Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-19

To the ARGUS:
SENECA. Faux county, South Dakota,
Sept. Thorough the kindness of an
old friend in Rock Island county l re.
ceived copy of your valuable paper
containing graphic account of the re-
publican senatorial convention. As a
former resident of your county. take a
deep interest in your affairs. end my in
terest in this direction even goes so far
as to concern me deeply IN your political
affairs. In politics, as in everything else
treasure the interests OF the dear peo~
pie" above everything else, and l desplse
man whom | hear preaching and pratt
ing about his lovesfor his constituents, "
when 1t is plain to be seen that his love
is only skin deep" 1t makes my blood
boil in righteous indignai ion, | say. to
see such man soliciting the support of
his neighbors on the ground oil willing,
ness to serve the best interests of his con-
stituency," and yet at the same time if
asked in what manner he would proceed
to such task. he would not have the
manhood, if he were able. to tell in plain
words his actual ideas. 10 this refer
to none other than the Hon. (o Bill
Crawford. of Edgington township. the re-
publican nominee for state senator As
have before stated, the man who has
not the moral courage TO define his real
position is not mt to be candidate upon
any ticket. much less upon the republican
ticket. whose resolutions and platforms
declare it to be beyond sin or moral corr
ruption. Such a man is Mr.. Crawford as
his record IN the legislature will show. And
now as to his love for the producer, and
desire to help him in his distress about
which he so manfully boasts. Your
beautiful valleys and fields stretching up
tn your very door. makes my heart too
full for utterance." There is nothing in
this mighty 81 speech to indicate the
massive brain which formed il, or the
fanltlcss tongue that uttered 1t, hui in il
he attempts TO say that his pride il in the
very yield of grain which The citizens of
Rock Island county depend upon for
subsistence. However. If We 20 a little
beneath the skin. aud begin to yet into
the region OF the heart of the man OF he
has any We can readily see thut his
reason for such interest in your crops lies
in the prospect Of each additional busheI
he will be able to speculate upon through
his elevator at Taylor Ridge; that this.
and this alone, is the real Interpretation
of that famous speech. OGly for
this we would Say that his head.
as well as his heart, was too fun
for utterance." To show lust how
desIrons he is to speculate from the
needy, | wish To refer to the trim til.
writer made in that vicinity last winter
TO petition aid from old frierIs in Il,ipois
TO my new made friends in Dakota
Many man gill -Femember my visit to
n.s Ao4ss land on as severe a day as the
entire winter gave us) in behalf of nv
suffering fellOw-creatures, and can Re
member equally well how literally most
of them responded. l could zee that poor
crops had shortened the yield materially,
and yet, with the open>hesrtednes5 for
which my old friends are noted, they
readily contributed 10 the store for the
poor until had the extreme pleasure of
tiillng an entire car with oats and grain
for the destitute of South Dakota; and if
our readers could have seen the tears of
gratitude shOwered on me, and the mani,
fold blessings extended to my friends in
Illinois, | am sure they would have
with my soul" And, understanding as
do, the true inwardness which impelle,i
this kind act of charity. they would also
literally despise the man who not only re-
fused 10 contribute TO such fund, but
actually tried to speculate upon what was
to others dire misfortune Among the
rest, Mr.. CrswfOrd's house was visited
and my errand was stated lust as
| had done with all the rest, but in
stead of giving me positive answer AS
to what he would do in the m after, | was
put off with the assurance that he would
be in Taylor Ridge on the day on which
the car would be loaded, and would then
let me know how much he would be will
ing 10 contribute" Surprising him to he
a man of his word, | thanked him and
drove on to the next residence, and so on
until had sufficient amount raised to
fill the car. When the dav FOR loading
came, all my friends with few exceptions
put in an appearance with their contribu-
ton; but no Mr.. Crawford showed I'D.
Thinking something wrong, | hastenei to
his place just before shutdown, and found
him at home. with no intention of COM
ing TO town. When mentione ed the fac;
OF his having failed to get in, he flew mad
at once and began to talk very savagely,
and refused to put in kernel Of grain or
cent of money. Now comes the main
part of the story. and | want every voter
to read and understand it. In raising nv
some who could not give
grain, gave money. the same TO be turned
into grain at Taylor Ridge When Mr..
Crawford refused to contribute to the car
l did not seriously regard it, but | sup
posed he would be at least willing
to let me have as many oats as
my money would buy (some 900
bushels) at a reasonable figure, but
lndge of my establishment when he
informed me that he could let me have
the required number of bushels, but he
would be compelled to charge me twenty
cents per bushel for them. Oats were
bringing at this time sixteen cents
Dushel. and those he had stored in his
cost him still less as they were
purchased early, and yet he wanted to
make speculation of four cents per
)ushel on money which your readers. as
his constituents, had contributed to Da-
SOta's needyf Does not this show the
rue Inwardness of the man, and does il
not show that such man would be a
dangerous element to turn loose in the
legislature of your fair state? Fiel For
'hamel Such a man would hardly besi>
ate to rob the graves of his parents,
should he become impressed with the idea
hat in dying they had not given him
heir all Votersl Bewarel Would you
put your own uecks into the rope,
Would you yourselves forge the chains
with which to bind you into eternal bon
1age. both for yourselves and your chill
1ren to follow? Would you yourselves
sharpen the dagger and hand it to your
1eadliest enemy, and yet feel that you
had done proper and wise deedt Again
say. bewarei Do not put your necks