Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-03-26
The Unions Object in Harp
ing.
SEEKS McC0NoCHIE's PEACE,
Puffs for the "Vacillating Elk.
Mayor.
Anxious to Get Back in The
Corner.

While no one would be apt to
take the Unions position seriously.
anent the mayoralty discussion the
past two days, there has been some
curiosity manifested to know the
true inwardness Of it, the sudden
return to puffery of ex-mayor Nc
Conochie,being one Of heyrenarka-
BILE and refreshing incidents Of the
variagated course Of the Eighteenth
street politician. Bat the explana-
ton has come of this attitude, and
with it an understanding Of the OBJ
ject in the senselsss ringing OF
changes on the Market square pavil-
ion. erected three years ago. The
Union is seeking q means of making
peace with 1.-THE corner" whose
power and influence in the control Of
republican politics in Rock Island it
has at last begun to feel.
As means of reaching the
inner circle it has adopted
the course of winning the gracious
favor of McConochie first, for the
ex-mayor WAS never on better terms
in his life with "the corner" than he
is now, and all through the interme-
diation and diplomacy, 1t is said, Of
E. M. Wilcox. Realizing, Is it has
so energetically proclaimed to the
world within recent date, that the
ex-msyor's chief characteristic is
vacillation, the Union has contented
itself that to win him back will be
q matter of small exertion-and that,
too, is . pleasant thought-and then
to use him As q go-between to carry
the overtures to 1.-THE corner" will
be likewise an undertaking of easy
accomplishment. Hence the re-
peated declarations as to what this
vacillating ex executive had in store
for Rock Island, had he been reelected,
in the way Of market square orna-
mentation. The facts in the case
are, however, that this was the one
thing left over from the McConochie
administration that Mayor Medill
carried out just as it had been
planned. The same design, the
same drawings and the same mater.
ial that had been contemplated by
McConochie were employed by Me.
dill. Under the McConochie regime
the plans were prepared for the
building just as it stands, but the then
mayor failed to have it erected. When
Mr.. Medill came in, instead of in.
volving the city in the expense oil
having new plans drawn, he put up
the building from the design alread J
on hand. That 10 all there is to that,
so that while the Unionfis speaking
Of shams, it should have guarded it
openings more plainly that the
actual sham of its own very attitude
be not too plainly discernib|e. For
as q matter of fact. while the people Of
Rock Island may have grown accus
toned to the Unions peculiarities,
they are not to blame If they are no,
fully convinced, of seeing in the
"Vacillating Mac" once pictured il
the paper, the likeness now por
trayed in the same columns of
substantial city builder whose planl
have strangely niscarried. Tn,
Union will have to make its terms o
treaty with "Vacillating Mac" ant
"the corner" in less conspicuous
manner.
Stands On His Record.
As far as Mr.. Medill is concerned
he objects to no comparisons between
his record as mayor and any other il
the city's history. He has made n,
Ieff,rt to conceal any act during hi
administration, and he courts tn
fullest investigation Is to every Incl
dent attending his administration H
has Q right to feel, however, that tn
Union in opposing him on purely pc
llitical grounds, should be consistent
A paper which seeks to destroy tn
good that . public Official has done
and to attach responsibilities for oc
curences that came despite his pro
test, is after all not in reality doin,
him much harm-but the motive re
mains.
The Union should learn to pate
iup its own plumbers within its part
without burdening the public viii
Its maneuvers; its Islander. and mis-
representation of others-to 80
nothing Of its triaing with the truth
The water Ealling Here: