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THE GREEN BAG

long and dramatic. After several days spent in balloting without result, it ad journed for ten days. Upon reassembling the deadlock continued unbroken for four days. Finally on the fourth day Governor Yates threw his support to Mr. Deneen, nominating him on the seventy-ninth ballot. Thus, under the leadership of Charles S. Deneen, the Republican combine of Illinois was transformed. Again it became, as in other days, a real political party — an in strument for the expression of the will of a large body of citizens desiring to cooperate for public purposes. The full meaning of this transformation does not yet appear. It is known that Mr. Deneen regards a political party only as a means; that in his view if a party would live

it must solve political problems as they arise in the interest of the people. If he can measurably succeed in making the prac tice of his party conform to this ideal, the opposition will be forced to assume higher and more democratic ground than it now occupies — a result greatly to be desired. It is the problem of our time to deter mine whether the public authority shall be exercised for private or public ends. This is but a phase of the old struggle between privilege and popular rights. The new Gov ernor of Illinois, strong in body and mind and fully equipped for fruitful public service, may be counted upon to stand for the people in the promising public career which opens before him. Though no longer State's Attorney, he is still the public prosecutor. CHICAGO, ILL., Feb., 1905.