Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-06-18
WELL AS IT ENDS.
The Democratic County Con-
vention.
TIE UNNECESSARY ooHrEsuoI

Rock Island Democrats Happily Over
como BY the Prev.lsnes Of Right.
Well is that ends we'll, is an afIirma-
ton which is always accepted by the
philosophically inclined who enter
into any contentious as to directing
the affairs of parties or OF people. The
consoling injunction is apropos of
yesterdays democratic county con-
vention. 1t is doubt if the demo-
Gratis Of Rock Island county ever
held q convention where the lines OF
rivalry were 80 closely drawn or the
contentious waged with more ear
nestuess and determination. Where
such conditions exist. and the zeal of
some factions carry them to the very
verge OF bitterness. the party so
affected must submit its guidance to
calm deliberation and diplomacy, and
conservatism must be asserted if the
difficulty is to be passed without
eruption, involving disaster of more
or less gravity. 1t was in realiza-
tion of this fact that the democratic
county committee, elected by the
party to act in just such contingent
cies as arose yesterday for the party's
highest good, and with a view to IT,
sure party unity and harmony, took
the stand it did. The position of
the committee, its powers and good
Offices we're most eloquently and
CALAMITY spoken to the convention
at the morning session by Hon. Z. w.
Hurst, and it was due to the convinc-
ing logic Of that gentlsman's utter
ances that the convention was en-
ablsd to see the right and to stand as
it did by the party's representative
body, the county committee.
Dissension. without Causes,
Such dissensions as preceded yes.
terday's county convention and par
ticipated in in the early proceedings
OF it were entirely unjustified and
unnecessary, and were due absolutely
to misapprehension as the result Of
interpretation. T. J. Medill, as
the self-constituted representative of
Gov. Altgeld in Rock Island, did
that official a greater injustice before
the democracy of the county than he
did him good, in that he did the
party an injustice in misstating its
attitude toward the governor. In
creating the impression that any fac
ton or individual in the democratic
party was opposed in the slightest
degree to Gov. Altgeld. Mr.. Medill
misrepresentei the facts, and he did
SO despite the fact that he was as
sured by those whose position on
this subject he had misconstrued,
that he was wrong. He refused to
accept the word of the very ones who
had been most friendly to him here
and who had been responsible for
such prominence as he has achieved
in the party which has always been
proud of him.
Mr. Cable and the Issue.
When Mr.. Cable was in Rock Isl.
and before leaving for the east three
weeks ago he stated emphatically
and in a manner in which all who
were interested need not misunder-
stand or misconstrue his position.
that opposition to Gov. Altgeld would
not be c0untenanced, much less en-.
couraged or aided by him. ..Such
issue rs have taken with Gov. Alt
geld" said Mr.. Cable. ..is purely of
a personal nature. He has made a
good governor. one of the best
the state has ever had and
no loyal democrat can fail
to applaud his business like
administration, or as q democrat fail
to indorse him for denomination. -
Yet in the face of this the misrepse-
sentation continued. Hostile oppo-
sition party papers were made the
receptacies of ridiculous puffery
of the governor and attacks
upon Mr.. Cable and his friends, with
view to prejudicing the mind Of
the = party-but all to no effect
When the party's representatives
came together they saw the
myth. The controversy had been
carried unnecessarily into the legis-
lative fight. but it persisted there
likewise. Prejudice was discounte-
nanced and repudiated and the party
asserted to the utmost its power un-
- AAASAcN ouu oueS pOAcu.
Mr.. Cable was put on the defen-
sive, and he appeared in the conven-
ton in support Of his rights and his
position as q democrat. He had pre-
viously said to those who were max
ing war upon him that he asked
nothing but fairness and a policy be-
fore the. convention which would
be to the best interests OF
the party. Neither he nor his
friends took sny part in fhe LsgZsLs-
tive contest until the issue was
ltONceA. IN every step IN me conHen.
tons progress from the prelim.
mary county committee meeting
in the morning on Mr.. Cables
course suggested harmony. and
1t was this attitude that dis
armed completely those who had
SO inconsistency assailed his posi-
ton and placed the democracy of
Rock Island county on record. Mr..
Cables friends prepared the senti-
ments and expressions Of the con-
vention and they were voiced in q
manner not to be misunderstood.
The cosssss for Representative.
The contest on the indorsement of