The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-13
GAe @@ailg AArons>
Continued from second page J

Continued from second page.)
All that we have most valuable, the &C
cumulations and results of years, have
been garnered under Home Rule Our
magnificent libraries; our educational pro-
perues and advantages; our religious
bodies; our blessed and blessing charities
for poor, sick, widowed, orphaned, aged
and triendless; all the agencies to make
life happy; lamps, police, streets. ferries,
markets, houses, railways, and, most Of
all, that welcoming spirit which invites all
nationalities to mingle here in unreserved
assimilation under the fermentation of
social, political and religious freedom
these in their profusion and opulence are
the result of Home Rule. If the car of
progress has been delayed or stopped; if
the tide of emigration has turned to Eu-
rope; # the burdens which have made life
less tolerable here have been increased. it
is owing to the departure by Federal and
state administrations from Home Rule!
We did not depart so far from 1t as Mas
sachusetts. Why, she actually had a
state constabulary, to spy out and seize
liquors. Of course the experiment
gave signs of corruption, and the liquor
went down and its sale went on, on, more
briskly for the central interference. A
local constable in such cases could hardly
succeed. Well, our police was hardly
better than this under alien Albany com
missioners foisted on US by corrupt, collud-
ing factions. What right was there to
create out of our police an election agent?
Its only duty is to prevent violence and
keep order. 1t should not be a political
body. Our votes have no business under
its manipulation. Neither general nor
special facts of legislation should allow a
system of suffrage SO near akin to the
Federal devices and practices of force and
fraud in the south Under true Home
Rule no police commissioners would have
been indicted and convicted of malfeas-
ance in elections. "Ah! this is changed y
you say. But who knows'how long it will
be in New York before another party, by
fraud as at New Orleans, may get control
in Albany and return to the Old way? Is
it said that the Democracy, by certain
legislative acts and votes, have themselves
forgotten the virtues of Home Rule? Sup
pose that in few inconsideIable instances,
to remedy greater wrongs, a seeming in,
consistency has arisen. Does that destroy
the essential virtue of the principle? Tc
illustrate: A law is passed at Albany tC
have the mayor appoint local justices
We may admit this should have been lief
t to the local election. But how much bet
ter an Objectionable mode than that crime
should run rampant, without adequate
provision for its punishment? How mucl
better this mode of mayoral appointment
than to have state executive-who is no
so near to the city-appOint, and state
legislature confirm! How much wise
g such local appointment or election thai
. practices so often noted at the south sine
the war, when-uuder the Federal execu
. tive or an epauletted, superserviceabl
popinjay from far distant state-the loca
magistracy is appointed for social spite
: and to keep the color lines. Perhaps
: may be urged that the attempted legisla
4 ton, known as the Costigan bill, was d.
fiance Of this principle, as it deprived tn
governor of his concurrent power to ri
\ move heads OF the city departments an
. lodged it-where? Where it belongs
every Home Rule-in the mayor 1t is nc
> a personal question. No one is more read
than am to pay tribute to the vigilanc
}, honesty, industry and economy which cor
of spicuously mark Governor Tilden's mas
istracy; but on what or whom should Il
). destiny of city officers depend, except on Il
local magistrate. 1t is no answer to So
80 that "Tammany' would have had the pa
- tronage. If Tammany is dominant she
= responsible, in the political sense, for GOO
or bad government. Should not power b
| lodged with the responsibility? Again, "
say: The rules which belong to rur
J. populations should not apply to great cite
in Cities are ulcers and need heroic tire;
m; ment" Was it not Mr. Jefferson W
fl sI said; IF a man cannot be trusted to COVE
e himself, can he be trusted to Cover
he he others?" If he is not fit to govern othe
ng than himself, who shall be called IN?
en- it to be Grant with his gun and Casey wi
O Of his Custom-H House? Nor for this ci
he should it be Albany Radicalism run by t
ed Federal Custom House, or even spurio
nth Democracy at Albany, coalescing with
'ed ostensible opponents for selfish object
but we are oyergrown-a city of me-
. than one hundred thousand. 1t must
ruled otherwise than by its own bad sci
4 How otherwise than by itself-by Hol
a Rule? Who outside? If not by angels
Albany or warriors at Washington-pr
81 by whom? Is it by the Imaum of Mus,
" or the King of Dahomey? Is the me
y distant rule the better? But, it is urg
we are peculiar city! Here are crir
70 poverty, ignorance, dissipation, veal
een fraud and luxury; and as we cannot t;
lite care of ourselyes-and if Dunkirk shO
are II not teach us how to spend our own MOI
lnd on street lamps, OF 10 EenG up VI
per should contract our ruling powers,
" are we to rule the city? Give it over
anarchy! Thisis the ultima ratio of 81
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