The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-05-18
A FAMILY BROIL.

The family broil among the Republicans
of this state that exhibited Itself openly
on the removal of Garvin from the ward
ship Of the Joliet penitentiary, appears to
be spreading out and gathering In vio'
| lence at rate 20 threaten growing into a
big tempest Albert Garvn was appoint
ed warden of the Joliet pen last fall on the
retirement of McClaughery, and as he had
been connected with the institution for
10 years, during large part of that time
deputy warden and was otherwise a most
capable man, exactly fitted for the place,
and withal staunch Republican, his re-
moval by Gov. Flfer naturally caused sur
prise, end on its face looked like an out
rage. The outrage looked none the less
when 1t appeared that he was removed to
make room for Ex-senator Berggren, OF
| Galesburg, man without any known eX-
perlence, aptitude or fitness for penitenti-
airy management. Why did Governor
Fifer make this changer
Of the penitentiary commissioners but
one favored the change, and he was Sam
Jones, of Springfield, And who is Sam
JonesY Well, he is a big fish in the noted
"Springfeld ring" of which John II, Tan
ner, Senator Cullom and q dozen other
Springfield notables are said to be mem
bers. These men, say such papers as the
Tnter-Ocean, Pe0rta JournaL, etc. have
Fifer completely under their own control
and manipulate him after their own sweet
will
Garvln was removed, In the first place,
to accommodate John Il. Tanner, who was
state treasurer two years ago. was set aside
by tho last Republican State convention to
make room for Charley Becker, to ap-
pease the Dutch" but whom Tanner next
year expects to Dust.
But Berggren, who is king among the
Swedes, also had treasury aspirations. He
wanted to be state auditor last fall, but was
beaten by the soldier vote In the conven
ton with Gen. Perry, and had TO be queited
from kicking In the traces with the prom
ise that he should next year succeed
Becker. He was thus In the way of Tan
Der's aspirations, who therefore buys him
off with the penitentiary bait w.
Garvin was removed, In the second
place to please Sam Jones, who not only
wants to help Tanner, but Is also dead
set" against certain Ideas of prison reform
which Gen. McClaughery, before his re-
trement, had so perslstently advocated,
and of which Garvin was known to be an
earnest friend and champion. What these
reforms are II Is not necessary to state in
detail II is enough TO say that they look
TO carrying out In good faith the idea of
the constitutional amendment against
farming out prison labor In competition
with honest outside mechanics, and also
towards certain steps In the direction of
reforming the less hardened criminals.
Jones looks upon ALT his as sentimental
swash," and proposes to run the prison on
the old plan of getting all the money out
of prison labor he can, and has no fear Of
not being able to dodge around the consti-
tutional amendment so that II wont stand
seriously In his way. OF course, Berggren,
in this business, is counted upon as COM
plete tool In his hands.
Besides these sins and Vaccinations of
the Springfield ring, Peoria is mad be-
cause the ring defeated their candidate
for railroad commissioners Mr.. Mellor,
whom Fifer had first agreed to appoint,
but on whom the ring laid their veto
and had Mr.. Snively, one Of their own
chums, appointed in his stead.
And not only In these instances, but In
all the other important appointments OF
Gov. Fifer, the controlling hand of the same