Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-03-07
THE ILLINOIS DEMOCRACY.
enthusiastic Meeting of the State
Central Committee.
Soiia Declarations for Palmer for
senator. and for Expressions from
the Coun y conventions on the Nom.
ination by the state Convention.

. ene uciuoCIdCy Oh ltllnO.S Is con-
ndent OF victory In the coming campaign
was amply manifested In the large at.
tendance at yesterdays meeting of the
state central committee in this city.
upon the policy to be adopted by the
party at the state convention there was a
unanimity Of sentiment; upon the selec>
ton OF Standard bearer in the United
states sena 5orial canvass there was but
one expression-that ex-Gov. John L..
Palmer's popularity and we'll known
views made him the most likely to lead
the party to victory. The commits
tee met at the Palmer house. Chairman
John e Campbell, Of Streator. presiding.
The roll call by Secretary Haynes showed
the following members or proxies pres
ent:
At Large ALFRED Orendorff, of Spring
reid; Delos P. Phelps. of Monmouth; ].
W. Richards. OF Chicago; Geo M. Haynes,
OF Chicago, and w. Brinton, of Tuscols
By Districts-John Gaynor, of Chi>
cago; 5. B. Chase. of Chicago; Luther ~
Dearborn. Of Aurora; W. .. Wright, of
Freeport; j. NJ. Knox, of Princeton; j.
Q. Campbell, of Streator; D. G. TAYLOR,
OF kankakee; L. Y. Thornton. of Can
ton; j. W. Potter, of Rock Island; W. H.
Hinrichsen, of Quincy; ]. D. Wright. of
Petersburg; Theodore Nelson, of De-
catur; s. L. Woodwork, of Arcola;
George n. Parker, of Robinson: Clayton
L, Crafts, of Chicago; D. G. Fitzmaurice,
OF Alton; W. Watson. Of Mount Vernon
and L. +. Bouton, Of Jon.sboro.
There were other prominent democrats,
the Times says. in attendance There
were stirring talks by Francis A. Hoff>
man, democratic ex-candidate for state
treasurer. who was called upon for q
speech and responded. favoriug a long
campaign. He found matter for con-
graduation IN the success of the Illinois
tariff reform league. and from the great
enthusiasm with which the farmers of the
state were receiving the new doctrine.
In speaking of the German element Mr..
Holman called attention to an editorial
OF Mr.. Raster in the Stats Zeitung sew
eral days ngo, saying it was not within
the power of the republican party to pre-
vent defeat in Illinois and Wisconsin SO
far as the labor element and the farmers
are concerned. they have got beyond the
belief that the tariff as now framed, has
benefited or will benefit labor. 10 con-
clusion MI. Hoffman said: You must
have not only an idea, hut also a man.
| know a man in whom are the requisite
qualities TO make him leader in the
coming conflict and to make that conflict
successful That man is no other than
Gov. John NJ Palmer"
Chairman Campbell read a letter from
Gov. Palmer in response to an invi>
tstion to De present at the meeting, In
it Mr.. Pal liner says: Il wish ii clearly
understood that | am in no sense a can,
didate for the senate. All l have ever
said is that | think tue state convention
ought to adopt il as d permanent rule of
our party government to nominate q
candidate for the senate, and that If my
view of party policy in that respect is
accepted, / should accept the nomination
and make canvass, but would greatly
prefer some other person to be nomln at
ed. The motive that leads to this sug-
gestion is that / do not desire to be a
member of the senate and will only con-
sent to be candidate before the peo-
pie in order to vindicate the principle of
electing the senator by popular vote as
nearly as possible"
An eloquent speech was also delivered
by Gen. John G. Black. Springfield
was decio ed upon as the place of holding
the state convention. aud June 4 as the
date. The Times gives the following
further report of the proceedings:
Mr.. Potter, of Rock Island, offered the
following resolution;
"RssoLte ed, That the state central com
mittee hereby request the secretary to
incorporate in the call for the state con-
ventioD request for an expression of
opinion from the several county conven>
tons Of the state as to the sdvlsability Of
nominating United States senator in
the state convention"
Mr.. Chase, of Chicago, opposed the
resolution on the ground that the state
central committee was exceeding its au>
thority in taking such action as that pro-
posed. Mr.. Brinton, Of Tuscola, was
disposed to entertain the same view OF
the matter, and Mr.. Potter was called
If a (. -
Island gentleman stated that the action
proposed by him was only what was
expected from the committee by the dem
ocrats OF the state. The committee in no
way exceeded Its authority III adopting
such a resolution, as II was by no means
mandatory, but merely requested various
county conventions to give an expression
of opinion on the advissbility of the state
convent on naming the party's candidate
for United States senator. The matter
had been extensively agitated. and the
eye of the democracy Of the whole coun-
try was upon Illinois to sec 1t take the
initiative is securing the election of
United States senators as nearly as posi-
BILE by popular will. No reform had
ever been effected without the cry of
heresy from some one. In this case ii
would be the republican party that
would make the cry of heresy, be-
cause ia this innovation that party
saw Its Ultimate downfall 10 the state Of
Illinois. SO thoroughly had this matter
been discussed by the democratic press OF
Illinois that MIR. Potter thought that If
the state central committee should adjourn
without taking the action proposed, II
would De accused OF having been dere-
lict In It's duty.
Either the arguments of Mr.. Potter
and the gentlemen who followed him
we're convincing. or else Mr.. Chase's OBJ
iectionf were technical rather than pc
litical, for both he and Mr.. Brinton &c.
ouiescei In the general sentiment. and