Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-11-20

AeoefOS AssklD9so0 - Hin Ap4op0o ~
HIS Recent Wait 20 Rock Islsad
which Are 70 ~ vsslasss VITA What
II, 8 ~ and Learned and Admitted Rers
~ - Bs'ssiftlinG.
" HE Des Moines correspondent
'JI Of the Chicago Times-Herald
Il sends out the following high
~ interesting information:
"Gen. H. H. Wright returned today
from Rock Island and Clinton. where
he investigated the charge that MEM
be-s of Company L, First regiment,
Iowa National Guard, located in
Clinton, went across the river to Full.
ton to interfere with the Rock Island
people who went there last August
to take possession of Modern Wood
men records Gao. Weight thinks
that The claim that the lowans took
Iowa military rifles across the line il
absurd. as thown ty the evidence.
Invent to Rsck leland and met
Aojt. Gen. Reece, of Illinois, who Is
q dsrocsor in the Modern Wocdmen,'
said Gen. Wright. We had q cor,
of informal hsaring Of evidence. bat
the stories were 30 palpa5ly false
tia. Gen. Reece himself could see
how absurd they were. The Lyons
company had only four guns. bu.
the evidence shows thss msnv more
than that were seen on both sides Of
the river at the same time.
'.sThe facts are that Thousands Of
Iowa people went over there that
night as private citizens. attracted
by the excitement. Some OF the
company were In the crowd but
they did not 60 as members OF the
lows National Guard, and it is TOOL.
ish to try to hold the guard respon-
siole for whatever they may or might
have done.
81 shall make my report to Gov.
Drake in few days. but l do not
think anything more siil be done
about it. The Woodmen are anxious
to drop it. and Gov. Tanner has told
the Rock Island people that if they
had stayed at home and minded their
own business there would have been
no trouble.'"
One ThinE Hero, Another There.
The remarks attributed to Gen.
Wright, at the Des Moines end are 50
at variance. with what he saw and
heard and stated in Rock Island that
they are not only amusing but start
ling to those who we're present at the
investigation, or conversed with the
Iowa adiutant general. Contrary to
the statement appearing above, no
not only stated that be had heard
enough to convince him. but he adj
mitted to Adj. Gen. Reece that
the question was q serious one.
and one that should have
hie most earnest consideration,
and that The believed Gov. Drake
would give il the attention on the
part Of the state OF Iowa that IL
merited. Further than that. he went
over to Davenport and talked il
ptsctically the same vein. Then no
Went to Clinton. The conssminat.
ing Influences Of that locslity are IA
miiiar. but it was supposed q man of
Gen. kright's position could with
st and them. 1t is difficult to con.
ceive Of how he could have changed
so radically. bat if he is quoted cor
rectly, the state of Iowa should be
ashamed OF having such q represen.
tative at the head of its military
forces. 1t is preferable to think
he IL In no way responsible for the
expressions with which his name ia
associated.
Whether quoted correctly or not.
the idea that has been given at Gin
ton that Woodmen are ready to let
the investigation drop is In the first
place untrue. as the orders repre-.
seusatiyes and all members of it out
side OF the narrow confines Of Clin-
ton and Fulton are standing by the
people OF Rock Island, who sought
to aud succeeded eventually in carry
ing out the head camps will; but
even were it true that the Woodmen
were favorable to snch position,
the people Of Kock Island. who we're
subjected to. insult and indignisy
through the force of Iowa muskets,
are the ones who laid the matter be.
fore Gov. Tanner. and they look to
him to see that refut ation 10 made
for the use OF outside arms on citi-
zens Of the commonwealth OF which
he Is the executive and within the
confiees Of that commonwealth. Tho
statement - to what Gov. Tanner
said Of the Rock Island people going
to Fulton has nothing to do with the
case. either. The people Of Illinois
will settle oil their own differences
among themselves. That 10 none of
the business OF Gen. Wright or any
one else outside OF the state. Whas
they object to is outside meddlirg
and interference That is the mat.
ter which has been brought 70 the
attention OK Gen. Wright. and il he
confines himself to the subject he
viii present a report that Gov. Drake
can act upon - the governor and
people Of Illinois expect him to.
IA's TenS WAsss . s.isA Nay ne Fsaaa.