Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-09-09
BASE INfRATITUDE.
The Rock Island Postoffice and
Who Should Have had 1t.
How Congressman Gest Repays His
Personal and Political Friend---An
Interesting situation.

In recommending Howard Wells for
postmaster OF Rock Island, Congressman
| Gest not only drove another nail in his
political coffin, but performed an act of
the basest ingratitu lie toward gentleman
who has always beon one of his warmest
adherents. and indeed to whom he owes
more than TO any other one man in the
Eleventh congressional district. his present
prominence and seat in congress. We
refer to Mr.. T. ii. Thomas. chairman of
the republican congressional committee.
who has been answering in his loyalty
to Mr.. Gest since that gentleman became
an aspirant for congressional hOnors.
While Mr.. Thomas refuses to talk on the
subject, his friends are by no means
backward in expressingtheir disapprobs-
ton and disgust of his treatment at the
hands of Congressman Gest. Said one
of them this morning:
''Iu all my experience in polIucs-and
| have taken an active part in political
affairs for many years. never saw such
treachery and ingratitnde as Gest has
displayed in this pos Office matter. Why
Gest owes everything to Thomas and his
friends, and he never would have had the
slightest chance of going to congress if it
hadn't been for us. The congressional
bee first began buzziDg in Gest's bonnet
about ten years ago. He stated his de-
sire to some of US, and although we were
were warm friends IF his, we realized
that it would be up.h hill work, as he was
not what could be called popular in a
broad sense, and he lacked the faculty of
making favorable impression in meets
ing strangers. Still we decided to make
the attempt. We pre- scented his name to
the convention of 1882 and 1884 without
success, but in 1886 by a piece of strate-
gy, we captured the nomination for
him.
But there was trouble Ia the local
camp. Boss Wells. as you have right
ly dubbed him, came in from Milan and
was made chairman of the county COM
mittee. He didn't have enough politi>
! cal sense TO last him over night. and he
came within an ace of beating Gest in his
anxiety to elect Parson Morgan sheriff
He had no thought Of anyone but the
psrson, and we had to use all manner of
devices to keep him in check. He was
like young broncho that had been ssd-
died for the the first time To show you
how much he thought of Gest and his
chances of his election. it is only neces-
ssry to repeat little incident"
lone day several Young republicans
went into see Wells al his office, and in
talking over the situation he said: Why,
it's no use try to do anything for Gest; he
can't be elected, and our only hope is to
pull Morgan through"
That's the way Wells talked during
the campaign, and it raised any
amount of i'll feeling among Gest's
friends. including Ttomas, who was
especially interested in Gest. You know
the result-the democrats ca ptured two
county offices and Gest was elected.
Wells was very much chagrined over
Morgan's defeat, as it had been arranged
that he should be deputy sheriff IN the
event OF the parsons election. This ex-
planned his great interest in Morgan"
"But last year Thomas work for Gest
was freely commented upon. He was
chosen as chairman of the republican
congressional committee, and probably
no one ever lsbored more industriously
for friend in political contest than did
Thomas for Gest. Why he actually ne
elected his business almost entirely and
visited all parts of the district on political
missions. In fact he ran Costs whole
campaign and on his advice Gest re-
manned at Washington, only coming
home twice. We could do more for him
away than here, and al the same time
show that he was attending to his duties
When Harrison was elected we took it
for granted that Thomas could get any
Office within Gest's gift. and when we
learned that he had ask I'd for the post
office, we took it for granted that he
would get it, as he should have. It's no
use Disgusting the fact that Wells APP
pointment has disrupted the party and
killed whatever chances Gest may have
had of reelection. We III let Wells and
his crowd run things mex time. and then
Mr.. Gest will learn that trickery and de-
ceit cannot win in politics any more than
in business way"