64
THE BREAKING OF THE DEADLOCK.
Charles S. Deneen was better known in Chicago than in the
State at large. For dispassionate discussion of a subject, for the
unemotional treatment of facts, for oratory resting upon the solid
groundwork of logic, Mr. Deneen stood in the front rank of
the public speakers of Illinois. He had been born and educated
in the country — in southern Illinois — and had gone to Chicago
an unknown country youth, to make his own way. He had made a
success of the law, and having embarked in politics almost the
first day of his arrival in Chicago, he had been exceptionally
HON. ROY O. WEST.
CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR CHARLES S. DENEEN CHAIRMAN REPUBLICAN STATE CENTRAL
COMMITTEE IN CAMPAIGN OF I9O4.
Born at Georgetovvn, Vermilion county, Illinois, October 27, 1868; educated in the
public schools and at DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, graduating in 1890
with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws, later (1893) receiving
also the degree of Master of Arts. Mr. West located in Chicago in 1889 (a year
before his graduation) and became acquainted with Mr. Deneen. Though educated in
different institutions, they had chanced to receive instruction from the same professor
of Greek — Dr. William F. Swahlen, who had come to DePauw University from
McKendree College at Lebanon, Illinois. In Chicago, Mr. West at once entered
politics. In 1894 he was made Assistant County Attorney in charge of the tax depart-
ment. In 1895 he was elected City Attorney of Chicago. In 1898 he was elected a
member of the Cook County Board of Review, and was reelected in 1902 for a term of
six years. He is senior member of the law firm of West, Eckhart & Taylor, with
offices in the First National Bank Building.
PART ONE: THE CAMPAIGN.
65
successful in that field also. He had served a term in the lower
house of the Legislature in 1893. For seven years he had been
State's Attorney of Cook county and had achieved an extensive
and creditable reputation by the manner in which he had dis-
charged the duties of that office. On the stump, Mr. Deneen
was always clear-headed and convincing. His straightforward-
ness and his obvious ability commanded unfailing respect. His
modesty, his hatred of display, his kindly manner, readily won
admirers and friends. His record, public and private, had been
that of a clean-handed, honest man.
H. J. Hamlin, the last of the five men to make a declaration
of candidacy, had been longer in politics than any of his rivals.
HON. HOMER J. TICE.
(greenvievv.)
campaign manager for l. y. sherman — prominent in state politics.
Born near Athens, JNIenard county, in 1862, and is a graduate of the Bloomington
Business College and of Lincoln University, graduating from the latter with the dass
of '82. He has prospered both as a farmer and as a business man. He was appointed
by Governor Tanner as a member of the State Board of Canal Commissioners and was
a delegate to the National Trust Conference. He was also a delegate to the National
Corn Conference held in Chicago. He was elected a member of the House of Repre-
sentatives in 1890 and again in 1902.
66
THE BREAKING OF THE DEADLOCK.
For many years he had been a practicing lawyer in Shelbyville
before his election to the office of Attorney-General, which he
then held. His rank at the bar was high, not only because of
his official position, but because of his previous success as a prac-
titioner, and of the legal ability which he possessed beyond ques-
tion. In every community he was able to count a number of
stanch friends among the lawyers. Before becoming Attorney-
General, he had never been much given to seeking office ; but
he had been active in party afifairs. He had been found on the
stump in every campaign for a quarter of a century, and so had
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HON. W. R. JEW^ELL.
(DANVILLE.)
EDITOR THE DANVILLE " NEWS " PROMINENT SUPPORTER OF JUDGE HAMLIN, BEING
CHAIRMAN OF HIS STEERING COMMITTEE.
Born in Kentucky in 1837 and removed to Indiana in early childhood, living on a
farm in Sullivan county until the age of sixteen. He learned the printer's trade in
Terre Haute and graduated at Butler College, Indianapolis. During the war he served
in the Seventh and Seventy-second Indiana regiments as line and staflf officer. He
studied law and was admitted to the bar in Indiana and removed to Danville in 1873,
becoming editor of the Danville A'etvs and one of the managers of the Illinois Printing
Company. He was a presidential elector for Garfield, Harrison and McKinley (1896).
Mr. Jewell has been one of the close political friends of Joseph G. Cannon during the
whole of the Speaker's career.
