Rock Island Argus., 1898-10-22
ELECT ASTRONG man !.
Importance of This District Be.
ing Properly Represented
in the State Senate.
NEED INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS.
The Western Hospital for Ihe Insane
Among Others-Though Originally Sup
ported by Payne He Was Unable to Get
In n Position to Aid With the Necessary
Funds for. Its Construction and MaInten-


In Position to Aid With the Necessary
Funds for. Its Construction and MaInten-
ance.
There is one thing that Representa-
tive PAYNE has done in his S-years
service at Springfield which stands
out in bold relief, because it is the
single exception to a monotonous
record as far as acts of service to his
constituents are concerned. Payne
did support the bill for the Western
| Hospital for the Insane. He had prob
ably as much to do with the origin of
| the measure as any other legislator.
and it proved Il measure that met the
exigencies and requirements of the
situation in so large measure that it
| became almost self-enacted. And that
was where Payne's connection with it
ceased. After the bill became law,
the question of location came up and
was fought out. Rock Island county
had the right man on the
com mission in Hon. L. j. Medill, Jr.,
through appointment by Gov. Altgeld,
and Rock Island county won the loca-
ton. Then came the matter of Sc
curing appropriations, and it was
then, too, that democratic repre-
sentative was relied upon to stand by
Rock Island county's institution.
Payne's scope of contemplation re-
leased him from further effort for the
institution when the bill passed.
Thereafter he had neither the thought
of the hospital nor the influence or
opportunity to do for it if so inclined.
In the house, as the record shows, the
80 10
shoulders. In the senate there was a
capable man ready to see it through
there.
Need of a Strong Man in the Senate Now.
The people of the Thirty-third sem
atorial district will be called upon on
election day in November to elect a
state senator. Rock Island county,
which comprises the major portion of
the Thirty-third senatorial district,
having within it's limits the Western
Hospital for the Insane, necessarily
needs a senator of influence and force.
The hospital will need another large
appropriation for the building of an
other group, as provided for in the or
iginal plans. To build this group it
will require an appropriation of half
million from the next legislature.
The citizens of this county generally are
aware of how the appropriations in the
last legislature was obtained: The |
people were fortunate in having Hon. |
William McEniry in the lower house, |
one who by his force of character and |
knowledge of legislative matters pro- |
cured the passage of the senate bill
making the appropriation. The peo- |
pie were also fortunate in having Sem
ator Fisher, of Geneseo, in the senate, |
who was able to procure the passage of |
the bill through the senate, and it can
safely be said that were it not for our
in the lower house and
the senator in the senate the present |
group of the asylum would not now be
near completion as it is, but instead
we would have a monument in our
county, as they have in many other
counties in the state, of public in
stitution in the course of erection
boarded up. When Mr.. McEniry de-
clined to stand for renomina
ton, the democratic party, always
alert to secure the best man for public
office, at once turned its attention to
Hon. f. w. Hurst, and nominated in
him one who will be abundantly able
TO secure the passage of an appropria-
ton for the completion of another
building for the hospital group in the
lower house. But before the money will
be available it will be necessary to have
The bill passed in the senate, and the
question presents itself to the voters
for local interests of our own county
or not they will have a man
in the senate who will be able to pass
the appropriation bill there. The
record of Mr.. Payne in his eight years
in the lower house for securing legis-
ation in the interest directly of Rock
Island county is, as whole, barren of
achievement. - 1t is generally supposed
hat the longer man is in the legisla-
ture the more influence he should have
IN that body. but this cannot be said of
Payne, for after having been elected
he fourth time from this district to
he lower house and the majority of I
he house being of his political faith, I
t was expected that he would secure
a place upon the appropriation COM
mittee that he might further the in ,
terests of his county, but this he was
unable to do. Mr.. McEniry, al
.hough a new member. and belonging !
% the minority party. secured MEM .
)ership of this committee, which en-
lbled him to secure the ap-
If Payne is elected I.
o the senate he will fare no
,etter than he did in the house in be-
ng placed upon committees before
which bills of interestto Rock Island
county will De considered. The dem
'cratic party, realizing this feeling I
hat there should be at least another I
,roup of buildings constructed at the {
insane asylum to give work to labor {
ngmen, and to make a home for the c
additional unfortunates who are in q
he poor houses of this part of the I
tate, nominated Hon. j. II. Mulligan. '
# Kewanee, whose record in the house ]
proves him to be strong man and '