The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-11-07
alnnoa at tho situation.

O6mOCTatS WnO ula cDs ths1SAN WIN SUI va /
lugubrious Joy in reading the comments
aud realizing the tone Of the republican
press over the result. The republican
party started out in the contest with the
avowed purpose Of capturing the national
house of representatives. At this time
the general result is not known sufficiently
to determine what the complexion OF the
next house will be, although it is not be-
Iieved the republicans have been success
ful in that respect. The result 10 this state
80 far as can be judged at present gives
them the legislature and secures to them
IJnited States senator 10 this state sena-
torial district, the defeat OF Wilson and the
election of Ford is simply and squarely the
election of a man who who will he the
servile tool of the money power against
the interests Of non-capi.aIists and the
laboring classes. Scarcely a man in the
district could be found whose instincts,
sympathies, and acts as law
maker would be more steadily and
unerringly given on the side Of monopolies,
corporate interests, and purely partizan
measures. The man is a narrow minded,
illiberal partizan, possessing some wealth
and feeling Of caste on the side Of pluto
cracy to the utter exclusion Of any noble
and generous impulses in behalf of the
mass of mankind. 1t is only to let the
people see just what kind of man they
have elected to Office that we give his
genuine and easily recognized political
portrait. 4t
The probable defeat of DR.. Todd, demo-
cratic candidate for Representative to the
legislature, is something which in its conse-
quences entails more than mere personal
regrets. DR.. Todd was confessedly supe-
rior in every mental qualification neces-
sary to an enlightened discharge of the
duties of member of the legislature to
any opposition candidate, and in social
worth and personal standing was the peer
of the best of them. His defeat is a sure
indication that fitness and talents are
insignificant qualities in comparison to
party servility, and play wholly unim-
portant part in the election of our law
makers. 1t shows that an accomplished
gentleman of culture and liberal attain
ments, and withal Of fine natural abilities,
stands no chance in political contests
alongside the commonest kind OF a man
unless he belongs to Che dominant party.
DR.. Todd has left an impression upon the
minds of democrats with whom he became
acquainted IN this county as being a man
of more than usually manly, fair minded,
and honorable sentiments, an open, plain
spoken, yet courteous debater. and the
possessor of talents which would have
given him prominence in the legislative
councils of the state. There is 60 telling be
forehand the freaks of fortune. We trust
the DR., has yet fortunate and useful
future before him.
Two things have operated to greatly
lessen the strength of the democratic party
in the contest just closed. The republican,
have falsely claimed and asserted virtues
in regard to financial affairs to which they
are in fact stranRers-they have produced
by their congressional measures and thei
administration of finance a condition o
affairs unparalleled heretofore in the coun
try's history, yet all at once they step t
the front as the champions of hard none,
and honest finance. The ''fatists" on tn
other side have fairly alarmed and arouse,
the apprehensions of thoughtful and in
telligent citizens lest by some perversity 0
fortune they might be able to carry int
execution their crazy scheme and its 10
evitable disastrous consequences. TIL
timid hard money element which in or
binary times would have felt no mistrust
and which is honestly with the democratl
party upon the real issues of the times
voted this time to some extent with the re
publicaus because the democratic platforr
contained too much concession to the greer
back views. Yet, while such was the case
the greenback element were not in any de
gree propitiated by the.apparent concession
and decided to act separately and bel
their followers to every possible extent
The democratic party lost from bot
sources. The party in point Of fact is IN
doubtedly at heart sounder upon question
of finance than either the republicans o
the fiatists and greenbackers, but it has al
lowed itself to be, undcsignedly on its owl
part, placed in false position before tn
country, and the result is seen in the las
election.
The greenbackers have committed polit
ical suicide: the democrats have suffere,
loss everywhere they have yielded to th
demands of expediency or tempered will
political heresies; while the republican
are making parade Of virtues they neve
possessed, ARE getting cre6it for an honest,
in finance to which they are not entitled
aud have show of partizan success whicI
is hollow and unsubstantial and not the lie
climate product of their own principles o
Of their own actual strength.
=
The Subsidized Railroads