PART ONE: THE CAMPAIGN. 67
attained a large degree of prominence in the party. As a public
speaker he had long held a high place. His oratory was of the
solid, logical kind; it was not wholly without emotion or wit or
imagination, but its dominating characteristic was to be found
in the clearness of statement and the acuteness of reasoning. Off
the stump, Judge Hamlin was agreeable and unostentatious. He
had the faculty of making and retaining friends.
Never before in the history of the State had such an array of
able men gone forth to seek favor at the hands of the masses of
the Republican party in quest of the office of Governor. The cam-
paign which followed, covering a period of six months, far sur-
passed anything that had been previously known among the cam-
paigns for the nomination for any office within the gift of the
people of the State.
Volumes might be written on the campaign which thus began
in the autumn of 1903 and was carried on without cessation
throughout the ensuing winter up to the first days of summer.
It is impracticable in this work, however, to follow the candidates,
county by county, as they traveled over the State making speeches
and mingling with the people. It was a new experience for the
voters of Illinois to find themselves in the midst of a political
campaign an entire year before the election at which the high
office being sought was to be filled.
PART ONE: THE CAMPAIGN. 69
CHAPTER M.
YATES BEGINS IN "EGYPT" — HIS CAMPAIGN LITERATURE —
"THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY."
Governor Yates made his tonr of the State in a private car.
This car was carried by the regular trains. In it he ate and
slept and worked. The car was generally crowded with guests
whose personnel was constantly changing, principally local leaders
traveling from one point to another by invitation of the Governor.
Mrs. Yates was with the Governor part of the time — the first week,
and several days at a later period — and shared her husband's
ovations. With the Governor throughout his campaign was Fred
C. Dodds, of Springfield, who served as his secretary in charge
of the speaking tour.
As already stated, the Governor's opening speech was made
at Anna in the afternoon of October 19. The Governor reached
Anna at ii o'clock in the morning. He was met at the station
by a delegation of prominent citizens with a brass band, and
was escorted to the hotel. ' In the afternoon he was escorted to the
opera house and there found awaiting him a large audience.
On the stage were the local political celebrities and more than a
score of prominent Republicans from near-by counties — Franklin,
St. Clair, Saline, Clay, Crawford, Jefferson, Randolph, William-
son, Washington, Alexander and Fayette. His address was lis-
tened to with close attention and with frequent demonstrations of
approval.
From Anna he went to Cairo, where a night meeting v.as held.
The next morning he went to Carbondale, where he addressed
a meeting at the Southern Normal School. From there he went
to Marion, Williamson county, arriving there about noon. About
a thousand persons awaited him at the station and acted as an
escort to the Goodall hotel. In the afternoon a crowd gathered
in front of the hotel, and would not be satisfied until the Governor
had come out and delivered a short address. Mrs. Yates received
70
THE BREAKING OF THE DEADLOCK.
her share of attention, the women of the place giving her a
reception during the afternoon. Later in the day several hun-
dred school children called at the hotel and were presented to
Governor and Mrs. Yates.
The meeting at Marion was held in the evening in the old cir-
cuit courtroom.' The room was completely packed, and hun-
dreds were unable to find even standing room within. The crowd
at the door was so dense that the Governor had the greatest
difficulty in getting into the courtroom. Somebody in the crowd
shouted that they would be willing to retire and go downstairs
and wait on the curbing of the courthouse yard if the Governor
FRED C. DODDS.
(SPRINGFIELD.)
SECRETARY OF YATES CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE IN CHARGE OF SPEAKING TOUR.
Born in Sangamon county in June, 1862; received his early education in the
country schools; graduated from the Springfield High School. He was assistant secre-
tary of the Railroad and W'arehouse Commission during the Oglesby and Fifer adminis-
trations. He was in the office of the State Board of Public Chanties from 1897 until
February, 1904, when he was elected secretary of the State Board of Pharmacy to
succeed L. T. Hoy, w'ho had resigned to accept a federal appointment. Mr. Dodds was
secretary in charge of Governor Yates' speaking tour during the gubernatorial cam-
paign of 1903-4 and was one of the assistant secretaries of the State convention.
PART ONE: THE CAMPAIGN.
71
would promise after finishing his speech there to go downstairs
and make another speech. The Governor made the promise and
a part of the crowd then retired and the Governor was able to pro-
ceed with his speech.
