Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-26
MADE A MESS OF IT.
Republicans Get Into an Un-
seemIy Row Over the
Woodmen Picnic.
ORALLE AND POLITICAL TIMBER"

| Ranson's Marshal of the Day DecliHes &c
Serve for Reasonable Outcome of an
Attempt at Nest Featherng-Attempi
to Use the Outing of a Noble Order for
Personal Advancement.
1t is a great misfortune that among
the hungry of Rock Islands republi-
can politicians there should be one 50
failing in the sense of Propriety as to
seek to inject politics into an occa-
sion designed to be of purely patri-
otto character. 1t is more unfOrtu-
nate that one who should be so mar
row as TO attempt such thing should
permit the circumstances that are
bound to development from q
proceeding of this Kind to inflict the
event with turmoil.
In, arranging the details for the
first annual picnic of the Tenth Dis
trict WOOdmen's Picnic association,
to be held in Rock Island next
Wednesday, Capt. w. j. Ransom, the
president of the association, caused
considerable surprise by having
l.. +. Cralle, the republican can
didate for sheriff. chosen as marshal
of the day. The object of the selee-
ton was so obVious-Capt. Ransom s
idea being to do Cralle good turn,
and thus feather his present nest as
deputy sheriff-that it Occasioned
comment n the time. While il was
apparent to democrats as well as
republicans that an attempt had been
made to take political advantage of
an affair that should be in all sense
entirely free from anything of that
nature, and Mr. Cralle' political oppo-
nents felt that in Justice to the event,
it was best TO refrain from comments.
Republicans Stir Up IA Row.
There was an element of the ropub-
lican party. however, that was not so
easily quieted, and Ranson's act was
freely characterized as a small politi-
cal trick. When knowledge of it
reached leading WoOdmen they became
indignant and openly condemned the
action. An evidence of the extent to
which feeling among Woodmen them
selves ran was afforded when RansOn's
own camp failed to elect him dele
gate to the meeting of Woodmen that.
is to attend the picnic Meanwhile
the anti-Ranson element in the repub-
iANhA ptll "ti9 III rs Wi n
resulting in the entire wrangle being
brought To the surface in this morn
ing's Union through card of Mr..
Cralle, addressed to Secretary Rosen-
field, in which he says it has come to
his knowledge that certain political
opponents of mine are using my APP
pointment as marshal for your picnic
as political timber, - and knowing
that your committee made this APP
pointment free of political motives L
it my duty to your committee
to respectfully decline the honor. :" etc.
The fact that Mr.. Cralle has been
forced out of the opportunity to make
a political parade of himself is not so
much to he regretted as the fact that
political timber has been made OF
the opportunity accorded him, or that
he should have found any occasion for
a political parade in print in connection
with what has always been. and should
and will now be. an absolutely nom
partisan affair. The picnic associa-
ton last night relieved the political
Odium by selecting Gen. William
Clendenin, of Moline, as marshal of
the day, and everything will go off
Just as well as if there had been no
unpleasantness.
But Cralle is under obligations to
his man Friday just the same.