Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-06-29


the name of any person to be voted for |
at said election except said officers of
public schools, and said ballots shall be |
deposited in separate ballot box, but
canvassed with other ballots cast for
school officers at said election.
Article z Of the constitution of the
state referred to, reads
Every person having resided in this
state one year, in the count 80 days
and in the election district 80 days
preceding any election therein who was
an elector in this state on the fret day of
April. in the year of our Lord, 1S4S, or
obtained certificate OF naturalization
before any court of record in this state
prior to the first day of January, in the
year of our Lord 1870, or who shall be a
male citizen of the United States above
the age of 81 years, shall be entitled to
vote at said election.
Reference to the special charter under
which the Rock Island school district is
organized and established, shows that
the council is empowered to examine
and canvass the returns the same as in
the election of the mayor and aldermen;
therefore the contest may be rightfully
brought before that body.
1t is Il ct no. to be disguised that the
vote OF the women defeated Directors
Durham and Carter, and it is only fair to
state that much of the voting that was
done against these two gentlemen was
under the impression that they were
being supported by the Catholic women,
which was absolutely untrue. 1t is ex-
| ceedingly doubtful if Catholic woman
in Rock Island would have cast a vote
yester lay but for the misrepresentation of
their position, and even then some went to
the polls under protest when urged bv
their friends to do so. and many remained
away entirely, And one thing above all
others is certainly true, and that is if
there was any voting done by women
yesterday under pastoral injunction, die.
| tstion and direction and there was every
| appearance at one voting place of such
being the csse-it was not the Roman
| Catholic women who so voted.
There is now pending in the supreme
court of Illinois on an appeal from the
| circuit court at mt. Vernon, case which
is likely to test the validity of the legis-
lstive act permitting women to vote.
The McLsin CO unty court decided the law
| unconstitutional, and the force of legal
opinion is that the lower court will be
| sustained.
The evidence and spectacle of the
mayor of the city lending the executive
power and influence vested in his posi-
ton, to the support of q faction-no mat
ter what his debt politically to that, fac
tion-in an election Of the Importance of
a school election, was one of the most
lsmentable features OF the day.
The appearance Of uniformed police>
men at the polls interfering with citizens in
the exercise of their constitutional rights
was an outrage sufficient to arouse the
indignation of every citizen having an
appreciation of the privileges and bless,
ings of untrsmmeled American citizens
ship. At the polling place of the Third.
Fourth and Fifth wards James Riley. an
| old citizen, was actually forced away
from the line by one of the mayors sub,
iects, but he was not to be thus imposed
upon, and he managed after struggle TO
cast his ballot anyway.
The defeat of Directors G. G. Garter
and c.. w. Durham is regarded by the
| ARGUS as great misfortune, great
injustice and great shame, especially
| in view OF the fact that it was accom-
plished by willful Misrepresentation.
| The idea that two men of the acknowl
edged ability of DR.. G. G. Carter and
graduates, with unassailable records as
| school directors, and two of our best
known citizens, should be defeated by an
indiscriminate plumring process, .s
forciDle commentary on the evil effects
of secret organization in controlling
elections of any kind. There is no &C.
casion to reflect in the least on the sue
cessfal candidates. but the election I'M
der the circumstances is no particular
| compliment to them as they were elected
merely because they had the support of the
A P. A. organization, whose influence
was sufficient to carry the day with the
ticket it endorsed no matter whose names
it bore.