Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-11-07
DOUBLE DEALING.
FiFER'S TSEACHERY TOWARD THE
GERMAN LUTHERANS.

The President of knownothins Organf-
xation Gives Him Dead Away On the
School Question, and Shows the Double
Part He La Playing.
The attempt of the Republican party
to hold the votes of foreign born citizens
while playing for the support of the
KnownothinC organizations, has now
been fully exposed.
The present compulsory education
law. over the repeal OF which the parties
divided in the last Legislature, has been
the leading state issue. The Republicans
in the last Legislature refused to vote FOR
the repeal of the obnoxious features of
this law, although the Democrats by
their votes and speeches attempted to
effect such repeal. The revolt of the
German Republicans frightened the Re-
publicans, and when their state conven-
ton met it changed front completely
and pledged itself to repeal the COM
pulsory education law. Governor Fifer.
in his speeches in German localities
made the same pledge, and Republican
papers in their attempts to win back the
German vote have spread these pledges
broadcast among the Germans. Fifer
ing signed the bill, and has declared bis
action an oversight. In spite of all these
Republican protestations it has been sus-
pected all along that Fifer and his party
We're playing double, and that their
promises were being made only to be
broken. The proof of their double deal
ing is now presented by the Chicago
Times, and il is so conclusive that no
one can doubt it.
A decoy letter was written to Dir. A.
E. Camel, president of Knownothing
organization, calling itself The Patriotic
Sons of America, which was answered,
and correspondence ensued between
Dir. Camel and the agent of The Times,
who represented himself to be in SYM
pathy with the Knownothings, but as
doubtful of the position of Governor
Fifer. This produced the following
reply:
STATE CAMP OF ILLINOIS.
A F. Camel, w. A. Saunders.
State President, State Secretary,
913 Tacoma Building, Unity Block,
Chicago. Room SO5-TD7,
Chicago.
B. J. Murray.
State Vice President,
Savanna.
H c. Lovett, DIR. z. c. Ogden,
State Master of Forms, State Treasurer,
Wateska Joliet
PATRIOTIC ORDER Sons OF AMERICA,
OFFICE OF STATE PRESIDENT, CHICAGO, Ill,
Oct. Il, 1S92.-MY DEAR Mr.. WILLIAMS:
Answering your last letter will say know
Gov Fifer will never sign bill repeating
the compulsory education law.
His views l am familiar with and per
sonally know how he stands on the ques-
ton. The Chicago Tribune to my mind is
just as near right on this matter they
were in the days of Horace Greeley, poor
old man, and their expressions are now as
near right as then-NO MORE so.
Now regarding the prohibition matter:
am prohibitionist when it comes to that,
but I cannot see how a thinking Christian
man can throw his vote where he knows it
will not count, and at the same time by
thus doing virtually assist in electing the
people to office whose rank and file, ser
geants, lieutenants, captains, colonies, and
all told ARE THE WHISKY ELEMENT of our
land No, no; 1 am not prohibitionist in
that sense. God hasten the day when we
shall have an American party, and when
this comes whisky (the spiritual influence
of and the Roman Catholic church will he
on one side and the balance of the Ameri-
can people on the other.
Let us stand upon the broad platform of
life-giving principles-the constitution of
the United StateS-i IL WIN
the utterances of George Washington:
Beware of Foreign Influence"
/ most certainly should be pleased to
meet you. Thanking you for your manly
statement of the platform you are upon,
namely, "Our Public Schools" / shall hope
TO know you better. Very truly yours.
a. h. GAMET.
There is no doubt az to the genuine
ness of this letter, of which The Times
prints facsimile. The writer of this
has seen the original letter i'll the hand
writing of Mr.. Camel, and it Is copied
above word for word rs written.
This letter gives away the whole
scheme. Fifer pledges the German
Lutherans that the Edwards law o.I,JI
be repealed, while the KnownOthirg s.
have his pledge that it shall not, THIS
covers the case VIII the people vote
for such a treacierous double de;ler?