Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-07-05
AS A MODERN MOSES.
So the Union Offers Itself to
Illegal City En-.
pIoyes.
WOULD INVOKE THE COURTS.

Offers It's Services without Retainer as
a Counsellor at Law and Urges PIung-
Ing Into Litigation Against the Munich
pality Forthwith-A Fight Against Con-
sistency.
The Union has solemnly proclaimed
itself n Moses to the rejected mavoral
appointees, and admonishes them to
take their repudiated claims into court
where it assures them they will be
forthwith allowed through the process
of mandamus. While in all matters
of construction of law the greatest of
legal minds differ, yet this is case
where according to this modern
journalistic law-giver there is to be
but one side of the issue. AL that
the especially favored employee of the
mayor, whether he be legally authoriz-
ed or not, has to do is to walk into
court and presenthis claim. THE ARGUS
is frank to admit that the object here is
not to discuss the law or what the courts
may, or ought to do The everyday
drudgery of conducting a newspaper
has not as yet been so far relieved, as
far as THE ARGUS is concerned, that it
has felt constrained to lay down the
journalistic harness and stride forth
in search of other professions to con-
ouer. 1t feels confident, however,
that in any law proceeding that may
develop there will be two sides,
and as long as there are two sides
there will be found lawyers in the
city not yet gone away on their
summer vacations who will be willing
- IL I, 10
legal talent of the Rock Island Union. /
Notwithstanding the Unions grasp of
the statutory aspect of the present stu
alton, it's position that the doors of the
court are always open to those who
would seek judgment against the
city, and on that account the
present illegal employees should
take advantage of the city, is
not the most commendable advice
to offer. And the parallel that it
draws that as n creditor has redress at
law against debtor who is able to
pay, and will not pay, so any one who
has performed labor for the city has
even greater advantages in the sight
of the law, would be all right
were it not for the fact that even
as that creditors standing in court
might be affected by his hav-
ing been warned by the debtor
that he would not longer be rspon-
sible for debts contracted in his name,
so the city might be entitled to some
recognition on the score that the
council had given formal notice that
it would not be responsible for bills
contracted without its consent. But
we are in danger of trespassing
upon the Unions exclusive field. and
it is farthest from any intention to
detract from its glory as an expounder
of the law as it was and is, and is to
be. Rather would The ARGUS join
with the multitude in exclaiming
with sudden rapture: '.Oh, wise ju Ige,
in thee we see not only the law, but the
prophets"
The Part of Consistency.
And all this airing of wisdom which
electrified the readers of the late is
sues of the Union is because the ma
jority of the council declined at the
regular monthly session to allow bills
not properly accounted for. In other
words, the aldermen refused to pay
the salaries of illegal appointees,
holding that if the council has any
rights at all they should be consist
emily upheld and just as persistently
insisted on in one thing as in another.
If the council has no rights independ-
ent of the mayor and no authority
that the mayor is bound to respect, if !
it is within the proper province of the
executive to submit a matter to the
council for sanction and failing to re-
ceive it, it is in his power as soon as
the council has adjourned to set it
aside, what, the aldermen contend, |
is the necessity of council! The alder
men claim that the appointments of
the mayor are illegal and so holding
they telieve they could not consist
emily allow pay for their services.
The morning paper, despite its
or's appointees up to the public crib. |
mind over the fact that the majority |
aldermen do not submit everything
to the mayors standing committees.
How lovely this would be-for the
brownies, ct al. The mayor has
shown his utter disregard for the
spirit of fairness toward the council /
in no more pointed manner than in
the make up of his committees. Had
he, apart from a non-partisan spirit.
either seniority in the
council or capability in the individual
of bis important committees,
there would have been more conf
ience in him by those who constitute
the majority of the council, but who
have been ignored and defied simply
because they are not in accord with
him politically.
I'VE have sold many different cough
but none has given better
than amberlain's 7"
saws Charles Holzhauer, druggist,