Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-01
The Union'sw wall.

tai tribulation as to make it appear ridic-
ulous if not entirely idiotic. It suspects
that the editor of this paper wrote
the dispatch in question and on this
assumption it proceeds to relieve its sui
plus bile by unwarranted personal al
lusions. For instance in referring to the
Herald dispatch it says:
1T ia the sort Of stuff the ARGUS OF this
city has been giving its readers In occs>
sionsl mild doses, care being taken by the
home sheet not to turn the stomscbs OF
the republicans whose patronage IS its
life by anything too truculent and mem
dacious. No considerations of bread and
butter, or regard for the boundary line OF
truth check the imagination OF the Chi
cago Herald's correspondent
Inadvertently, of course, the Union
psys the ARGUS quite compliment in
the above. although a petty jesl-
ousy is the most noticeable feature of the
paragraph. Talk about turning the
stomachs Of the republicans Why. if
the aforesaid stomachs were in the least
susceptible, the sloppy hash with which the
Union has been serving them for years
would have impaired their digestive
qualities long ago. The ARGUS acknowl-
edges that it has considerable republi
can patronage. and it is proud OF it, but
the Union in calling attention to the
same rather places itself in an embarrsss-
ing position. The fact that republican
merchants show the ARGUS preference in
placing their advertisements. and that the
paper fluids its way to the homes OF the
representative members OF that party,
Is sufficient evidence of how the ARGUS is
regarded by the public. 1t is not likely
that republican business men, who sppre>
clate the value of g party organ and gen
erously support it simply for political
motives, would do the same with dem
ocratic paper. This is why the ARGUS is
particularly gratifed with its republican
support. 1t proves conclusively that such
patronage emsnstes from a business
standpoint entirely, and thst its value as
an advertising medium is appreciated.
The Union prefaces its remarks con.
corning Congressman Gest, with the ridic-
Nous statement that "the plan of the
democrats is to endeavor to encompass
the defeat of Mr.. Gest in the re-
publican convention because they can
not do i: at the polls II the morning
paper was at all posted on the political
situation in tie district it would know
that the democrats are particularly de-
sirous OF having Gest renominated. They
consider him the weakest man that
could be put up, and if they had any de-
signs whstever-whIch they have not
on the republican congressional. conven-
ton, il would be with the intention of
furthering the interests of Mr. Gest.
The Union reaches the height of alb
surditY. however, in endesvoring to help
hr. Gest out of the stupendous blunder
he made in the selection of postmaster
for Rock Island. 1t says:
Mr.. Thomas. the chairman of the con-
gressionsl committee, presented no petit
IiOns or Endorsements whatever for
the office Of postmaster; Dir. Wells the
chairman OF the county committee,
presented g voluminously signed pe;i>
ton, as did Mr. A. N. Sturgeon. After
the latter was elected states attorney
he withdrew his Petition, and when Mr..
Gest Endorsed Mr.. Wells Petition, after
rnnnfha nf HaIa- m uiup oil infaYaafa
plenty OF opportunity, it was absolutely
the only petition for the Rock Island Of
fee that our congressman had in his
hands"
Well, this is certainly refreshing. Con.
gresham Gest, when he sees the above,
will no doubt wish some one had muz-
zled the Union before 1t had made such
statement. While it was about It. why
didn't the Union say that Gest didn't
know that DIR. Thomas was q candidate
at all. There would be Just about as
much truth in such an assertion as in
what the Union seeks to imply-that
Mr.. Thomas name was not considered
because he had forwarded no petition to
Washington. Probably Mr.. Thomas had
reasons for not sending a petition to
Washington, and he certainly showed
more taste than Boss Wells, who had one
Ia circulation before the official count was
made OF the result of the election def
nitely known. The petition" excuse is
all humbug What need was there OF a
petition Wasn't Gest conversant enough
with the situation 10 his own city. withS
out requiring long, meaningless list of
names for him TO determine who
among his henchmen was most entitled to
the place, and whose appointment would
give the most satisfaction. Does Con-
gresham Gest or the Union pretend to
say that Dir. Thomas couldn't have Sc
cured as large a petition or as strong an
endorsement as his competitors for the
place?
'Since the ARGUS first announced"
says the Union. ''tnat Capt. Turnbull is
q candidate for congress. we have looked
vainlv in the. republican papers of the
districtsfor any paragraph of confirms-
tory nature" The Union then goes on
to assume that If Capt Turnbull is a can
didate, he would have notified his own
party papers first. Well, if the republi-
can papers throughout the district have
the same nose" for news as the Union
has. this negligence on the part of Capt.
Turnbull is quite excusable. II the