Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-01-07
GEST is BALKED.
Judge Peasants a Candidate
For Reelection.
ANDTe1s SETTLES THE ONLY ONE

In the judges rs At Present. Composed
The Venerable Rock Island Jn,ist to
bs Retained.
The movement to boost W II Gest
into the Judiciary has been COM
pletely and effectually III warted by
The receipt by Sweeney & Walker of
a letter from Judge Peasants in re-
ply to an inquiry made by the legal
irm, as TO his candidacy for
reelection to the circuit jrdgeship.
In this response. which came yes,er-
day, Judge Peasants writing from
Springfield. where he is engaged in
the appellate court, says: "In re-
gard to the somewhat delicate sub
ject Of J our inquiry, which is the
first to call nv attention to it with a
view to any action on nv part. ! am
sure you will believe would be en-
tirely sincere ard frank. In view OF
~has has been so fully aud freely
given me by the bar and the people
of our circuit, and especially of our
county, Of course | am in no position
to claim or ask FOR more, or stand in
any body's way, and yet being asked,
| need nor hesitate to answer that if
they are disposed to give me one
more term, there are reasons which
justify me in desiring it more strong
ly than any | have had "
The effect of Judge Peasants letter
will have the effect in the first place
of putting a quietus on the presen:
aspiratirns of Mr.. Gest, ard in the
second place in giving reason able
assurance OF the retention Of the
present judges. Peasants, Glenn and
Bigelow. The Union, naturally sup
posed to speak for Gest. while it ac-
cepts the prospects with as good
grace as could be expected. yet ap-
parently clings to The faint hope
that the determination of Knox
county to h.ve representation on the
bench again may precipitste such a
combination as will either take the
nomination out Of the county or give
it to Gest through some hocus pocus.
Through innuendo it takes Mercer
county to task for voicing the feeling
of both itself and Henry and Hem
derson counties that they should
not submit to being sidetracked by
the larger counties of The district,
and in conclusion it urges the wis
dom of Rock Island county having
one candidate aad ..oDly one. Just
as soon as We can get to the point Of
unity" With the question of Judge
Peasants candidacy settled. the
public will doubtless be constrained
to ask the Uoion what obstacle yet
rem aims to unity.
Three Present Judges Are 6,nd Enough.
Regardless of what the Union and
Gest may think, the people general
ly, irrespective Of all else, v Ill receive
with infinite satisfaction the assur-
ance that Judge Peasants is to stand
for reelection. and any opposition
that may now be tXerted will be of
little weight, for the point on which
unity may be established is indisput.
able. And inasmuch as the nom
partisan judiciary for which The AR
GUS has always cherished an abiding
hope, and in which possibility it will
ever repose its confidence, is not
within the pale Of present condi-
iions, /. is satisfied that partisan
bias can best be eliminated from the
considerations affecting the Judge
ship by the denomination OF the pres.
ent incumbents on the pure question
OF merit. An at.emp. to unseat any OF
them such has been undertaken both
in Knox county and here, can only
result in the arousing Of partisan
passion, territorial dissensions and
personal animosities. Rock Island
county cannot fsil to indorse Judge
Peasants. tina. much is settled; nor
will there b. any inclination. The
ARGUS takes it. TO oppose the re-
nomination OF the talented and gen
ial Warren county jurist, John j.
Glenn, in order TO merely CRAFTY its
neighboring county of Knox. which
al eady has the best Office in the dis
tTict q the shape of the congressman.
Apart from this, too, the eminent
ability OF Judge Glenn commands
the recognition that is due him re-
gardless Of all else that has entered
into the choice of candidates. As
far As Judge Bigelow is concerned,
1t will be difficult to imagine how
Rock Island could ignore the duty it
owes to neighboring county, to saw
nothing f the judge himself, aud a
failure to aoquiesce in his renomina-
ton could only be regarded as an
affront to the iurist himself and his
Henry county frieods. Besides there
were none, So far as The ARGUS
tnows, who doubted that Judge Big
CLOVIS election for the unexpired
term of Judge Smith, carried a pur-
pose to retire him when the time
came for the election Of the full term
Judge. and it is generally considered
that he will be rechosen.
As for Mr. Gest, he Lss probably
made his customary political blum
der: either he has gone into the con-
test haphazard in taAiog it for
granted that Judge Peasants would
not be Candidate, or else it is a de-
liberately premeditated purpose on
his part to wage a contest before
knowing Judge Peasants position,
and then to assumethat il is too late
to withdraw. The ARGUS would pre.