Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-05
STAND YOUR GROUND, ULAM.

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The Alderman Elect from the second
Ward Not to be Bulldozed by
schemes 10 Defraud Him Of His
Seat In the Council
"Snobbles" and the .'yahoo" stretched
. point little too far In their efforts this
morning to intimidate, bluff and bulldoze
Messrs. Ulam and Hetter to settle the
dispute as to which is elected BY lot or
chance. The "mssheen" sheet says:
We hear Messrs. Hetter and Ulam, the
candidates who got even votes in the
Second ward, are unwilling to draw lots
and want to put the city to new cleo
ton. This foolishness can be summary
ended ii the council but does its duty.
The general incorporation law provides
that tie ''shall be determined by lot IN
the presence Of the city council or board
OF trustees in such manner as they shall
direct which candidate or candidates
shall hold the Office" The word shall"
is mandatory and If the candidates don't
care to act for themselves the council can
direct Its canvassing committee or the
city clerk to go ahead, making the draw
ing and declare the result
The audacity Of such statement is its
own condemnation. The plain facts of the
case are that the Union in the first place
know, that David Ulam ia elected, and
that recount will 80 indicate. But Us the
face OF the returns show tie, it prefers
to run Its chances by drawing cuts
than to permit either recount or
another election. By resorting to
game of chance. an option which the
lsw-let 1t be said to Its everlasting
shame-provides, the ''mssheen" candi-
date would have everything to gain and
nothing to lose. Whereas. a recount
would. in all probability. show Mr.
Ulam's election, as 1t is known that there
are tickets In the township box In his
name. which he has not yet been credited
with; and another election would, UNI
questionably. result in his triumphant
election.
The Union must think 1t Is dealing
with pack OF idiots, both as regards
Aessrs. Ulam and Hetter and the entire
council, when 1t imagines 1t can by its
nonsensical misconstruction of the
meaning of the statute, bulldoze either
the contrasting candidates or the council
into settling question of 30 much i'm
portance, in such shiftless manner as it
outlines. The law says that under cir
Cumstancss such as the present appear
to be, the contestants shall cast lots In
such a manner as the council may decide.
casting OF lots; it Is the contestants
that are to do that. The council
decides and dictates the manner. 1t is
the contestants who this strange law
says shall gamble as to who the people
have elected to public office. But
what Is to be done if one or both refuse
to settle it by chance. as both would
be commended in doing? How. if
either declines to gamble as to whether or
not the people have elected him. just as
Messrs. Ferguson and Evans did in the
late Fifth ward controversy and in which
case the council ordered another election
The council can devise the means of set
ting 1t. whether by lots, dice. dominos.
W lob
testants don't have to compromise their
sense of morality unless they desire to.
Either or both can decline to resort to
a game Of chance that the council may
propose, and then there is no alternative
but to call another election. Hence the
Union In the interests of the "masheen"
has the presumption and egotism to think
that the candidates and council will heed
its bulldozing proposition and resort to
the only possible means-and it only on
even chances-of putting another mas
sheen" man In the council. 1t is rather
d desperate trick. for upon Its success de-
ponds the "masheens unrestricted
manipulation of city politics for the next
year at least-but it won't work.
Mr.. Ulam believes he is elected alder
dan from the Second ward and he will
not run any risk by gambling, of sur.
rendering trust the people have reposed
in him. He will simply demand re-
count. II that should show a tie then
the council must call another election for
Mr.. Ulam is not chance-taker even in
the sight of the law, and no matter how
much he would be approved in such
course by "masheen" politicians.