Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-02
HONORs TO MR.. HURST.
Rock Islands Member OF the Lower
HOuse OF the Legislature Distin.
gutshes Himself at spring field.


having adjourned sine die. Mr.. Hurst
distinguished himself by the stand he
took and the speech he made In support
of his position on the worlds fair bill.
and came out on the winning side. The
Chicago Daily Ne,os had the following in
its Springfield report of the 31st:
The chief discussion was on an amends
ment offered by Mr. Craig prohibiting
the fair directors from paying any debts
until the SIS ,000,0 600 bonds have been re-
deemed. Messrs. Mooney. Walsh, Stos
kopf and Browne, of LaSslle. debated
the question at some length. Mr.. Hurst.
of Rock Island, made one of the best
speeches of the day in opposition TO it,
and was heartily congratulated by Presi.
dent Gage, Vce-President Bryan. Ben
Butterworth and other visitors who lis
tened to the discussion. The plea had
been made for protection for the taxpay-
ers of Chicago. Mr.. Hurst declared they
had ample protection in the wise pro-
vision that had been made to allow them
to tax themselves or refuse to do so. He
had no sympathy with the spirit that
prompted criticism of the worlds fair
management as private corporation or
combination of spectators. 1t was
not the spirit that had called this extra
session of the general assembly.
1t was not tine spirit in which the citi-
zens of Illinois hailed the selection of
their metropolis for the site for the Col
umbian exposition when the empire city
and the national capital, MS well "a ST
| Louis, were active and energetic compet-
| itors for the prize. Not alone the residents
of Chicago. but the people of this mag
| niticent prairie state as whole were
thus given trust to fulfill, To see that
the exposition is made an unqualified
success They owe a debt OF thanks TO
these enterprising men of Chicago who
had undertaken TO carry forward this
gigantic enterprise. They would uphold
the hands of the directory and carry out
the pledge of aiding the fair by rejecting
this and all other unfriendly PROPOSE
tons.
MIR. Merritt, who was not present IL
participate in the proceedings last week
also vigorously condemned Mr. Craig,
proposition. The tax payers OF Chicago
| were represented by thirty members on tn,
floor of the house, and it was an insult u
say they were not, unless these represen
tatives were nonentities. He exposed thu
fallscy of collecting a tax and then pay
ing it back before any use had been mad,
of it.
Said he: THE eyes of the world ar,
on Chicago, and every nation is prepar
ing to visit it when this grand exposition
takes place, and here we have the specta
Gle of members of the house Offering pet
ty amendments and substitutes which cal
only occasion delay"
! Mr.. Craig's resolution was defeated
overwhelmingly and the joint resolution
adopted by vote of 143 Do. The neg
atives were SChuerk and Walsh. Their,
were eight absent or not voting-Aller
of Warren. Davis, Hunter of Knox, Kent
MOrassy, Padon. Rice of Perry. anC
Wilke OF Will.
While the Springfield Macs of the 30tl
referred to Mr.. Hurst's speech as follows
Hurst, of Rock Island, made q splen
did speech in the house this morning
MIR. Hurst ought to be kept in the legis
lative service of the state so long as W,
must have any democrats. He is court
eous, clear, logical and uses no unneccs
sary words.
Again on Friday Mr.. Hurst made
strong point in the meeting of the hous
judiciary committee in fixing the Soutl
Park bonds. The Chicago Herald says
Mr.. Crafts made speech, taking tn,
position that he opposed the issuance o
the park bonds because the people Of tn
park district should not be taxed for tn
improvement of Jackson Park for tn
purposes contemplated. The property
owners in the immediate vicinity, he said
should bear the burden by special assess
meDt. Mr.. Hurst took Mr.. Crafts to tas
for his opposition to the section in con
troveTsy, averiDg that he wss not actuatet
so much by his solicitude for the tax
PAYERS as by the seeming desire TO reopel
the site question. The people of the parl
district, he believed, would be fully pro
tected by the addition of clause provid
ing that the question of issuing the bond
should be first submitted to vote of tn
people. 1t would be injudicious to re
open the question of site at this time
That really was all there was in the eff or
to change the bill and this Legislature hav
ing once decided that it would not inter
fere in the site controversy. it would b.
unwise, in his opinion, for the member
to permit themselves to be made tools o
by those gentlemen coming from tn,
West Side who had undertaken to reopel
the site question. Besides. the issuing o
the park bonds was not mandatory. bu
was left to the discretion of the commits
sioners.
The vote showed a defeat for TIL
Crafts folks by 10 to IL, and again Mr.
Hurst was recorded on the side OF victor,
he did much in bringing about.