Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-10-02
FORCES FUSS
Robbins in School Board Insists
on De SoIand for Va.
cancy.
IAN DART CHOSEN SECRETARY
Ex.President, Again in Control of
Body, Proceeds to Garry M att
tiers With a High Hand.

evening in special session to consider
business relative to the office of sec.
rotary of the board. The members
present were Messrs. Marshall, Boil
| man and Robbins. Mr.. Bollman was
elected temporary secretary to act till
the Office was permanently filled, and
after some discussion. Sam Dart was
chosen for the position at salary of
$3.50 year. Being present. he at
once entered upon his duties.
MIR. Robbins then moved that the
resignation of George +. Roth as mem
Der of the board be read. The motion
prevailing, and tine resignation being
read, Mir. Robbins moved It's acceptapcs.
! This being also carried, he moved the
appointment of Alexander De Soland
10 nil the vacancy. BOLIVIAN seconded
| the motloa, but Nj. Ma shall, as presi-
dent of the meeting, declared it out of
! order on the ground that the call for
The meeting covered nothing but bust
ness pertaining TO the secreUsry's
! tanned the words .'or such other busi-
! oiiic-. Mr.. Robbins took exception to
the ruling, claiming that the call con-
ness as may come before the meet
| ing. aud declared Mr.. De ; bland duly
elect, d.
i Here Messrs. Marshall and Robbins
| crossed swords, the former stating
| that. personally. he had no objections
to De- Suland, but that he considered
! it unwisG TO put man in the office for
which be had been defeat ed ut the polls,
and further, that the occasion was not
one for nasty action. Plenty OF time
| should be- taken to consuE with prom
inent persons who take active inter-
| est in school affairs aud then a man
who is without prejudice by reason
| of previous connections chosen.
While MIR. Marshall said he had no
| candidate to Offer, ha Incidentally.
| suggested the names of DR.. j. W.
Stewart Fl. D. Mack. and othera.
another Clash.
hen Mr. Marshall had finished
Mr.. Robbins assumed the authority
to formally declare the Off .e of r A.
Donaldson as member of the board
vacant This the president promptly
declared our OF order. Here the sec
rotary ventured The remark that the
removal of Nj. Donaldaon from the
district left the office vacant, but
he Was assuming toe authority of q
member or the board, he explained
that it was meant as private sug-
gestiOn 10 Mr.. Robbins.
Having refused to put the motion,
Mr.: Marshall raised the question of
securing an expert to look over the
accounts of the late secretary. Mr..
Robbins thought it would be better to
instrdct the secretary first to 90 what
he could toward strengthening them
out, but as Mr.. Bollman demurred, he
changed front and moved the appoint
ment of Frank P. Welch az expert to
examine the records OF tho board from
July l, 1899. to Sept. l. 1900. The
motion prevailed, and as there was no
further business before the meeting
bearing on the purpose for which it
was called, Mr.. Marshall declared an
adjournment.
Mr.. Robbins, after the meeting. in
structed the secretary to notify Mr..
De Soland of his election as mem Der
of the board.
Arbitrary Attitude.
While the arbitrary course pursued
by Mr.. Robbins in the case of Mr..
De Soland will occasion great deal
of public surprise, it will probably not |
prove so to those who claim TO be |
familiar with the school situation
OF course it will be difficult to explain |
to anyone why Mr.. Robbins should |
have Insisted upon creating discon-
tent by the appointment of a defeated |
candidate for the position. when some |
one else could have been selected. |
upon whom all might have agreed |
and the harmony so essential to good |
school government have been main
tanned. As it is, the iusistence upon |
the appointment of MIR. De Soland
opens question as to its legality. and
his presence upon the board in con-
sequence can only prove source of
dissatisfaction and friction among
the mem bers, to say nothing of
defiance to the will of the people as
expressed at the last school election.
Under these circumstances. and the
knowledge The ARGUS gained of Mr..
De Soland when he ran for the board
last spring, it is difficult to conceive
how he can con sent to retain the posi-
ton. At the school election last June,
Mr.. De Soland was the first in the
field as a candidate. George F. Roth,
whom he seeks to succeed by appoint
ment, was his opponent then, and he
was defeated overwhelmingly by him
at the polls. This fact ought to be
sufficient to satisfy an ordinary man of
the peoples preferences. as far as MIR.
De Soland is concerned. In the cleo
ton referred to no lines were drawn
on candidacy % and the election
passed as school elections should
without undue agitation or bitterness.
The people were simply allowed.
without prejudice, to choose between
the two men. The only question that
arose was the geographical one, aud
This. with the suspicion that gained,
that Mr.. De Soiand might be the