Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-26
AFTER THE BENCH.
Those Who Would Wear the
Ermine.
KNOX COUNTY has DECIDED

Push Him AiOug-What VIII Rock Isl
ani County Do:-Ihe Present Juri,t and
'she Only One"
After reproducing The ARGUS
reference TO the recent visit to Rock
Island of the Galesburg committee in
the interest Of the Knox county claims
to a judicial Candidate for the elec-
ton next year. the Galesburg Repub-
lican Register says:
''ln this connection it should be
observed that Knox and Rock Island
counties do a larger legsl business
than any OF the other counties. This
county has been seriously incon-
venienced by not having a Judge and
ITS legal business is much delayed
1t is source of annoyance to the
people as well as to the lawyers. No
other candidate than Mr.. Thorn pson
is being talked Of. and it is believed
that so far as this county is con-
cerned there will be no serious oppo-
sision to this able and brainy at
torney.
$50 far as Rock Island is con-
cerned. those conversed with here
think that Judge Peasants ia likely
to be candidate for reelection.
But How Is 1t Here:
Knox county republicans are pur-
SUNG the course, in view Of the ju-
dlcial election, that has characterized
their methods of success in the past.
They settle ali matters of internal
dissension and determine upon a can
didate acceptable to all clements of
the party before going into the
convention which is TO decide. This
is the way they landed George W.
Prince in the seat OF the late Con-
gresham p. S. Post. They went
into one of the hottest congressional
conventions in the history of Illinois,
where every other county but one
had candidates. I'd that one other
county, by the way, is the one which
Knox is after and whose modesty
then was due to the possession of q
Judge-and won through their organ
ization. Rock Island on TIE other
hard was in that convention with q
candidate against whom IVES ar
rayed the really fighting strength at
home Of the party which sought
to have him recognized. And
may not history repeat itself
to certain extent? The Galesburg
Republican-Register announces that
Judge Peasants will he q candidate
for reelection. Without regard to
politics. the people of Rock Island
county will unite in saying $50 mote
1t be-" But the Union of this city.
supposed to speak for the repubii-
can party here, and which is at least
the mouthpiece Of the Gest element.
has dropped the venerable Jurist out
OF consideration and come out with
the announcement that Mr.. Gest will
be the Rock Island county candidate
for theermine. In this it is pursu-
ing the same line of politics that it
did when it sought to force, and did
force, the ex-congressman on the
party against protest little less
than two years ago and thus it
sent the nomination to another
county. If it attempts it again to
the utter disregard of all else beside
selfish interests, Rock Island county
may find itself left, as it was in the
Galva convention when with
popular candidate it might have won.
In this is the possibility OF history re-
peating itself.
Judge Peasants may not be a cam
didate for reelection, but there is
apt to be some resentment OF the
purpose to which the Union appears
to be party. to pIsh him aside IN
the interest of another before lie has
spoken. And should he decline there
is such thing as the recognition
Of tie distinguished fitness OF one
who has 80 graced the bench, any
way. The ARGUS, the other evening.
mentioned Adair Peasants as
having been proposed as 3
candidate for his fsther's success
sor. The Argos does not know
that the matter has ever been pro-
posed to Mr.. Peasants, or what his
inclinations or views are, but the
proposition is an honor, ard one that
a leading republican made reference
to in talking to group Of citizens
the day the Knox county delegation
YVES here, when he said: III Judge
Pleasants decides not to be a candi-
date l believe his son would be
worthy successor. He possesses the
qualifications, and aside from this il
would be 8 handsome compliment to
the juIist Of whom We are all proud,
and who we would delight to honor
even to the end OF his days, were he
willing"
Should Choose Well.
The bench is the point where
politics should end, il there is
such thing possible. The ARGUS
has always favored q non-par-
tisan Judiciary. Being thus inclined,
it f,els that where the mag
unanimous spirit is failing in tn Re
party in power it should be very
guarded in its choice OF men. We
ould have NO hesitancy in uttering q
vigorous protest against the eleva-
ION M judgeship Of arg man
unified by temperament to ELL
sacu position Of dignity and re-
sponsib'lity.