The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-28
qHF POLITICAL sITUAr1eN.

ship-city convention of Monday evening
! frankly concede that as a whole, from
mayor down, the ticket is by all odds. the
strongest one ever put in nomination By
the democrats of this city. To begin Al
the beginning let us review the business
and personal record of Mr.. James z. Mott.
who is to be our next mayor beyond o
doubt. aud in thus reviewing ''naught ex
tenuate and naught set down ia malice
That what was set forth in these
columns yesterday respecting his
card dacv has gone, and will continue TO
CO. unchallenged is matter of fact but
the half which might have been said was
withheld in the apprehension that zeal in
behalf of so excellent a man might be
charged up to- purely partisan motives
But in the columns of our respected
morning contemporary this morning we
discovered the following which is repre-
,iuced in its entirety as a text for little
good natured discourse:
Mr.. Motifs candidacy at this particular
juncture is in itself a mistake His sin
gle year in the council comprises his
whole municipal experience. and the
friends of Lundy, O'Neil ana Henry, who
have served for years, feel as if their prin
lciples had been sighted, though the prfn
cipals themselves seemed to prefer to run
as candidates for aldermen again-not
realizing the shape things would take.
Then Mr. Motifs campaign last year
| weakened him for general candidate by
| alternating some strong partisans and his
course in the Watkins removal case was
not calculated to heal the breach,
In what particular, pray, is Mr.. Motifs
appearance upon the political carpet at
this particular juncture" mistaken" II
there ever was loud call for the nomi-
nation of a man who though sound
democrat is as independent of
eliques or rings as Alderman Mott,
with his Jacksonian principles.
of straightforward integrity,is universally
conceded to be it has been heard in Rock
Island within the past six months. To
begin with we have right to expect that
man who can manage a vast business
interest successfully, who can build up
business upon the cornerstone of except
tional honesty and rare business ability is
just the man to have at the head of our
municipal administration to which
everybody who knows Alder
man Mott knows that he will apply
the same general rales. "At this partieu-
lar juncture, therefore, when our leading
capitalists and business men of both DO
iitical parties are bewailing the improper
prodigality, not to say absolute wasteful- |
ness, which has characterized our recent |
city administrations, seems to be the most |
Cpportune time to put forward a man for |
the mayoralty who. like Caesars wife, Is /
above suspicion" There is not a business |
man in Rock Island whose record |
in the mercantile community is
more free from imperfecfions than
is that of Alderman Mott; not one whose
name is more exalted or more nearly APP
synonym for git-edged credit.
We have had too few such men at the
front heretofore and 1t is high time that
change were made in the interest of re.
form and good government. Again the
GHSon intimatcs that Alderman Motifs OK
perience in municipal affairs is limited.
No assertion has been made. that we are
lware Of to the effect that because Mr.
Mott has not intrigued for aldermanic or
'thcr municipal position that he is there
y disqualified for the office of mayor
There are great many men to day in
Rock Island of both political parties
Vho have never been identified with the
administration Of city affairs but who arc
evertheless, as well posted generally as
they had sat in the council since the
alderman Mott clearly belongs and the
est answer that can be made to this1
art of the arrangement" referred to is v
0 point to the business career of i
ar as Aldermen Lundy O'Neill and Hen 4
Y are concerned each knows that Alder u
ian Mott not only did not seek the nom a
nation to the mayoralty but all along n
rged the selection of somebody else, and e
nybody having acquaintance with him 4
nows that in thus acting he meant just O
hat he said. But the people said Give il
8 Alderman Mott for mayor" and after q
luch solicitation he consented to run and u
obody supports his candidature more v
earthly and unreservedly than the gem I
emen named, recognizing in the unap- T
personal and business integrity [
the man that of which the city of Rock a
land is SO much in need. In what re. Hi
1ect Mr.. Motifs campaign for alderman
st year weakened him" for the race 81
IT the mayoralty this year, is lone of n
lose things which no fellow can find II
ut. On the contrary his year in the y
,nncil convinced the people of his own
ard not only, but those of the entire city W
well, that he is one of the most =
gilant watch dogs of the treasury ..
hich Rock Island has ever
I'd and in order to secure his election he
Ill make no promises to anybody. His pl
cord as a business man and as an alder G
an is before the people of this city for al
Dproval or condemnation and with this re
; has an undoubted right to feel con- "
Mt. HI