Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1911 — CHAS. S. DENEEN BEFORE PROBERS [ARTICLE]

CHAS. S. DENEEN BEFORE PROBERS

Tells the Lorimer Investigators about Illinois Politics. WHAT “HOLY ALLIANCE” WAS Governor Says He Has Heard of “Jackpot Fund” at Springfield Since 1897 —Another Version of Hines’ Telephone Conversation. JVashington, July 14.—The troubled course of Illinois politics'during the senatorial deadlock which ended in the election of William. Lorimer as United States senator was described before the Lorimer investigating committee by Charles S. Deneen, governor of Illinois.

Governor Deneen told how efforts had been made by interests opposed to him to persuade him to become a candidate for senator with a view of eliminating him from the governorship. Senator Lorimer suggested that he (Deneen) -become a candidate and promised him the support of Democratic senators if Deneen would agree to make the race. Governor Deneen said he regarded Lorimer as representing the interests who had opposed his nomination and election as governor. In his opinion the contes which had been filed by the defeated Democratic candidate for governor following the election, had been used to force him into the senatorial fight. Lorimer, according to Deneen, was the controlling force in Illinois politics by virtue of his dominating power over Speaker Shuttle® and the coalition of Democrats and Republicans which elected the speaker By reason of this control, Mr. Lorimer, the witness said, was in a position to declare the governorship vacant had he so desired. Governor Deneen declared that he declined to become a candidate for the senatorship because he had fostered the direct primary law under which the people of Illinois had declared in favor of the re-election of Former Senator Albert J. Hopkins arid he thought he ought to stand by the choice of the people under this law. This Lorimer coalition of Democrats and Republicans in Illinois politics, the governor said, was known as the “holy alliance,” while later they became known as the ‘“Black Hand.” Governor Deneen said that his followers were known as the “Band of Hope.” The liquor people, the railroads, the gas and electric light companies were the interests named by Deneen as opposing him. Governor Deneen denied that he had aided in Lorimer’s election. He had heard of a “jackpot fund” at Springfield since 1897. The probable contributors to this fund, he said, were the railroad companies, the gas and electric light companies, the stock yards and elevator companies, and the Pullman company. Governor Deneen emphatically denied the testimony of Edward Hines, president of the Edward Hines Lumber company of Chicago, in regard to h’s telephone conversation with Governor Deneen from Chicago. Governor Deneen said that Mr. Hines called him up from a Chicago bank and asked him if hd had received a message from President Taft asking him to use his influence toward the election of Mr. Lorimer. “I told Mr. Hines," said Governor Deneen, “that I had received no such message and asked him how the message was to come to me. Mr. Hines replied that it was from Senator Aidrich and would be delivered to me through George Reynolds, president of the Continental Commercial National Bank of Chicago. Mr. Reynolds never delivered such a message to me.”