The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-09-28
A Novel Scheme.

nalism, issued supplemental sheet Sat-
urday, which fully attested the enterprise
which has marked the progress of that
sheet in its rapid stride to the foremost
rank among the journals of today.
The extra sheet is an ideal representation
of what will be the appearance of the
paper one hundred years hence. For in
stance there is an imaginary editorial on
the history of the country for century
back, from which the following is an ex
tract:
Before Cleveland became president the
public offices were parcelled out among
party workers. A change of party in
power meant a clean sweep of the pub
lie officials FROM place. This piratical
system of capture and reward naturally
developed u craze for politics 1t called
into life race of politicians. Elections
were tiercely contested, and the people
were made to believe that the triumph of
this or that party meant the ruin of the
country. AT the same time nothing was
at stake but the possession of the offices.
Grover Cleveland did not puta stop to this.
No one president could be expected to put
sudden end to the growth of generations.
But he began the movement which,
a few years later, comprised the downfall
of the old political system. He refused
TO make a clean sweep. He kept many
worthy republicans in Office until their
terms expired He was wise enough not
to attempt the impossible by declaring
that partyism or reward should end, but
he sOwed the good seed which grew ana
quickly bore glorious fruit.
As the end of Cleveland's teuu ap>
preached the republicans nominated for
president one Logan, and the democratic
politicians, dissatisfied with Cleveland
because of ms refusal to give them all the
places, nominated Mcdonald, of Indiana.
Both Logan and Mcdonald We're spoils-
men, but rs many democrats were disSat
istied because Cleveland had not been
nominated, and the politicians had sues
ccedrd in making nomination which
meant reputation OF Clegeland's work
Logan was elected The independents of
both parties, calling themselves the mng>
wumps, nominated candidate of their
own and polled an enormous vote.
| When Logan became president he re
| turned To the old spOlls system, but was
met with such storm of indignation
from the people that he sought 10 retrace
his steps and follow the example of
| Cleveland. During his campaign, how
ever, he had made hundreds of thousands
of promises, and in fulfilling these he had
to make such clean sweep that his ad-
ministration became odious. At the end
of LOgan's term the Independents of both
parties made grand rally and Grover
| Cleveland became the mugwump candi>
date for president Cleveland was tri-
umphantly elected. and the spoils system
| in America came to its end. Then began
the era of real reform Office getting was
made impossible except through compet>
| tive examination, aud thus the race OF
| politicians, having nothing to labor for
abandoned their vocation. Subsequent
elections were less bitterly contested, and
parties We're continually shifting and
! forming about issues rather than about
organized and inherited appetites for
place Presidential terms were length
ened TO six years, and reelection made
impossible. Senators were elected by vote
of the people, and woman suffrage was
| ingrafted upon the constitution. Con-
gressmen were elected in the autumn of
| the year their service was TO begin, and
the people of every district were given
authority TO instruct their delegates how
to vote upon all important matters by
mailing TO the bureau of public desire
postal cards expressing their wish. the
delegate TO vote in accordance Herewith
or resign. Elections were all held by
mail, and the act Lasscd, taking effect ten
years later, requiring as a condition To
suffrage the ability to read and write
1t was during the second term of Grow
er Cleveland that these and many other
reforms were brought about, aud. though
the titles mugwump, prohibition. demo-
crat and republican were preserved, they
did not represent continuous orgaDiza>
! TONS but were sometimes used to denote
parties. or remnants of parties. when the
issues of the day did not happen to be
sufficiently important IL afford more dis
tinctive titles.
Among the ideal dispatches from
different parts of the country, are these
WASHINGTON Sept 25--The new
postage stamps are nearly ready for De 70
| livery The design is very pretty, il
being a picture of man in search of al
office. The expression on the mans face
IS one of pain, as if he expected to be
licked. The shading of the stamp is
what may properly be termed changeable
In the night the stamps glow like phos
| phoTuS. There is a barometer attached
to the stamp, which will prevent the con,
tents of the envelope from becoming wet
during storm These modern baromet
ers are quiet an improvement. Some Of
them have rubber overcOats. while others
have umbrellas. The ones with overco ats
have been selected by the government fol
the stamps. The size of the stamp j,
about that of three quarter sheet poster
and it, is put on letter by means OF an
ordinary white wash brush. One of them
under the new regulations, will carry :
box of merchandise. not exceeding 3jt
pounds as well rs a letter.
DAVENPORT. Iowa. Sept 25.-Thit
evening the electric bicycles of W +.
Angel and Il. j Nntting collided in front
of the house 1904 Main street Mr. Nut
ting was thrown 200 feet down bank.
where he lodged in a chestnut tree. He
will recover. Mr. Angel flew up anC
alighted on an electric light wire, but wa,
not seriously hurt
MOLINE. H. Sept. o. DR. Small. OF
this city, has practiced dentistry for sew
enty wears. He estimates that he In,