The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-08-12
Small indictment
May Cause State
to 60 Democratic

Springfield, Ill,-A wound has been
opened here in the Grand Old Party
tfat may have bearing not alone on
state politics but carries with it the
possibility of changing the color of
the national situation.
The opening Of this wound dates
back some few months before il
leads to the present day when ut
this writing the Governor and Lieu
tenant-Governor Of Illinois are under
Indictments charging conspiracy 70
defraud and embezzlement of state
interest funds when they served as
I Treasurer Of the State.
Friction in the republican party in
this state started previous to the Re.
publican National convention in Chi
cago, when William Hale Thompson
and his eighteen followers bolted and
refused to vote for tlhnk o. Lowden
aG the Republican nominee for Pres
iGcnt
At the state election which follow
ed the Thompson -Lundin faction tri-
umphed and had their candidate, Len
Small, placed in the governors chair
at Springfield. Things proceeded
moothly-moderately so at least-un'
Ill the closing days of the Fifty-second
| General Assembly.
Charges were made by Lowden Re.
publicans and members of the Demo
cratic party in the House that the ad-
minstration was attempting to force
through its Legislative programme by
rendering patronge faSors. The
smoulderng remains Of the conven
ton breach We're being famed.
Several Of the Administrations pet
projects died in the last few days Of
the legislature, and the Governor
sought vindcation with the Lowden
republicans when it came to approv-
ing appropriations made to the heads
Of various official branches. Huge
slices were cut from all, including
S450,000 made to the attorney-general
for enforcing the new state prohibi
ton cat. In a statement the governor
charges that ii was his belief the
money would have been used by the
encouragement for building up po-
!tical machine.
This threw hot Goals on the smoul-
dcring ashes. and the fan was applied
with added zest Attorney-General
Brundage called in his political aides,
held a conference and then asked the
Sangamon County Circuit Court to
hold a Grand jury investigation Of
manipulations during the terms as
treasurer Of Governor Len Small and
Lieutenant-Govern Fred L. Sterling
The grand jury returned indict-
ments against both and also Vernon
Curtis. Grand PARK banker and
brother of the late Senator +. c. Cur.
It's The indictments charged embezzle
ment and conspiracy TO defraud in the
handling Of interest money received IN
the loan of slO,O0OOOO made from me
state treasury
This laid the wound wide open. Wit
| riolic verbage emanated in statements
from the two political factions, Gov
ernor Small charges his indictment 10
the big money interests and traction
| harons who were seeking his political
assassination The other side charge
the governor with attempting TO cover
VI by lodging about the counter
charges instead Of facing the indict.
ments.
The question now arises as TO
whether during the three and one
half years remaining In the Small
administration this wound can be heal
ed? Can two political factions get
together after fighting each other
with such bitterness?
II not. what will be the results
AZ the darkey says. things have done
gone democratic" which would mean
that one of the largest republican
states in the union would he slipping
away from the Grand Old Party. and
this Is no small item fhcn YOU begin
TO calculate It's effect on national poll.
tics.
Illinois has long been n republican
state. and never In the memory OF tho
cid politicians has the democratic
party ever had the opportunity Il Is
now afforded 10 craps the reins OF
political power.