Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-19
OENEEN A FACTOR
Chicago GubernatoriaI Candidate
Strong With Local Re.
pubIicans.
WAS WARMLY RECEIVED HERE
Advocates Reform in Penal and
Charitable Institutions Of
the State.

Charles S. Deneen, states attorney
of Cook county, and candidate for the
republican nomination for governor,
may be a factor in the Rock Island
county convention. That was made
| plain to any one familiar with the To-
cal political situation who dropped
into the Harper house last evening
during the hours that he was holding
a reception.
The rank and file of the party turn
ed out in greater numbers than was
| the case at either the visit of Col. +.
| o. Lowden or Gov. Richard Yates.
Some doubtless were there through
sheer curiosity, but the majority
seemed to warm up to the candidate.
They liked his pitching.
There was a sprinkling of the APP
pointees of the city administration,
doubtless indicating which way the
McCOnochie compass is pointing.
POSTMASTER T. II. Thomas and sew
eral Of the attaches of his Office were
on hand also, and the Seventh ward
leaders were out in force.
The conspicuousness of G.. w. John
son, of Moline, was particularly nau-
seating to the local republicans. He
acted as Mir. Deneen's pilot in Moline,
where he is to lead a battle against
the Deere wing. which IS out for Low
den. johnson would have better serv-
ed his candidate, local lights say e
he had kept his oar out of the Rock
Island meeting. But johnson was
there in all his glory. lie was the
busiest man in the flock. one of his
frequent stunts being to embrace the
Chicagoan and hold whispered CONVEX
sations with him. One would have
thought they were planning to blow
up a train.
II. w. OImsted made his bow as Il
presiding officer, introducing Mr.. De
neen TO the crowd that had assembled
in the hotel corridor, where he deliv-
cred an address. He was perceptibly
nervous, but got through without col
lapse.
HITS Spells System.
Mr.. Deneen devoted his talk mostly
to arraigning the spoils system and in
advocacy of civil service in the penal
and charitable institutions of the
state and the enforcement of the pri-
mary election law. He attacked in no
uncertain tones the system now in
vogue in Illinois of employing men
for the reformatory, penal and char
liable Institutions of the state on the
strength of mere political influence,
and said the people should put a stop
to it. and consider the qualification.
experience and training rather than
the political fitness of the emplove.
The primary law is, he held, OPP
erative at the present in only
four counties. Until its adoption is
made general, the speaker stated.
elections, which were growing more
corrupt yearly, would continue get
ting more vicious. In the present sys-
tenn the boss rules and the rank and
file have little to say i'm the choice of
the men who make the laws of the
state. He declared the system of
conducting the penitentiaries reform
atories and aSylums was entirely
wrong. Instead of improving the
character of the inmate. the peniten-
tiary or reformatory, as at present
conducted. made it worse. 1t harden
ed instead of softened him. and when
his term was up he had no incentive
to do better. and wound up in one of
the big cities as member of the
criminal class. dangerous element
in times of strikes and other trou-
bles.
Mr.. Deneen said he felt greatly en-
couraged by the reception given him
in Rock Island county. He expected
his chief support in Chicago, however,
where the struggle was to be between
Col. LOwden and him. IF he received Il
large majority Of the Cook county del
egates he wanted Rock Island county
to support him. If Col. Lowden got
the majority he thought it no more
than right that this county should go
for that gentleman.
Mr.. Deneen is dividing today be-
tween Toulon and Wyoming. He re-
turns to Chicago tonight.