Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-24
VOTE FOR THEN.
The Proper Ticket for School
Directors.
REPRESENT THE BEST INTERESTS.

kEPkESEnJ TH6 BtSI INTERESTS.
The Reasons Why Il. A. Donaldson and
j. W. WEIGH should he Elected Over the
seif-Announced Csndidates-The Voting
Places.
Tomorrow occurs the annual cleo
ton for members of the board Of
education of the Rock Island school
district. Two directors are to be
elected to fill the places of +. +.
Robbins and Fl. ID. Folsom, whose
terms expire. The voting places are
to be the No. school house in the
First ward. the old No. s school in
the Fourth ward. and the old No.
z school in the Seventh ward. Tax
payers should bear the places in
mind and none should fail to vote.
Donaldson and WEIGH Should Win.
There are abundant reasons why
the best interests of the public
school system suggest the election
of Messrs. X. A. Donaldson and j. W.
WEIGH, the popular candidates over
F. f. Robbins and Mrs. w. A. Norris,
who were announced several weeks
ago, really long before the election
was thought of by people in general.
who, from what it can be learned,
are not in the field in response to
any expression of public sentiment
or of q desire which is at all wide
spread or general. 1t will be re-
membered that the outgoing direc-
tors, Messrs. Robbins aud Folsom,
we're elected three years ago. There
was no reason to think Mr.. Robbins
should be candidate any more than
Mr.. Folsom. The latter had given the
matter no attention, but would have
been willing to stand for re-elec-
ton had it not been for the ad-
vantage taken to force him off the
board, and he was surprised at the en-
tirely premature announcement that
MI. Robbins had formed combination
by which he and Mrs. W. A. Norris
were formally announced as candi-
dates. This was five weeks ago.
There was naturally much inquiry as
to why MIR. Robbins should be con-
sidered a candidate and MIR. Folsom
not, and many Of our representative
citizens called on the latter and asked
him to become candidate, there be-
ing nothing in MIR. Folsom's record to
| Justify his enforced retirement. and
the public becoming satisfied that
there was a systematic effort to force
him out because he had not fallen
entirely in with the wishes of the de-
sire of one man TO rule the board,
the teachers and all that pertained to
the public school system. The situa-
ton was canvassed. Others of our
members of the board and guard the
school system from manipulation by
any clique or ring, or any individual,
were proposed. MIR. Folsom's record
was investigated. 1t was found that
in all respects he had discharged his
duty faithfully and acceptably, but
in some instances he had opposed
certain movements that he did not
CONSIDER consistent with good school
government. He had followed his
con scientious convictions. and had
been outspoken in these convictions.
On this occount he was slated fer re.
tirement. Public opinion seemed to
uphold Mr.. Folsom, and those who
took the interest in the matter that
the situation warranted, found that
Mr.. Folsom and, j. W. Welch. a for.
mer member of the board, more near.
ly met the views of the majority of the
people as Just the men for election,
and they were duly announced. A
few days later Mr.. Folsom concluded
that inasmuch as there were infiu.
ences opposed to him-the same in
fluence that had crowded him off
and, convinced that candidates agree.
able to all who have proper disin
terested feeling for the schools
should be selected, he withdrew and
r. A. Donaldson became the general
lily accepted candidate in his place
Having been solicited to become :
candidate, as Mr.. Folsom and Mr.
WEIGH had, he finally consented, ant
Messrs. Donaldson and Welch be
came regarded as the popular candi
dates. The same system that ha.
obtained in the past is applicable tc
them. They are not self-announcet
Ic80QlOatcS, anu uuuuTeuB OF our GU
liens expressed themselves that they
met the public idea of the matter
exactly, whereas. as to Mr.. Robin.
and Mrs. Norris Ehere has vet to bs
found the source that is responsible,
for their entering the field besides
the fact that the one man who il
seeking to control and rule the bOart
arranged the combination to the ex
clusion of Mr.. Folsom because b,
could not control him.
Men of Broad Views Demanded.
With the present condition o
school affairs, financial and other
wise, there is jus: demand for bus
mess men such as Messrs. Donaldson
q. and Welch are. The mere suspic
ion that any individual, no matter
who he is, is seeking to run tn
schools, and is putting up certain
candidates regardless of who they
are, is sufficient ground for tn,
broad-minded tax payers to step il
land elect those whom they know ar,