The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-02-19
THE MENTAL CALIBRR OF THE poor
HEIRS"

AAIiho'
A few evenings ago we published an ar.
ticle charging the poor heirs with having
damaged our city to the extent Of one mil
lion dollars by defeating the passage Of the
appropriation bill for the government works
on the Island. It has been suggested to Us
that perhaps we have given them credit for
more ability than their past mental calibrc
might seem to indicate, 1t is well known
that the peculiar metal composing what are
popularity termed the poor heirs Of Rock
Island, is not Of the very heaviest quality. |
These lschrymose barnacles, in early years,
had no advantages Of education or thorough !
breeding, or if they had, failed to improve
them. Without education, culture, or refine. |
ment, 1t does appear wonderful that they !
should succeed in influencing the action Of
50 august a body as the congress Of the
uited States. Aud yet wo think "a few mo.
ments OF reflection will convince the reader
that We are right, and that the Robinson
Spencer family did thwart the wisheg Of our
citizens, although not naturally capable of
convincing most men that the moon is made
Of green cheese. IF ancient tales say true"
crafty and ambitious frog once Choked
lion, although under ordinary circumstances
His Majesty Of the desert might have swal.
lowed his loquacious enemy with ease. At
present, a wonderful rage for retreuchment
prevails at Washington that is, every
member Of congress is determined that no
money shall be expended except for the ben.
EFT Of himself his friends, or his constitu.
ents. No project outside the supervision
and patronage Of his little especial ring, is
worthy Of an instaut's consideration. Robin
sou s the Mikado Of the radical party Of
Rock Island, not from the possession of any
unusual or even ordinary talent, but from
his favorable financial, and religious counec.
uections. "You tickle me, and I'll tickle
you, IS the principle on which he and half
dozen other radical satraps live, move,
and have their being They form ring,
and he is the headcenter. BY a species
Of low cunning, these worthless manage to
control the radical party Of the city, and line
their pockets handsomely. "All in the fam
lily, you know This artificial influence is
sufficient to buy up enough other dead
beats to control the remainder of the party.
Hawey is a roneutity, who, like Narcissus
at the tabled spring, can see nothing but
himself, and 50, like the weather,cock, is
blown about by the strongest wind. lie
has sense enough to know his masters
and acts accordingly. A shrewd combina.
ton Of forces, therefore, places the whole
radical machinery of our city in Robiuson's
breechea pocket At his command, the
, strongest political Influence Of this section
ts errayedSn direct opposition to the govern.
hentimprovements. Money is not wanting,
, and withfbnbery and protestohons, it is very
easy to convince congressman from New
England who never cared a straw for the
West eEbeR to black mail it with tariffs, that
all IMPROVEMENTS in this quarter ore wild
schemes 81 extrayaganco and that retrench
ment is by al means the pressing policy of
tR day When the representatives ofthis sec
Sq6 cast all their influence against the pro
possaYast outlay of the government, how
can be expected that congressman who
neva saw Rock Island will take any interest
in the maWer? We'had desperate Ggh.
to secdSe the location 9fthe arsesal at this
@Point, in3ppGsjtion to the Glazing of other
sections, and the least opposition frHR our
unworthy servants is abu1dantly abe to
prove fatal,to the project. :.
ToSho present managers of the Xii,
cal patty ofRook Island are we in, debt f3E
the defeat of the appropriations, and to 10.
one else.