Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-18
Mason on War Path.


Senator William +. Mason asserts
that he is in a position to prove that
the larger part of the money raised
by political assessments from the
state employees is used not for party
but for fractional purposes. He says
he can prove that it has been spent
to advance the political fortunes of
Gov. Yates and his friends and not to
advance the cause of republicanism,
as has been claimed. Senator Mason
made the following signed statement
yesterday, which will hold the repub-
lican machine of the state at least
long enough to read it:
ITO the Editor of the Chicago
Tribune: When the state conven-
ton, controlled by the Yates-Lori-
mer-Hopkins combination, forced
through the Hopkins resolution with
out debate by the disreputable ruling
of Northcott, l made the statement
suggesting that Gov. Yates and Mr..
Hopkins could continue to levy as
sessments upon clerks and scrub
women, for they would need more
money in January before the sena-
torial fight was settled.
This statement was regarded by
some as mere angry resentment at
the action of the convention, but l
had in my possession then most of
the facts which L herein state and
which l am ready to prove in the first
investigation which is opened upon
this subject, whether before a legis-
lative committee or in court.
"First-The contributions are not
voluntary, but are withheld in most
cases, and never go into the posses
sion of the employees. This is defal-
cation which subjects every private
individual being party to it to con-
viction, and every public officer hav-
ing knowledge of it to Impeachment
for malfeasance.
"Second-This money has not gone
into the treasury of the state repub-
lican committee, but 1 am prepared
to show that it has been cOrruptly
used TO despOil the primary ballot
box by importing voters from adjoin-
ing primary districts, and it has been
used by the direct appOintees of Gov.
Yates for the purposes 1 have men
toned.
''This corruption fund has also
been used in towns and counties,
which / will name, for bribing dele
gates TO county conventions to vio-
late their Instructions received in the
township conventions and vote for
the governors candidate for United
States senator.
''It-has been used, as | shall be able
to show. to bride members of county
committees and members of senator
ial committees, but its general and
most common use has been to de-
bauch the primary ballot box by cor
rupting voters to go to that primary
box for n consideration.
''As to this charge, Twill furnish at
the proper time the names and places
of the men who took this corruption
fund from the persons having it in
charge, and who distributed it, Law
ishly and corruptIy for the work
have just described.
''This corrupt practice, L will show
with evidence / now have, has been
followed in at least 40 of the coun-
ties of the state, and 1 will show that
over 100000 has been used to cor
rupt the primary organization of the
republican party to secure the nom
ination of the governors candidate
for United States senator and that a
large share of this corruption fund
has been procured by what is legally
known as defalcation, or breach of
trust, or larceny, and has taken that
much away from the aid and comfort
which should have gone to the deaf
and dumb, insane and blind, and 9th
er wards of the state for whom the
taxpayers provide.
civilian Z. MASON"