Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-03-14
mr.. KADLER'S CANDIDACY.
He Withdraws His Propositions as
to the CoIlectorship.
HE MAY STILL BE IN THE FIELD.
On the Advice OF His Attorneys He
ADOPTS this Course-.-Interestin
Dissovery-status or the Case.

In the interview with Mr.. G. l.. Walk,
er amer g the attorneys appearing in last
nights ARGUS concerning the legality OF
Mr. Frank Nadler's candidacy for town
ship collector. Mr.. Walker said that the
question was being thoroughly investigat-
ed and that when this was done an intelli
gent expression could be given. Mr..
Nader had engaged Sweeney & Walker
to look into the question. and professions
ally advise him with reference thereto.
The &C nsequence was that Mr.. Sweeney
deyotei Yesterday afternoon to research
and study of the legal authorities bearing
on the subject, and this morning he
arrived at the conclusion that under the
law M. Nader could not hold the Office
OF township collector il elected on the
strength of his published propositions.
Mr.. Sweeney was seen at his Office this
afternoon, and was then engaged in
writing his opinion. which will not be
completed until this evening. but when
solicited for the salient points of it he
said:
First, the offer to make the donations
specified would not ubject Mr.. Nader
to prosecution under our election laws,
nor would the man voting for him be
subjec- to criminal prosecution. But a
more serious question presents itself. and
that is whether if elected by such means
he could hold the Office against defeated
candidate if the latter saw fit to try the
title o. the office by writ Of quo warranto.
On the ground of sound public policy
this question has been answered in the
negative by number of well considered
cases not in our state, as we don't find
that tie question was ever before our
courts but it has been decided in New
Hampshire, Massachusetts,, Wisconsin
and Missouri. The principle is that the
sole consideration of the man that votes
is the qualification of the candidate for
the Office. and that nothing should be
done 10 distract his attention from. or
antagonize his mind to their sole consider
alton. Otherwise public offices could be
put up at the polls to the highest bidder.
and tie qualifications of the candidate
would be lost sight of entirely by
the length Of his purse. or his abil>
ity to use agencies which would con-
troll the election outside of the sole con.
sideraiion which ought to control. The
doctrine is well established by the su-
thoritiss. and is sound in principle. that a
vote ven for candidate for public
office IN consideration for his promise in
case be should be elected to donate a
sum OF money or other valuable thing to
THIRD party, whether such party be an
individual or corporation, is void, and if
a man is elected by and through such
votes, he can't hold the office as against
a defeated candidate. We shall advise
Mr. Nader to withdraw his propositions.
which we think he wi II do"
A visit was paid Mr.. Nader, who
stated that he had learned Mr.. Sweeney's
opinion. and was greatly disappointed at
the results of the Investigation. aud woul d
under the circumstances withdraw his
proportions, but did not say he would
decline to be a candidate. Il withdraw
my Propositions" be said. because my
attornEs have satisfied me as to the law
| do not do so in fear OF prosecution, but
purely from patriotic principles. The
importance of the law is higher and
create than any earthly ambition, no
matter what the purpose that sctustes it,
and am not the one who would do any,
thing hat would not be in strict accord
ance with the law"
That the charge Of bribery is ridiculous,
the opinion Of Sweeney & Walker does
not take exception to. But it is on a
matter of precedent that they base their
expressio This view OF the case did
not enter into all of the opinions courte-
ously given the ARGUS yesterday all of
which were wholly informal.
Some of Mr.. Nadler's enthusiastic sup
porters declare now that they will run
him anyway for the Office, exact no
promises of him, taking the view that he
will act in good faith il elected,