Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-04
Delivered at Eningham. Ill. Sept Is. 1898
TANNER CASTICATED.
One of the Products of Hannaisrn-

One of the Products of Hannaism-
After a brief review OF the recent
history of the Democratic party. in
Guiding a very plain statement Of facts
as to how Hannaism triumphed in 1896
by the preparation OF frauds at the
polls, Mr.. Altgeld said:
Now let US 90 back. I have already
referred 10 Mr.. Hanna, and, gentlemen.
IN the history OF this Republic that
man is going to stand out prominent
as the greatest political criminal, as
the most Shiny character OF this age.
(Applause.) Everything he touched
moved along the line OF corruption.
Let US now follow the result a little,
let US see what that flood tide OF cor
ruption OF 1896 brought forth. We will
look at Il for a moment from the stand
point OF our state and then we Will
try to for a moment glance at it from
a national standpoint and you will
and, my friends. that in all places
Hannaism led into the pool of fraud,
of bribery, OF corruption aud OF rotten
ness.
IN our own state we elected gov
eruor and a legislature. ! do not care
to characterize. 1 have not the Ian
guage to properly characterize the can
didate whom they elected governor o.
this state two years ago. (Applause)
/ will give you. however. the language
OF Republicans describing their can
dioate, and that Is this-or one OF the
descriptions heard frequently was this:
THAT 1T WAS THE FIRST TIME
IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE
THAT THE GREAT REPUBLICAN
PARTY HAD PUT UP A CANDIDATE
FOR GOVERNOR WHO HAD THE
REPUTATION OF BEING A LIBER-
TINE, A MURDERER AND A GAM
BIER" (Applause) This Is not my
language: IL is the language OF men
who under pressure of the party LASH
went to the polls and voted for that
man. Our legislatures had already
established a reputation that was none
TOO good In 1895 we had a Republican
legislature. that you recollect very
we'll went out over the state and levied
blackmail upon every industry II could.
one. OF the railroad lawyers. OF the
state who had to deal with It told me
that that Republican legislature OF
1895 had blackmailed forty OF the
great interests of this state; honest
interests that were doing an honest
business. But that was the kind or
legislature which men who want to
buy legislation. who want to buy the
privilege OF robbing the country, al
ways select for their purposes
The Amen BIu TrIee In 1895
That legislature passed number OF
bills that were again passed by the
q
railway bill OF exactly the same char
acter and the same tenor that passed
The last legislature an called the
Allen bill, a sire railway bill Whlcn
authorized city councils of large cities
to issue n license OF franchise TO
street railway company for fifty years
and to provide that the fare should De
a=e cents. although In Europe and IN
other places in this country. owing 10
the improved method OF operating
street railways. the use OF electricity
etc. the fares are going down IN
Europe they are about one-half OF
what we pay here But the legislature
PASSED that bill. Il was an effort TO
out the people OF the great cities OF
this state into the grip OF corporations
for an time. II was especially an Ell
fort TO put a yoke on the people OF tue
great city OF Chicago for all time
GOV AItgeid VETOED the BlIis In 30
TWAS a corrupt measure. the very AZ
mosphere was full OF corruption white
e was pending in the legislature Inc
estimates as to the amount OF Wnal
we call Doodle that was spent there TOT
the passage of that bill vary. but the
least Of them places 1t at a half OF
million dollars. II was worth millions
and millions to the street railway com
panies. All of the street railway COM
panies have stocks and bonds together
that amount to upwards OF one hun
dred million dollars They esti-
mated that these bills would advance
that stock IS per cent In fact. there
were able men who estimated that It