Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-02-14
NOW THAT'S NEAT.
Talking About Tricks in Poll
tics, What About This?
REPUBLICAN, OAUOUsES CHANGED.

ILL O944O3n OAOOOo4b OAAN01O'
Brilliant Trick and . Dark Trick Com
bined In the Interests of Gest-Something
UNIQUE From Those Who Abhor Sensa-
tional Pyrotechnics In Politics and Cp-
hold Plain. Ordinary. Honest Methods.
To the entirely disinterested. to
one far from the exciting, aye
dangerous ulmoil that is raging
within the republican party in the
Tenth congressional district, the
kaleidoscope spectacle which is now
being presented. is highly refresh
ing. 1t is battle of the wits. illum-
mated by the ever changing hues,
calcium effects that are bewildering
-sensationally fascinating. Yester-
day morning the Union condemned
the course of the Moline city-town-
ship committee in calling its eau
cuses for tonight. Termed the act
sensational. pyrotechnic politics, an
evidence of brilliancy on the part of
those who are no longer contented
with 1.-The humdrum meetings of
plain, honest folk" This morning
it comes out, and in a poster type
upholds just such a course on the part
of the republicans of Rock Island. 1t
makes no report of last nights meet
ing of the republican city-township
committee, which Gest controls. but
in its display columns. and other
wise. calls upon republicans to turn
out to the caucuseS tonight and save
Gest. Its cause is desperate, the
very act of resorting to display type
lines. something unheard of in the
history of political journalism be-
fore. and truly reflects the stage of
despair that has overtaken it and the
little Gest circle.
Al Between Rock Island and Moline.
Its purpose to develop a spirit of
rivalry between Rock Island and Mo-
line factions politically, the only OBJ
ject of which is to help Gest, is
enough in itself to arouse the indig-
nation of thinking republicans who
care anything for party unity. But
the Union is making no effort to pre-
serve party unison now. Its single
aim is to pull Gest through. Now,
and now alone. is the cry of the Gest
contingent. Help us now. to the
dogs with the future and all else that
may pertain to party or politics.
Let the republicans of Rock Island
and those of the stronghold of the
county be placed at everlasting log
gerheads; what matter that? Gest
is all we want. and to get him at any
and all cost is the object. "A vote
for Gest delegates at tonight's pri-
maries is vote for Rock Island and
Rock Island interests" it says. "a
vote for Ainsworth is a vote for Mo-
line and Moline interests, which, ac-
cording to the Moline view, some
times clash. They clashed on our court
house; they might clash as to the de-
STABILITY of pushing the construc-
tion of the government building"
This is cheering evidence of Con-
sistency. Rock Island and Moline
did join issue on the court house,
and Rock Island won, but how was
the outcome to the credit of the
Union or the Gest crowd? How
much did Gest do to help the new
court house? Can anyone point to
n single instance where he raised a
| finger to aid it? No, it was not the
efforts of the Rock Island Union, or
Of Mr.. Gest that won the court house
victory. Those really concerned in
the success of the court house pro-
ject are not harboring a continued
i'll feeling toward Moline. The true
victor does not seek to engender the
hatred of his vanquished opponent,
and Gest and the Union may at
tempt, but they cannot obtain vain
glory over the success of any public
undertaking. People do not look to
the Union as an advocate of the prac-
teal principles of public advance
ment. and assuredly they do not an
ticipate anythingin the line of public
progress from the first man to appeal
to the courts to thwart the public i'm.
provements that had been inaugur.
ated during his absence in the
city. the first and only man in all Roch
Island to attempt to check the city:
permanent street improvement in
the way of grading and paving. The
people are not so blind as to con-
| SlUeT tudt luelT cOuulttOu WOulu Dt
elevated by a man who fought the
city as Gest fought it in the matter
of street improvements, this very
act on his part giving the lie to the
pretes sions as to what he has accom-
plished for the city's good.
Accusations rs to Democrats.
Equally absurd is the Unions accu
sation as to the position of the chair
man of the democratic city-townshiI
committee in this contest. Demo
Gratis are taking no hand in the merr,
war. They are looking on and en-
joying the fun, although they cannot
but reflect how far any thinking re
publican would be from attempting
to nominate Gest in a district il
anyway close. where the two parties
stand on something Of an equa
footing. The falsehood which the
Union utters as to democratic inter
est in the internecine struggle thai