Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-03-01
He Shows That The Democratic
Party Is The Party Of
Economy.
REFERENCE TO THE PAST AND
PRESENT MANAGEMENT OF
ReCK ISLAND COUNTY
AFFAIRS.
Our City 3isgraeed at Home q nd
Abroad.
Strong Appeal TO Democrats and Liberia
Republicans to Vote the Straight
Democratic Ticket.

Ahh NhoSo fCdUhcb mc RulhEiY anu 4
read every item of local news with as much,
and perhaps more, interest than when | was
Rock Island. And just now there is an
especial interest in the articles bearing upon
city aud county affairs. | suppose it will
not be disputed that during the entire exis-
tence of THE ARGUS, it has ever been the
government, and that the freedom of Rock
Island from debt is in great measure due
to the policy of the Democrscy-thst party
and its newspaper having always opposed
all extravAgant and unnecessary expendi-
lures, and held all officials to a rigid &C
eountabIty for the manner iu which they
discharged their public duties And | am
glad to know that tie ss ne policy is still
advocated.
The Democratic party, every here, is the
uncomp pro missing foo Of extravagsacs and
dishonesty. No man eau hold Office under
I Democratic sanction unless he discharges
his dates with honor aGd fidelity. The
frauds and dishonesty IN the late officials
Of this city were Grst dragged to light by
Democrats. James 0'Brien (now one Of
our State Senator'S was the 6rst to ind cut,
get copies of, and publish, the frauds 10
Couneliys Office. Ssm'l J. Tilden, chair-
man of the Democratic State Committee,
and nov a member of our State Legislature
was the frss and the only man Who did or
could fad out Tweed's rascalisies
through the Broadway Bank, and
so lay the matter before the public that no
honest mao had the hArdihood to defend
Tweed after that was doue Wm. F.
Havemeyer, the old Democratic Mayor,
was the head Of the Committee of Seventy,
to expose and punish the rascals. Oswald
0aendorter, the powerful leader Of the
German Americans, and owner of the
Stats Zeitung, the Oldest Democratic Ger
m AN paper in the United States, and Manton
Marble, of The World, were among the
sblest snd most influential Of the lead ers OF
reform. The Democracy of New York
rose up in their might, and repudia,ed and
exposed the thieves, and put them down
and are nov pursuing them with firm de-
termination to make them disgorge, snd
send them to prison.
What are the Republicans doing to ex
pose aud punish their thieves? Next &c
nothing. Bat they are punishing those who
expose their party rsscsli;ies. They drove
Charles Sumner from the head of the Com.
q mGtee on Foreign Affairs because he ex.
, posed their Ssnso Domingo swindle-Rnd
they are now pursuing him with all theil
= venom, because he is an honest man
! Grants henchmen are after Carl Schur7
and Lyman Trumball for the SAINT
/ reason. Grants tools opposed tht
! Investigation of the Custom House fraud.
q as long as they dared to,-and then sp-
pointed a whitewsshisg committee. They
q ere now pursuing the same coarse as to III,
+ French arms job. Grants office holder
D are absolutely stealing ell they csn Ia,
8 their hands on, and dividing with the occu
h pants of the White House. They hay
# done the same thing in the management o
G the Southern States. They have Increase
/. the de ot of the reconstructed States from
: Secsnty-Sir Millions to Tico Hundred ane
= Ninety oAe Millions stolen nearly tn
= vhole of this increase. Grant himself Ia
y been defaulter for about twenty year.
d His account was exposed by clerk nc
{ long sincs-aud the clerk has since bee
h dismissed. The steals and swindles {
/. Grants followers aggregate hundreds G
% millions, and extend to every State. Blu
Z few Of the thieves are ever punished-an
j. none till their rAscahties are exposed an
n made public by the Democrats.
nj Their management of city affairs ere n
le better. Look at Philadelphia, Jersey Cit,
,e aud scores Of other cities. These cities al
N nov suffering from Republican dishonest,
N pared with which the Tammany fraud
Of were Aea-bite. Is any one punished
IN No. In Chicago | believe some of the
fire. proof thieves have been exposed M
punished. But doubt if this would eve
at hsve been done had not the great FL
Or awakened the people to their danger
a And Row is it in Rock Island? Why
.. regular syste IN has existed for years in th
county matters, by which counts officA
used power and place to perpetuate the
- rule and dynasty. That money robbie
" from the people by unjust taxation be
been for years used dishonesty for part
10 purposes and for private gain, cannot /
n successfully denied. Who does not r.
y mem Der that. for years, Wait used the pal
" lie funds to purchase County Orders at
a. discount, and for the private gain of hin
10 self and his confederstes2 All this Il
ARGUS exposed and denounced for year
:. And when, by accident, sp honest Coun
' Treasurer (Thomasl was elected, who dot
e. not remember that he inaugurated au
sr, carried out the policy SO long advocated
~ the ARGUS, of paying one hundred cents
- the dollar, cash. for County Orders? VIII
did the Republicans do with Thomas Fl
Oh going against the old swindling policy
" the Court Horse clique? Turned him o.
it and repudated him.
liz The recent exposure of affairs in ii
- County Clerks office is, in the opinion
3" many, only an nkling of the irregulariti,
as which have existed there for many year
ANA sun the peopis suHer, ana walt, al
ok work, end economic in their private q
i fairs, and pay these bsrn&ces. The la
~ Judge Wilson. of Coal Valley, once to
tie me that he did not wish to be q member
of the Board of Supervisors any longer, fc
nd TO use his own words. "Jim's figuring is tt
-, cute for me-he beats the County, someho
=" every time"
u And city matters, under Republican rul
of seem to be not a bit better. Your presel
nm city officials cannot claim either cultiva,io
IA dignity, superior morals, or 6nanc iAl abilit
''u Rock Island is disgraced, at home al
'rk abroad, by such officers as it now has, al
the people ought to rise up and shake the
on off. 1t would be an Insult to suggest tn
the manner in which Rock Island has be,
represented for the past year commands Il
an respect of either the native or the adopt,