The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-06-05
The SaiIg Arsns.
The Political Revolution Begun

signs ia the western sky, and asking: is
il 70 be political revolution ?" Viewing
the same phenomena from a nearer point
OF observation, the Times is constrained to
say that, unless all intelligent forecast is a
fraud, His.
The Judicial elections which have lust
been held throughout Illinois. serve the ex-
tremely useful purpose Of putting the
facts before us in tolerably definite and
comprehensive shape, and Of giving some
approximate idea Of the strength which
the new movement for emancipation has
attained. Contrary TO the Judgment OF
more cautious men, experienced in pohti-
cal contests, the anti monopoists deter
mined TO precipitate the conflict By making
an issue in the judicial elections. 1t was
an extra hazardous undertaking. Even
for well disciplined and thoroughly or
ganized political party, it would have been
10 for there is q widely prevalent aud
commendable opinion that judicial elec.
tons are not properly within the domain Of
political contests. But the anti-monOpo-
" movement was neither well disciplined
nor effectively organized. II was a move.
ment yet in its infancy, having little def.
mite knowledge Of its own strength, and
whose promoters were BY no means clear
in their ideas respecting their own pur
poses Moreover. il exhibited in It's some
what heterogeneous leadership little Of
that recognized talent for the guidance Of
moral forces which has been commonly
found in successful, and sometimes in un-
successful, political or social movements
Ii exhibited in very remarkable degree
the character Of purely popular uprising,
in which those who usually are found in
the attitude Of followers had struck
against all the old party leaders and gone
of without them and in spite Of them ON a
movement Of their own. Even the few
men who appeared among them attempt
ing 20 play the role Of leadership, proved
in some instances to be false and trcacher-
Gus seeking not TO lead but to mislead
To those wolves in sleeps clothing -
persons like :. NJ Smith and w. G. Flagg
are 10 be added number Of newspaper
organs Of the monopoly interest, whose
pretended advocacy Of the anti mo-
nopOly movement was solely in the
sinister desire 20 convert il into a tail
~ the kite Of the dominant monop-
oly party. Considering all the facts
the determination OF the anti monopolsts
10 make contest in the Judicial elections
exhibited an aggressive boldness bordering
closely upon the reckless If they had
been less angry, they would probably not
have entertained for a moment PROPOSE
ton 80 desperate and dangerous a. that OF
entering upon the initial battle Of the con
dict with an i'll organized army Of un-
known strength in a political election.
Notwithstanding all these conditions ia.
ynrable 10 defeat, the general result in Ill
iuois is n riet0yy FOR the nee Rddieai party
oT tr,sdgm, in It's first contest with the
popular enemy Whether Judge Law
renee or Judge Craig is elected in the
Fifth Supreme Court District, is not a
material fact either way, the majority
will he small But the result in that par
ticular district is of less Importance than
the general average Of result throughout
the state The returns received leave no
doubt that ia nearly and. perhaps quite,
every circuit where the Radical anti-mo-
nopolists presented a candidate they have
elected him by a handsome majority The
average of results gives to the new move
ment for emancipation from the slave pow
or the prestige Of success, and stamps it
with the character of revolution fairly
and hopefully inaugurated
What next The farmers Of Livingston
county have already answered At gen
eral consultation held at Pontiac on Satur-
day last, for consultation and TO agree
upon the course Of future action, the fol
lowing points were unanimously agreed 10.
H. That the end we desire 70 attain can not be
hoped Tor through either Of The existing party or
gauizati0us
II. That q II therefore both prudent and adyis-
able To effect n more thorough aud perfect organi-
zaton In Ibis couuty-fo the attainment Of the pur
poses expressed In the following
DECLARATION.
This organization h opposed TO railroad steal d,
tariff steals. aalary-grab steals, bank steals, anu
every other form Of thieving hy which the farming
and iaboring classes are robbed Of the legitimate
fruits Of their labor"
The corollary Of the foregoing declara-
ton is that the Livingston county organi.
zatiOn sets out upon the basis Of the Free
Trade principle, declaring its positive pur-
pose 10 be TO reform the practice of gov
eminent in this country according to that
cardinal principle Of equal freedom Ap-
pended TO the foregoing general declaration
are number Of specific declarations but
as these and all other right propositions
follow By logical necessity from the pre-
misses, 1t Is unnecessary to repeat them.
IL Is equally unnecessary TO insert such
specific propositions (which consist simply
in the application Of the cardinal principle
10 particular condition Of facts in any
platform. The foundation being right
the superstructure in all its details must
be cOuturmable 10 the foundation principle
as a matter of course. The right starting
point is the main thing, and that is what
the farmers Of Livingston have found, anC
By which they unanimously resolve to shape
their future course In declaring for the
freedom principle, they have gone down
10 the bed rock Of Justice and right, auC
hy their resolution ~ build on that iOunda
tiop, they have spoken 10 the whole coun
try the key note Of political revolution
that will not turn back In declaring tT
the freedom principle, they proclaim hos
tility against injustice, robbery, extOrtion
and sp0liation in every imaginable
form For, as an able writer upon
the subject well says, the purpose o
Free trade is not the adjustment Of du
ties by this or that standard, but the res
toratiOn Of the very function of govern
mcnt 70 its legitimate sphere. Free
traders hold that it is no part of the bus
mess Of government which represent
the whole nation, and not a class or ind
vldual, ~ use it, powers for the benei
Of anything short Of the whole nation
That It inevitably does when it begins L
legislate about interest and not abou
principle. When it undertakes 10 devel
opo industry, as il is called, or to encour
age trade or promote the arts, instead O
maintaining justice and liberty for ever
man, it opens the door 30 all schemes {
plumber and all the corrupt practice
which are depIored as the peculiar in
Equities Of the times. 80 A tida
wave Of corruption seems TO have swep
over the land since tine war but what j
1t that gave the first impulse to tn
wave what set il in motion and ha
kept it in notion Why, the protec
ZIONIST pretext that governments mer
dispensary Of bountles, regulator Of in
terests, a manipulation Of Jobs, not simpl
and only the defender Of universal ind
vidual rights. II legislatures may max
laws for class, they may make ther
for individuals,--i themselves, as /
the late pay swindle and they may ia,
tity the practice on the same ground
that protective tariffs are justified. NeN
or, in our opinion, shall we get rid of COZ
ruptiOn in legislative halls and bureau
~ 80