states attorney. with some
chance Of success. Barassa Is an Itnl.
Ian. and all the Italians who are nor
mally Thompson people are for him.
In the race riots he took a stand which
pleased the negroes, and the negro sec.
tion Is wild with excitement over his
candidacy. 1t has been the most ener-
getic single handed campaign ever
made. with political methods that are
quite new.
If you were resident of Chicago
your milk bottle delivered to you
few days ago would have contained
label pasted on it advising you 10 vote
for Barassa. He has got to the at
tention of the voters in singular WAYS,
and many say that he will win. to the
distress Of Thompson. for the states
attorneys Office handles much patron
age and may make trouble for political
grafters. Barassa Is anti Thompson.
One other local Office essential to the
Thompson machine may also be lost to
II, that Of county judge. to which
candidate named Olson seems to be in
the lead. The county judge controls the
election machinery.
Thompson Machine Functioning
The Thompson Lundin machine is the
most wonderful political machine in
existence. Tammany in it's best days
never had the organization Lundin has.
One of it's novelties IL plcdging voters
in advance of the primaries to vote tor
Thompson candidates. It is conceded
by the opposition that Thompson has
1872. 900 such pledges in Chicago.
The Thompson people claim many
more. II you believe the opponents Of
Thompson. these pledges are extortcd
under n sort of political durcss. \ bust
ness man approached cannot we'll refuse
20 sign. And. having signed. he cannot
well fail to vote as he has pledged
Huge efforts have been made to get
The women voters registered not only IN
Chicago, but throughout the state. In
some parts Of the state. and in Chi
cago. il Is said that virtually all the
Republican women are on the polling
lists. The biggest primary vote ever cast
will probably come out tomorrow.
In spite of the efficiency of the
Thompson -Lundin machine. its oppon-
ents count upon burying the Thompson
state candidates.
Republicans Down State Aroused
A Chicago editor raised the cry Of
Tammany against Thompson. Nobody
ever thought of this before this election.
but the name Tammany has stuck. and
Il has done damage. The Republicans
down state are said to be aroused
against the plan of the city machine to
control the govcrnorship. the Legisla.
ture and the state patronage. This Tam;
many issue. summing up in one word a
lot Of the prcjudiceS OF rural folk against
q city machine, is the big issue from the
point Of view If the Lowden or anti
Thompson forces. A smaller issue. but
one which helps them. is the discovery
that Len Small. down state Republi-
can but the candidate of Thompson for