Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-06-23
DEMOCRATIC TIcKEr
Tomorrow. Election.

Tonorrew's Election
The election tomorrow for two menu
hers Of the board Of education promises
to be highly Interesting, If not sn ex-
citing event TIE time was in Rock
Islsnd-snd is yet in most cities-when
no interest vhssever Was manifested il
such afairs. snd fre9uenlly they were
almost allowed 70 90 by default Bat it
10 different now There Is the ususl
drumming uo OF voters, the same
hus1liuE sitter votes ss there is ST Teg1>
lar ma.nicipsl or state eleeii0n. And
there Is even more feeling sud bitterness
eaeenierei thsn ST such elections The
election tomorrow vii, without doubt
be IS hoily contested IS sny of similar
character ever held IN this city. There
are Eve observation-disclosures. T. Il
TnomSs. " \ KnovlIoa,D D. ]. Sesrs. "
Z. Sweeney and DR. Bernhsrii-sn of
whom sre, sod have been doing iheir best
10 he elected. Each Is conducting his
oxa campaign, s1d it il denied thAt s
coubins1i0n has been ms3e between sny
two OF the gentlemen named. further
than the printing of tickets With two
nsnes-A sort Of reciprocal agreement
with 10 special significance
As Eas the case yesr ago when DR.
c. c Csrter squeezed through with
*
likely 10 be perverted from its natural
channels into religious controversy.
At that time the Whole strength Of Ger
tsiu organization known s. the "Depg-
ties or lAtterl5 the "A. P. As. Was
thrown against DR.. Carter. but fortunate
" his friends discovered has impending
danger in time to defeat the cowardly st
tsck. The high crime charged against
the doctor Was thst of being friendly to
Catholics, an offense which it seems Is sn
objectionable sin in the eyes Of the mem>
bers Of this society Now it is Messrs.
Thomas and Kuowlton whom the A. P.
AS. propose to sutagoBize. especislly the
stigstor Of the following resolution
passed st meeting OF the board OF edU-
cation April Gath last,
Rssolred. Tast We, the members of the
board Of education. are heartily In sym
psthy with the movement OF citizens III
supplying the American flag to the differ
ent school buildings. but that they can
Il Il
Of any political or religious order.
The above wss passed st s special
meeting Of the board upon iuformstion
thst the A P. As were about to present
seversl flags to the schools The board
and its president. Mr.. Thomas, took the
broad and conservative ground that the
public school was free Institution,
owing allegiance 10 no religious or
political organization. and that any pre-
sentstion under the conditions proposed
would be ill-sdyised and detrimental to
the best interests Of the schools The
flags were subsequently, presented as
coming from citizens living in the viein
ity Of the school houses. and the matter
was dropped. The members of the Sc
cret society. however, seem to have
sworn vengeance upon Mr.. Thomas il
particular and have singled him out for
the guillotine.
1t is hardly possible that they viii sac.
coed in their purpose, however. Mr..
Thomas has made an able and conscien-
tious member OF the board. All his acts
have been setusted by the one single
desire OF improving the standard of our
public schools In the matter Of select
ing teachers he has been governed solely
BY the qualifications of the applicants snd
their claims for preferment. He hiss dis
played no fsvoritism or prejudice That
be is opposed By 81 organization whose
members belle the Americanisn which
they boast to represent, is 8 special res-
son thst be should be elected. There is
no room for secret political organizations
in this country, and especially those
which msirtsin thst one man is
inferior and less deserving than another
on account of bis religions belief. Il Is
time that such sophistry sud know>noih-
ingisu were abolished
The candidacy Of Dr.. Bernhard is
probably the result of the objections
raised by German Luthersns to that por-
ton Of the compulsory educational law
comforting power on local boards to reg
ulate parochisl schools. The doctor is
reasonably sure of election. his candidacy
having an individual phase of some
weight,