Rock Island Argus., 1896-12-01
AFTERIT ALREADY.
Republicans Want the Hospital
Commissionership.
HAVE A Man SLATED FOB IT

j. Medii. Jr., Whose Term Hss Not
Yss Expirsd-Bat the Pressnt lncambeee {
Deserves RstsntioD.
In the furtherauce OF their ambi-
tion and zeal to seizs every possible
opportunity for Office under the COM
ing regime in state. as we'll as ma
tional affairs. the republicans already
have designs on the c ,mmissioner-
ship of the Western Insane hospital.
at present held BY T. j. Medill. Jr.
Under the laws OF the state under
which the hospital was provided for
the trustees must include one men,
Der Of the party not in power, and
while there is . vacancy on the
board created by the resignation Of
Judge John 4. Eden to be supplied
before MIR. Medill's term expires, the
local republicans who have stirred
the matter up are not willing that
Judge Eden's successor should be
named first. but they want Mr..
Medill removed first. The facts
are, however, that Gov. Tanner can
not compose bis commission in COM
pliance with the Law in appointing q
republican successor TO Mr.. Medili
before the expiration of the latter's
term, unless he names another dem.
ocrat in Judge Eden's place or dis.
misses J. Sheldon Gale, of Galesburg,
prematurely to make room for dem
ocrat in his place. When the trus-
tees drew lots for their terms of two,
four and six years each, as required
by law, after their original appoint
ment, Mr.. Gale drew the long term,
Judge Eden the middle and Mr..
Silvis the short one. Mr.. Medill,
having succeeded Mr.. Silvis, natur-
ally falls heir to the sLort term, ex-
piring next March. Gov Altgeld' 8
commission was composed OF two
democrats and one republican. but
Judge Eden has since resigned and
the governor has not provided for
the vacancy. In the ordinary course
of procedure. the first duty incum-
bent upon the new executive would
seem to be to name Judge Edsn's
successor.
Want the Home Trustee.
But the local republicans do not
want it that way. They are after
the home commissionship, aud they
desire ii just as soon after the new
governor takes his seat as may be
They have already picked out their
man in the person OF Hon. ). w.
Simonson, of Port Byron, secre ary
Of the republican county committee
and he is willing, of course. This
wolfish disposi tion has caused con-
siderable surprise because of its in
con sistency in view of the vacancy
which should first bs supplied, aud
further because Mr.. Medtil, who has
risen to the presidency of the board.
has made a model trustee, having
discharged the duties with signal
ability. None will doubt that it was
greatly through his faithfulness and
energy that the hospital was brought
to Rock Island county. Indeed tire
mained for democratic administra-
ton to be the first in charge OF state
affairs to give to Rock Island q state
institution, and had the republican
party still been in control OF the
state Rock Island county would
doubtless have come out as usual, at
the little end of the horn. President
Medill should not only be permitted
to serve out the full length of his
term, but he should then be reap
pointed. Hehas been identified with
the great institution from its incip-
iency, and as q matter of common
courtesy. as matter of duty to
the state, the Rock Island trustee
should be retained as the democratic
member of the incoming commission.
instead Of sending up into the coun-
try for the mere qualification OF q
political Whim,