The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-31


late2 Willing to tell you everything" said
Lewis Steward to Times representative,
standing on the platform by the station at
Plano, on Saturday evening last. Mr.
Steward, be it remembered, is the indie
pendent party's candidate for governor of
Illinois, and the Times man asked him
whether he was ready TO be interviewed.
The answer as given above, with great
volubi!ity, and in a most cheerful tone,
rather staggered the questioner.
Why" said he, you may tell me all
the hen roOst stories you like, but what j
particularly want is to get from you
AN EXPRESSION OF OPINION
upon the platform you were nominated
upon, and your reason for those opinions,
whatever they may be.
"Oh, well, said Mr.. Steward, Il don't
know as | have any opinions that are
worth repeating, but | suppose that when
a man accepts n political nomination he
sets himself up for target and must take all
the shots that are fred at him. Ofcourse
III talk with you it you want me to.
rs there hotel hereway, or any place
where we could 90 and talk"
BEST hotel is my house, | reckon" and
with that he led off from the station and
through the little city. A walk of some 10
minutes during which he entered upon a
history Of the Marsh harvester factory
which he manages, brought them to a
large, plain, comfortable house, surround
cd by extensive grounds, and standing
out with its lighted windows in cheerful
relief against background Of trees
Here. within half an hour, he had made
the Times man as much at home as though
he had been his oldest friend; had kept W
a running fire of small talk about Plano
Europe, aud the late war, and had CLOSED
the history Of the Marsh harvester.
MR.. STEWARD
is a square. built man, Of medium height
with iron. gray hair and beard aud can b.
most easily and effectualy described BY
the statement that he beays a very strong
resemblance TO the Hon. .. L. Morton
lie is apparently about 50 years old, auC
jarries his age lightly. There's mo beast
Is pride" about him; he makes no pretcn
sion TO style; he dresses for comfort rattle
than for elegance, 10 loose, easy way; bu
through his plain (if not homely) eXteriO
there shines the warmth and generosity o
a gentleman.
"Ilnever worked for this nomination, h
began, when at last, after two or tire
efforts to give it that bent, the conversation
turned upon political affairs. I've peve
meddled much with politics though "
been in conventions and held some sma
Offices. | was a member of the convcu
a Il In
president and | can; say that I'm sorr
for it. | used to be a Democrat, but
was good enough for old Dick Yates t
appoint me draft commissioner at th
time of the war. Lately I've lost intcres
in the old parties. I'd come to think
good deal as the old Dutchman said, thu
politics was a id fool How | eve
came to be mentioned for governor II
sure don't know. The first | heard of
was last August, when | was over at
kind of a social gathering a few miles frol
here, in Dekalb county. They got to talkiu
about such matters, and several of thel
said they wished | was governor Of til
state. never dreamed of such thin
then, and I've never done anything abov
it since. / havnt troubled my mind vii
it at all, but they We nominated me al
I'll let them run me through. / don't pr
pose to do anythidg about it, one way NJ
the other, much. If I'm elected II do I'll
best | can TO serve the state as it ought
be served. If | amt elected I'll new
lose an hours sleep grieYing about it. |
tell you what it is! don't propose to Il
anything trammel me. If can be COVE
nor and Lew Steward at once all right
must cease to be Lew Steward when
come to be governor (supposing such
thing to be possible) then I'll never b
governor, that's all. The Journal say
I'm a vain old fool, and that I've got ric
by swinding my neighbors, ! amt
rich as they think | am, but it seems to n
if they think I'm an old fool and yet SINAI
enough to get rich off my neighbors, the
must estimate my neighbors to be a niC
lot Of idiots. However, fool or no fool,
propose to remain just what | am.
won't close my mouth or my private opil
ions because happen to be nominated q
party platform. The JOunaPs criticisl
seemed TO stick IN his craw, so to speal
That readable old lady paper has attacke
him with considerable garrulity, and mad
him Just little raw. He hunted up tW
or three copies of it and read the extract
in which he was mentioned as vulgi
and proiane old mar, person of ungo
erned passions, and the like.
Il believe there are times when the be
thing man can do is to swear pretty han
and loud. | remember that, on the mig
of the big fire in Chicago, the Aurora CT
council passed a resolution refusing to
their steamer 20 up to town. | got [
then and | believe | called them all Il
names could think of: know | swore
hard as could, aud then turned ar0ur
and told the crowd to take that engir
and put il on board the cars and send
up, and I'd pay their fines if they got in
trouble for it. Within GO minutes aft
that the engine was at work IN ChicaG
That was time when.
SWEARING WAS NEEDED.
| believe I'm bruiser, too, / knock,
q man fiat on his back in his own store n
long AGO, and broke young mans ar
with garden rake last summer, but Il
man Knocked down has since become O
of the warmest friends I've got, aud sa
he deserved it; he seems to respect U
for having done it. The young mi
whose arm broke was one OF u party
roughs that came down to my groun
back OF the house here when little par
Of my friends were having a quiet eve
ing's enjoyment. The roughs came do,
on purpose to break up the party, and
felt it my duty 10 drive them off I
premises. Wasn't it? And my friends
seems to me had right to get ma
The Fellows sailed right in for fight, iii
thing when they came in sight, and broke
dance that was going on. | swore III
time, too; and knocked the first of thu
down, and had tussle with another