Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-17
SIMPLE AND CRUEL.
The Course Of the Union as to
y Mr.. SiIvis' Resignation.
IT'S ATTITUDE Is SHAMELESS

Attempt to Discover Motives Back OF the
Act which 10 Ridiculous Even In the
Face Of the Inhumanity u the Dlsposi-
ton Aanifested.
The Union is undergoing one of its
spells. When under the influence of
one of these attacks, 80 peculiar to
itself and which affiict it aud
burden the public at intervals. it
thinks things and says things that
would not enter the mind orees-
cape the tongue of properly
balanced individual. Unfortunately
the resignation of 7. S. Silvis, as
commissioner for the Western Insane
hospital, came during q time when
the Union was SO afflicted and he at
once became a victim of its hallucina-
tions and misguided theories. The
insinuation which is made through
the columns of this mornings paper,
that any other instrumentality than
the state of his health caused MIR.
Silvis to resign, is as absurd as it is
viciously unjust to Mr.. Silvis. To
misconstrue the motives of a citizen
who. prompted by loyal and patri-
otto impulse and a deep sense of rec
ognition of duty to the state. has, on
account of present physical ills, re-
signed because he fears he is unequal
to the task evinces q spirit which is
either irresponsible or unjust. and
above all, cruel. What y shame
less incentive on the part OF the
Union prompts such suggestion as
this:
lit is said that Galesburg has been
holding off for Rock Island to first
make showing, and that Rock ISL
and has been holding off to give
Galesburg the first bid. Has it &C.
curre1 to Gov. Altgcld that the two
towns have been concealing empty
hands. and that in his contempt for
such shillyshallying he has commu-
nicated something to Trustee Silvis
that has prompted that gentleman to
step down and out? No light thing
would cause Mr.. Silvis to resign. He
has been earnest and hopeful for
Rock Islands cause, and knowing
how much depends upon the home
representative he would not give up
this advantage on account of ill
health alone; if he felt incapacitatcd
he would at least see to it that some
other Rock Islander should be ap.
pointed in his stead before Offering
his resignation. What that thing is
that prompted him we ought to know
without loss of time"
Act Was Ono OF Self Sacrifice.
The ARGUS knows whereof il
speaks when it says that there is
nothing whatever concealed in re.
gard to MIR. Silvis' resignation. "A
conscientious conviction that the ex-
listing state of his health will not ad.
NIT Of his giving the duties the at.
tention they should have is alone re-
sponsible for his act. While, as
stated yesterday, personal friends
have labored with him to induce him
to undertake the duties-his disposi-
ton to resign having been mani
tested some weeks ago, and was not the
determination of a moment-he felt
that his duty to the state dictated
the course, and satisfied of this, he
could not be induced to do other
| wise.
The personal sacrifice and disap-
pointmcnt suffered by Mr.. Silvis is
great. He had counted much on the
work to be devolved upon him and
OF the endeavors he was to make in
behalf of Rock Island, and the
Unions shoot would, coming from
any other source, be regarded as lack
ing in the -rudiments Of human SYM
pathy, but it is to be hoped that it
will be regarded by MIR. Silvis and
his friends as merely one of its silly
exhibitions.
DR.. Kay's Renovator is certain to