Meanwhile two overflow meetings were being held in the
courthouse yard. One of them was addressed by A. Hanby Jones,
of Crawford county, and the other by Norman Moss, of Mount
Vernon. They entertained the crowd until the Governor had
finished his speech upstairs, when he came down and made a
second address from the steps of the courthouse.
W. SCOTT COWEN.
(CHICAGO.)
VICE-CHAIRMAN YATES CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE IN CHARGE OF YATES' CHICAGO HEAD-
QUARTERS DURING CAMPAIGN PROMINENT IN CONVENTION.
Born near Shannon, Carroll county, Illinois, and spent his early life on a farm.
After completing a common school education he engaged in the live stock and grain
business and continued in it until 1889, when he was appointed postmaster at Shannon.
In 1897 Governor Tanner appointed him trustee of the Illinois Northern Hospital for
the Insane at Elgin and he held this position four years. In June, 1904, he received
the appointment of Chief Grain Inspector at Chicago, which position he still holds.
Mr. Cowen was a delegate to the Republican National Convention at Minneapolis in
1892 and was one of the stanch Blaine men in that convention. He was elected a
member of the Republican State Central Committee in 1900 and again in 1904.
72 THE BREAKING OF THE DEADLOCK.
On Wednesday, the 21st, he was at Effingham in the afternoon.
From there he went to Centralia, where he addressed a large audi-
ence in the opera house that evening. Local people treated the
occasion as a notable one. Leading citizens were on the stage,
and the boxes were occupied by ladies in evening dress. The
audience was sympathetic and enthusiastic.
On the morning of the 22d (Thursday) he arrived at Mat-
toon. There he was met by a committee from Charleston and was
persuaded to go to the latter place and make a speech. His
address at Charleston was delivered in the courthouse at noon.
He then returned to Mattoon and delivered an address there dur-
ing the afternoon. In the evening he spoke at Tuscola.
Friday morning, the 23d, found him at Paxton, where durmg
the forenoon he addressed a meeting in the city courtroom. From
Paxton he went back to Champaign and spoke there in the after-
noon. After the meeting in Champaign, he was driven to the
L'niversity of Illinois and witnessed the parade of the cadets.
That night he spoke in Urbana.
Saturday morning, the 24th, he went to Kankakee, and at 4
o'clock that afternoon addressed a large audience. From there he
went to Chicago, and then out to Elgin, where he delivered an
address that night.
A STRENUOUS DAY.
The Governor had been continuously on the road for six days,
speaking two or three times each day. He had visited twelve
counties. He now found that his voice had suffered considerably,
and he remained in Springfield during the following week. The
second week of his speaking tour was commenced on Tuesday,
November 3. That day was a most strenuous one and it was
typical of many others that followed in the course of his cam-
paign. He began the day by going to the polls in Jacksonville
at 7 o'clock in the morning to vote for the Republican candidate
for county commissioner. From there he went to Virden, about
thirty miles away, where he addressed a large meeting on the
public square. Next he proceeded to Girard, four miles south-
ward, and there addressed another open air meeting. Nilwood,
a miners' village about four miles farther south, was next visited,
a reception being given in one of the business houses and the
Governor speaking briefly. From Nilwood, accompanied by James
PART ONE: THE CAMPAIGN.
73
E. McClure, of Carlinville, and C. J. Doyle, of Greenfield, the
Governor drove in a carriage to Carlinville, stopping on the way
at three country schoolhouses to shake hands with the astonished
teachers and pupils.
He arrived at Carlinville at i o'clock in the afternoon. Mrs.
Yates had been there since morning, having gone down from
Springfield in the private car on an early train, and had been
tendered a reception by the women of Carlinville. The meeting
addressed by the Governor was held in the circuit courtroom,
Judge Shirley, a Democrat, having adjourned court for two
CHARLES M. TINNEY.
(SPRINGFIELD.)
SECRETARY OF YATES CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE LATER SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS OF THE STATE CONVENTION OF I9O4.
Born in Marion, Indiana, in 1850. He was reared and educated in the city of
Pekin, Illinois, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar. He began the prac-
tice of law in Virginia, Illinois, where he was elected to his first political office, that
of city attorney. In 1880 he became proprietor of the Virginia Gazette and six years
later he was married to Miss Anna E. Craft. He was for several years the treasurer
and later president of the Illinois Press Association. Mr. Tinney was appointed post-
master at Virginia in 1898 and was manager of the press bureau of the Republican
State Central Committee, beginning in 1900. In the campaign of 1903-4 he was secre-
tary of the Yates Campaign Committee. Before the close of the campaign (March i,
1904) he was appointed private secretary to the Governor. He was sergeant-at-arms of
the State Convention.
