Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-12-07
HOW THEY FEEL.
Knox County Republicans on
the judicial Nomination.
THEY CLAIM AN UNFAIR DEAL.

~,
Lay all the Trouble to the Door of Rock
Island County. Which Was, as Hereto
fore stated. Getting Even for O,d Scores
-Blgelow aud the Railroad Interests.
The Galesburg Republican Regis
ter republican newspaper. sup
posed to voice the sentiments of the
repu blicans of Knox county on the
judicial convention proceedings at
Monmouth Wednesday in the knock
ing out of the Knox county candi-
date to succeed Judge Smith, in its
comments on the outcome. says:
''knoxcounty. with the largest p!n-
rality of any county in the district.
and with the largest docket, is with
out a Judge. 1t was the feeling
here that as Judge Smith, the retir-
ing Judge, was resident of this
county, common courtesy and fair
ness would dictate that the balance
of his term at least should be filled by
Knox county man.
1T may puzzle people to compre-
bend the animus in this fight against
Knox county, but it is disclosed by the
argument made to the friends of Mr..
thompson on the occasion of their
visit to Rock Island Monday. and on
the preceding Friday to others.
Politicians of Rock Island county
were heard making open threats
against Knox county last week before
the primaries were held here. They
asserted that at the last republican
state convention certain politicians
OF Knox county, who were present at
that time, promised the representa-
tlves from The other counties of this
congressional district that if Knox
were given the congressman they
would not ask for anything else,
whereas it was charged that they as
sisted in fixing up combination
that Knocked Rock Island county out
OF state central committeeman,
while eventually Knox county was
given committeeman at large.
This charge at the Monmouth con-
vention Wednesday was refuted and
the responsibility for the appoint
ment of a committeeman at large
from here was claimed to be State
Chairman Tanners own act. There
was another inexplicable thing about
the Rock Island deal. Their papers
advertised the primaries for Monday
evening, but word seems to have
been quietly passed around and thew
were held on Saturday evening, or As
hours ahead of time. This caused
considerable comment. The reasons
most given by the Rock Island men
were as follows: Knox county has
had the judgeship for 80 years: Hen
~ county says she has asked for it
for 20 years and has been put off
time and again; Mercer county saws
she wants it. In demanding the
ludgeship Knox county is asking too
much. She wants the earth. She
has the congressman, the supreme
Judge, and a member of the state
central committee. But it was ar
gued that the legal business of the
county demands a resident Judge.
The answer was: If you didn't have
resident Judge you would get your
docket cleaned up. No Judge is go
ing there at an expense of 81 day
w hOaA oltOi
blamed for "wanting the EARTH
"Another reason given by the Rock
Island people was that they were
united with Henry county in the
same senatorial district, and that
their political interests were identi-
cal. They felt more kindly toward
Mercer than Knox. because Mercer,
when in the same congressional dis
trict. had stood by Rock Island coun-
ty. 1t was also urged that Henry
county Judge could be more easily
reached by railroad from that part of
the district than could one in Gales
burg. The most potent reason, how
ever, of all seemed to be that already
given, that Knox county wanted
the earth
BigelOw a Railroad Attorney.
1.-The successful candidate, Mr..
Bigelow. is resident of Galva, Hen
ry county, and is between 60 and 20
years of age. He is credited with
being sharp and able attorney He
has been for years the c., b. & Q. at
torney in that county. This gave
rise to the statements that the rail-
road influence was being thrown in
his favor. Some color of truth was
given the stories bv the activity in
the convention of Mr.. Walker, of the
firm of Sweeney & Walker. Rock Isl
and. Sweeney is the c., B. & q. at
torney at that point"
Tarri,,lo Stor.,, Eo,,,.u~