Evening star., 1923-10-07
c. 0. P. Of ILLINOIS
IN BITTER FIGHT
Fight of Gov. Small Is Hot;
Essington to Oppose Him
in Primary.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Z Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO, October 6.-The stage is
now set In Illinois for what Is ex-
~pected to be one of the most spec
tacular and bitter campaigns any
commonwealth of the middle west has
ever gone through. The forces that
will give battle TO Gov. Len Small in
bfs campaign for reelection entered
into a harmony pact last week and
decided to support Senator Thurlow
@. Essington of Streator for the re-
publican nomination for governor.
The campaign Is on already. and one
OF the interesting features of the sit
uatiou is the way in which former
chieftains of the William Hale
Thompson Organization have indorsed
Essington.
Among the first to congratulate
.EsSington were States Attorney ROD
ert E. Grove. Morris Eller, Charles
V. Barrett and George +. Harding,
republican leaders who carried their
wards big for Small four years ago.
Harding is the man who deposed Fred
Bundin as leader of the Thompson po-
iitical machine. His fight now is part
y one against Lundin. The primary
nrobably will be well supplied with
money, and Gov. Small will be made
the big issue. Efforts are being made
TO bring him to trial in the civil
courts before the primary to recover
more than $2.000,000 interest money
h. is alleged to owe the state.
The democratic leaders are far from
an agreement on their candidate TOR
governor. They undoubtedly will use
more care than usual. as there is a
fE Nga.ar~ & h "a
good chance to carry Illinois In the
next state election, particularly II
Small Is eaominated. The feeling
that Small cannot win in the election
js beginning to show itself among a
number OF the governors followers,
and during the past week there have
been several desertions of job holders
from the Small faction to the group
headed by Attorney General Edward
J. Brundage and States Attorney
Grove.
FIRST Test November 8.
Chicaeo's first test of democratic
and republican strength Will come
November S, when a judicial election
will be held, and the two party OF
ganizatiops will engage In a nnish
fight over the election OF twenty
three Judges of the superior anu CIR
cult courts. For weeks it looked
II there would be o coalition be
tween the democrats and repuoiieahss J
with only one ticket otner thin tllc
socialist in the field. There was
breakdown in the plan at the iast
moment, neither side being wiling
10 conCede control of the ooard OF
county commissioners, which became
n leading issue Al, -
Political leaders assert that the 3u.
dicial campaign will Be in part u Yes.
of the popularity of Mayor W iliaaI' s.
T.. Devcr, democrat, who took once
last April. Dever is known TO De un-
nopular with certain elements In ms
marty because of his relentless war
n against bootleggers and saloons. ana
there IS reported to be preJuulcc
AGAINST him on the part OF so.he
neop,e because of his adVocac! ol q
tax rate that was considered TOO hIsh'
Cordell Hull, chairman OF the ogniua hua
cratic national committee, was nel e
last week and conferred with GeoTse
y brennan. democratic entertain IoI
IIi;nois. AS far as can be rear t, nea
prennan informed Hull that tne III
nois delegation probably VIII De
largely for AL Smith for fresioem., en-.
The republican presidenti4 s,tua a.
t,on is unchanged. The triehas az y,
Senator Hiram W. Johnson, "5iS
wsiting for a sign from their idoi' 10
are spreading Johnson propasaditianno dtunosi-
austriousIy, and despite the dlsposi -
tion to give Coolidge chance Iii ~
r,ske GOOD. johnson would run Wen
IN an illinois primary If held todaS'
:" '' JOHN r. BCTMAN.