74
THE BREAKING OF THE DEADLOCK.
hours in order that the Governor might have the use of the
room. The courtroom was packed, fully r,ooo persons being
present. From Carlinville the Governor went to Alton, arriving
there in the early evening. He was met at the station by a large
crowd, which included a company of cadets from . the Western
Military Academy, who fired the Governor's salute. After a
reception at the Hotel Madison, the Governor went to the Spald-
ing xAuditorium, where a large audience awaited him, many
persons not being able to gain entrance. The Governor was intro-
HON. ARTHUR L. FRENCH.
(CHAPIN.)
AN "original YATES MAN " ONE OF THE GOVERNOR'S CLOSEST ADVISERS MEMBER
OF YATES STEERING AND CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES.
Born in Morgan county, III., November 3, 1862, on a farm near Cliapin, on
which he still resides. He vv-as educated in the public schools of Chapin, the Adrian
(Mich.) College, and the Gem City Business College, of Quincy, 111. He began his
lifework at sixteen, when his father, Samuel French, died. In 1892, he organized the
Chapin State Bank, and was its manager until March i, 1901, when he resigned
to accept an appointment as a member of the Railroad and Warehouse Commission,
an office he still holds. He is extensively interested in farming. He became promi-
nent in politics for the first time in 1900, when he was actively identified with the
Yates campaign for the nomination for Governor. He is one of a half-dozen men who
have been accounted as the closest and most trusted advisers of the Governor
throughout his administration.
PART ONE: THE CAMPAIGN.
75
duced by the Rev. H. ]\I. Chittendon. The audience was enthu-
siastic and demonstrative. His last address for that day was
deHvered at 1 1 o'clock at night from the rear of his car at Green-
field, Greene county, where several hundred persons had been
waiting at the station for several hours to hear him.
The next morning (November 4) found him at Winchester,
Scott county, the first home of Stephen A. Douglas in Illinois.
From there he proceeded northward, speaking at Galesburg in
the evening. On Thursday, the 5th, he made speeches at Moline,
Rock Island and Sterling. On the 6th (Friday) he concluded his
HON. ALFRED HANBY JONES.
(ROBINSON.)
PURE FOOD COMMISSIONER MEMBER OF YATES STEERING COMMITTEE A CONVENTION
LEADER.
Born on a farm in Honey Creek township, Crawford county, Illinois, July 4, 1850.
He Studied law and was admitted to the practice in June, 1875; was State's Attorney
of his county in 1876. Mr. Jones has been President of the School Board of Robinson
for fifteen years and has been .ittorney for the Cairo division of the " Big Four "
Railroad for twenty-five years. He was president of the Board of Trustees of the
Eastern Illinois State Normal Scliool from 1896 to 1899 and in the latter year he was
appointed by Governor Tanner as State Food Commissioner, being reappointed to the
position by ' Governor Yates. He has been an officer and an active member of the
National Association of Food Commissioners and is chairman of the Executive Board
of that organization.
76 THE BREAKING OF THE DEADLOCK.
tour for the week with a speech at Dixon, Lee county, in the after-
noon, and one at Polo, Ogle county, at night. The Governor was
getting now into territory that had been counted as friendly to
one of his rivals, Colonel Lowden, whose country home was
located in Ogle county, and who had hundreds of personal friends
in the adjoining county of Lee. He was shown many courtesies
by the Lowden men at Dixon, being driven over the town by
Ben F. Shaw, Judge R. S. Farrand, Senator C. H. Hughes and
Sheriff M. J. jNIcGowan, all prominent as Lowden leaders.
" ALL THE WORLD LOVES A FIGHTER."
In his Dixon speech, the Governor gave utterance for the
first time to a sentiment that became a battle-cry in his campaign.
Referring to the attacks that had been made upon him by the
newspapers, he exclaimed :
" What can a man do in such a case ?"
" Fight it out," a man in the audience shouted.
"I think you are right, my friend. All the world loves a
fighter and all the world hates a quitter, and I will fight this battle
to the bitter end."
The thunderous applause which greeted this utterance showed
that the Governor had struck a responsive chord. The same
sentiment was reechoed scores of times in the course of his cam-
paign, and it never failed to bring cheers from his audience.
