Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-05-27
Democratic Uenjectures.
Chicago Herald .

CnCag0 derdiu.
Time will bring no added strength to
the doctrine that the foreigner is paying
our duties for us. The people will never
grow happy on account OF taxation.
Because time and the welfare of the peo-
pie are with the Illinois and western
democracy. the Herald may expect further
demonstration of popular intelligence.
How that general acumen shall impress
itself on the republic is a matter worthy
of consideration.
The leader of the low tax and home
rule propaganda in the west is Gen. John
NJ. Palmer The nomination of 1888
came to him unsought, and he was un>
envied In its possession. The campaign
which he waged against class privilege
and unjust taxation placed him in the
acknowledged leadership of western re-
form, however enviable that distinction
might he. The defeat of Roche at Chs
cago confirmed the victory of 1888; the
frontiers of ignorance and immortality
were delimited, and this city was defini>
tive,y coded by the war takers. Gen.
Palmer, rather than any other public man,
may now count on plurality in Chicago
which will 60 far to elect him in state
contest How shall this advantage be
used for the profit of the people?
II the next democratic state convention
should see fit to nominate Gen. Palmer
for the United States senatorship, form
ally suggesting his name to the electorate,
and asking that state senators and repre>
sentatives be chosen strictly on that line.
We should have a campaign throughout
the state comparable to none other since
the political joust of Lincoln and Doug
las. save that Gen. Palmer would have
no foe nearly equal in mettle. In can
vsss similar to that of 1888. Gen. Palmer
would again get in touch with the people.
Whether or not Senator Fsrwell would
make the attempt of preaching war taxes
at the risk of his own political fortunes
could be told in the event.
With the decadence of protection as a
protector, and the Increasing popular
study of free trade. it is no mere boast
to say that Gen. Palmer ought to defeat
Senator Farwell. The man of the rural
region would have the big city. and the
man of the big city would need to retsiG
the rural region. If the country should
follow the countryman, or if the sgricul-
tural counties should remain republican
by only small plurality. Gen. Palmer
would set out for Washington as highly
conspicuous parsonage. In the federal
senate he would be the menace of monop>
olies and the prophet of the people. The
national conventions of 1892 would not
convene without ample thought upon the
subject of Gen. Palmer's fitness as a
presidential candidate. 1t may be prom>
ised that the labor party would seize an
early moment to nominate him for its
leader. To close all eastern feudal
wounds, to consolidate the interests of
labor and democracy. the democratic
convention might find no method so ex~
pedient as the nomination of the labor
candidate. and with such an outcome it
is likely the labor party of New York.
following the happy example of Illinois,
might amalgamate no less closely with
the state democracy.
This is not prophecy. 1t is opportuni.
tY. To every democrat these conjectures
must seem proper. They have already
alarmed many republicans, and perhaps
none of them more profoundly than Sem
ator Farwell.