Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-08
John X. Tanner, Statesman,

John X. Tanners campaign up to
date is very much in line with what
was expected Of him by those long
familiar with his characteristics.
He has begun work by inaugurating
a still hunt for votes all over the
state. and instead OF following out
the plan Of going after the votes of
the common people by going to the
common people themselves. he has
begun by going to those members Of
his party who are accredited with
the power to control the vote. OF
their fellow citizens and bargaining
with these for the delivery OF the
votes for Office, or other and similar
considerations. or course Mr.. Tan.
ner, as was expected, has been meet
ing with great falling Of in the
support he received from certain
quarters, and he is attempting to
make up the difference. He expects
by deals with the politicians and
with the henchmen aud the healers,
to secure votes from the common
people ~ho form the rank and file Of
the party. He expects this bec.u.e
he knows OF no other way in which
these votes are to be secured-at
least he has never secured votes in
any other way. Still it cannot be
said that Mr.. Tanner is altogether
sticking to his old ways OF doing
things. Over his campaign there
are hanging several small clouds.
1t is remembered, for instance,
that when Gov. Altgeld was
a candidate four years ago he went
to the work bench for the vote of
the workingman. He made town.
to-town canvass of the state. and
when he visited town he did not
hunt out the finest hotels and there
wait for the calls of the politicians;
he went after the common voters in
the factories and the workshops.
And he was elected over a man far
more popular than is John K. Tan
per. Mr. Tanner aud his coterie of
followers know this and are com.
mencing to realize the force of it in
the campaign OF this year. In such
a fight as is soon to be inaugurated
in earnest, the old-time machine
manner Of carrying on a campaign is
to be relegated to the rear. and u
tight for the votes of the common
people is to commence where the
common people will know what il
going on. IL is to be ii ht in which
the people are to be the arbitrators.
In general. however. the Tanner
campaign is going along Just as
might be expected. MIR. Tanner has
a number of new points to consider.
Among the latter, for instance, is
the conviction in Peoria of Simon
Shafrer. OF Chicago. on the charge
OF soliciting brides. Mr.. Shat
fer, rs member of the
lower house Of the legislature,
was one Of those who was protected
by the action Of Mr.. Tanner when he
ordered the republican majority in
the house to squelch Col. Jonathan
Merriam's resolution for an investi-
CATION Of legislative boodling. and
when he used all his influence with
certain members to that end. No
extended explanation from Mr.. Tan
ner as to the why's and the where
fores OF the case can get around the
TACT that in return for the service the
boodlers in the legislature rendered
him by throttling the investigation
OF the administration of the state
treasurer's Office for several terms
back, MIR. Tanner used his influence
to shield them. The press of the
state charged directly. explicitly and
repeatedly that there was corruption
without stint in connection with the
oihcial acts of certain legislators. In
spite OF these charges MIR. Tanner
worked with the gang to shield the
wrong doors. Now there is offered
to the state the spectacle of a citizen.
a candidate for the office of governor.
who has within year used his
power as patty leader to pro-
tect felons who were convicted of
malfeasance in a city nearly a hun.
dred miles from the one in which
most OF the crimes charged we're
committed. The developments in
The case are such as to EN- barrass the
supporters of MIR. Tanner very con-
siderably as a matter Of course. Yet
TINS Is only one Of the new points.
Another Is the effect Of the recent de-
veiopments in the Ramsay case. Mr..
Tanners connection with the late
state treasurer's dsfalcation is such
that he does not care to talk sbou,
the matter much. Nor is the talk
about the gangs attemp, to subvert
the sentiment OF the people n the
state convention helping the st.,os
man any. There are quite a NUM-
OF new elements entering into the
campaign which will appear Is,er
Murder will out.