It expressed the aggressive, belligerent, defiant attitude of the
Governor, and it infused in his followers all over the State the
same fighting spirit. The public for the first time was becoming
acquainted with Yates the fighter. He extorted admiration even
from his foes and in counties that had been counted as being over-
whelmingly against him he won hundreds of friends.
No meeting was held without its musical features. I'sually
there was a brass band, which frequently was supplemented by
a quartet of singers. Many compositions were improvised for the
occasion. At one place a local quartet sang a song of which the
refrain was as follows :
" We want a man like Richard Yates
To tell the press of their mistakes —
To put us right for another fight —
Keep off the grass, by jingo!"
PART ONE: THE CAMPAIGN.
77
Saturday, the 7th of November, found the Governor in Chi-
cago at his headquarters, which had been opened in the Great
Northern hotel. He had closed a week which was typical of all
the others that followed. It was his plan to spend three days
of each week on his tour and two days in Springfield, ending
the week with Saturday in Chicago. This program was car-
ried out with occasional variations. The Chicago headquarters,
on " J " floor of the Great Northern hotel, were designed prin-
cipally as a place of rendezvous for his friends from northern
JAMES S. NEVILLE.
(bloomington.)
member of yates campaign and steering committees among the most prominent
IN YATEs' CAMPAIGN.
Born at Mackinaw, III., jNIarch n, 1856; was taken to Eureka when four years
old; at fourteen, returned to Mackinaw to live on a farm, remaining there until
twenty-one, when he removed to Bloomington, where he has since resided. He read
law with Rowell & Hamilton — the junior member of the firm being Governor
John M. Hamilton. After admission to the bar, Mr. Neville formed a law partner-
ship with Congressman Rowell, which has continued ever since. Mr. Neville is also
cashier of the German-American Bank. He was postmaster during Harrison's admin-
istration. He was an " original Yates man." securing McLean county for Yates
in 1900 — the first large county outside of Morgan secured that year by the future
Governor. Mr. Neville is now a member of the Railroad and Warehouse Com-
mission. Throughout the Yates administration, he has been one of the Governor's
closest advisers.
78 THE BREAKING OF THE DEADLOCK.
Illinois, and those from other sections of the State who chanced
to be in Chicago. The headquarters were in charge of W. Scott
Cowen, of Carroll county, and E. J. Murphy, chairman of the
Yates Campaign Committee, spent much time there. The busy
day at the Chicago headquarters, of course, was when Governor
Yates came to town. Then there were conferences with the
leaders from various localities ; situations were talked over and
campaign plans perfected.
"THE TRUTH ABOUT THE GOVERNOR."
The active work of the campaign, however, was conducted
from the Executive Mansion in Springfield. There the Gov-
ernor had a clerical force at work, under the direction of C. M.
Tinney, whom he had made his campaign secretary. A room
in the basement was set apart exclusively for the filing of corre-
spondence, each county having a separate compartment in the
wall space. In another basement room w^as the Governor's private
office in the mansion. To this office came all letters relating to
the campaign, and here thousands of letters w-ere written each
week, some of them going out directly from Secretary Tinney,
and many hundreds awaiting the Governor's personal approval and
signature.
^Much of the Governor's campaign literature was also sent
from Springfield, especially the thousands of copies of the pam-
phlet containing his veto messages ; but the principal document
distributed was sent out from Chicago. This was the book-
let entitled, " The Truth About the Governor." This booklet of
144 pages was made up of ten chapters dealing with the Gov-
ernor's administration. It had been planned during the summer
by the Governor, who had gotten the idea from a similar docu-
ment which Governor La Follette of Wisconsin had distributed in
a former campaign. It was the Governor's purpose to get the
pamphlet into the hands of every Republican voter in the State,
outside of Cook county, and in this he was fairly successful.
A mailing list had been made up from the lists of Republican
voters sent to the executive office from each county on the blanks
distributed at the Executive Mansion meeting held August 26,
already described. The list aggregated about 300,000 names.
The pamphlet having been printed in Chicago, the envelopes were
addressed there by an addressing agency, and before the cam-
PART OXE: THE CAMPAIGN. 79
paign was far along the Republican voters all over the State were
receiving through the mail copies of " The Truth About the Gov-
ernor." Although much of the ordinary campaign literature that
is sent out by political committees is never read, the gubernatorial
campaign of 1903-4 excited such widespread interest that