Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-04
NAY BE A CONTEST.
Probable Illegality of McConochie's
Election.
A Long Discussed Question that
should be Finally Disposed OFF,
Votes that May be Unconstitutional

A very strong pressure is being
brought to bear upon Mr.. Fred Hass. and
q pressure, too. that he is not likely to
disrespect. to bring contest as to VIM.
McConochie's election to the mayoralty
OF Rock Island. Among those urging
Mr.. Hass to enter such proceedings are
some of the most representative citizens
OF Rock Island. as many of the republi>
cans in fact as democrats. and
the movement is therefore non-par-
tisan in nature. The ground OF
such steps is the alleged illegal
ity OF at least thirty five votes cast
by non resident Observation-Disclosures of
Augustana Theological Seminary, the
validity of whose votes has been
matter of serious question for
many years. The object of q contest
would be therefore not to settle the may.
orally Of Rock Isle nd alone, but to finally
and for all time dispose o: a much vexed
question. MIR. Hsss would, it is safe to
say. be subscribing the wishes of nine
tenths Of the people of Rock Island in
making the contest outlined The ARGUS
is prompted by neither personal nor politi-
Cal feeling toward the students in coming
to the decision that course such as is
spoken OF would be eminently right. 1t
would be far from our purpose or
thought TO accuse the students
of Augustsna College of wilfully
and Intentionally voting Illegally, yet
1t is fact that many republic
cans as well as democrats believe there is
portion Of the young men who attend
the college whom the provisions of the
constitution deny the RICH, of suffrage in
Rock Island.
On last Tuesday there were at the
nearest calculation fifty>three votes
polled in the Seventh ward as coming
from.Augustana college. A portion of
that number of course included the fac
ulty and some of he students who have
been here long enough to claim resi-
dence in the state. but at least thirty>five
were transitory Observation-Disclosures who
are here only as students, and whose
homes are actually elsewhere. 1t is this
class of voters whose ballots are In con.
troversy such as can be settled by legal
opinion only. Nc claims are made as to
how those students voted: that is no.
body's business. il they had a right to
at all. The question simply is, havs they
or not legal right to vote? And if Mr.
Hass makes the contest the results, no
matter what they may be. will be bene>
fetal to the entire community.
1t so happens that the constitutionality
of those thirty five votes enters this year
very materially into the outcome of the
city election. They are sufficient to
swing it either way and this is what has
aroused such generally prevailing SEN
timent in favor of a contest.
ApropOs of this subject the decision of
Judge Breese in The case of Dale VS..
Irwin, on the question of students in
Shurtleff College 1T upper Alton voting.
will be of interest. Judge Breese, said:
LAS a general fact, however, UNDER
graduates of colleges are no more identi-
fed with residents OF the town in which
they are pursuing their studies. than the
merest strangers. and should ali the seats
of learning in the United States be polled,
not more than one student in twenty
would be found 10 possess the proper
qualification of q resident of the town