Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-04-15
DEMOCRATIC
LEADER DIES
AT CHICAGO
Roger C. Sullivan, Well Known
In Cook County and Illinois
Politics for 80 Years, Victim
Of Bronchial Pneumonia.
LED MOVE THAT CAUSED
ELECTION OF WILSON

Had Attended Every Conven.
tion Since 1892-Frequent
Clashes With Bryan Made
Him Prominent in Politics.
Chicago. April 14-Roger G.. Suf-
Ivan. 50, democratic leader of Cook
county, and prominent in state and
national politics for thirty years,
died at his home in Chicago
Wednesday of bronchial pneumonia.
He had>been seriously i'll a month.
Mr.. Sullivan returned to Chicago
recently from Hot Springs, Ark,
where he had gone for his health
after spending part. of the winter
at Palm Beach. Fla. and at Wash
ington. where he conferred with po-
litical leaders.
Mr.. Sullivan planned to enter the
democratic national convention at
San Francisco as the leader of the
illinois delegation of So. with the
avowed intention of making that his
last appearance as political leader
Roger Sullivan. condemned in his
own state by his opponents as a
"boss" and more than once read
out" of the democratic party by
William ]. Bryan. led the movement
that finally resulted in making
/ Woodrow Wilson president of the
United States.
Switches Vote to Wilson.
1t was Sullivan who headed the
democratic delegation from Illinois
ut the Baltimore convention in 1908
. "a delegation pledged to Champ
Clark-and who after sufficient bal
lots had been cast to discharge his
obligation to Illinois. switched the
vote of the State to Wilson and
made his nomination possible.
Roger Sullivan had been a partici-
pant in every democratic convention
since 1892 and at least three of the
seven he attended, he had been a
commanding figure.
His clashes with Bryan and with
Carter Harrison and William R.
Hearst faction of the party. in his
home state, which brought him the
title of boss" from his political enc
mics. made Sullivan a democratic
figure throughout the country. De-
spite the frequent attacks on his
power and the fact that many OF
the influential party organs of Hi
nois were against him. Sullivan was
the leader in Illinois for several
years.
Started as Machinist.
Roger Sullivan as business man
had been no less successful than as
a politician. Coming to Chicago in
1870 to work in the railroad shops
as an apprentice machinist at Sl.25
"a day, ne was reputed to have ac-
cumlated, more than $l,00000O.
He was born on a farm near Bel
videre. H., February 2, 1861. His
education was obtained in the pub
lie schools and he was first en-
ployed as farm boy at So month.
Four years after coming to Chi
eago, Mr.. Sullivan attended his first
political meeting. ward census, and
from that day dated his interest in
politics. In 1890. he was elected to
his first political Office, clerk OF the
probate court. During the Cleve-
land administration he was appoint
cd government gauger. These were
the only public ojces he ever held.
In 1914 he was the democratic NOM
inee for U. S. senator, but was de-
feated by Senator L. Y. Sherman.
President Wilson opposed Sulli-
vans election. Two years later his
fiends proposed his name for vice
president, but he refused to enter
the race and insisted on the nomna-
ton of Thomas r. Marshall for
second term,
Differences With Bryan.
Stllivan's differences with Bryan
dated back to the free silver cam
paign of 1896. He had been a dele
gate to the democratic national con-
yentions of 1892 and 1896, blh before
the election in the latter year he
ioined the gold democrats" Two
wears after the election Of President
Mckinley. Sullivan was elected to
the state committee.
In 1900 he helped nominate Bryan
at Kansas City. Four years later
: Sullivan was elected to the demo-
cratic national committee, thereby
laying the foundations for one OF the
bitterest political fights in Illinois
democratic history.
Bryan opened the battle lin 1908
when he served notice OH the demo.
cratic state convention that he would
not accept the support of the Illinois
delegation unless the convention
adopted a resolution demanding Sui
livan's retirement from the national
committee. Sullivan defeated the
resolution and then introduced res
olution endorsing Bryan, which was
passed. Sullivan remained mem-
Der of the national committee until
1916, despite repeated efforts to oust
him.
Mr.. Sullivan made his fortune in
Chicago gas companies and in the
cracker business. Mr.. Sullivan and
Miss Helen M. Quinlan were mar
ried at Chicago in 1885 and to them
were born one son and four daugh-
: ,ters.