Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-02
is SAME
William McConochIe's Views on
Reform Question Have
Not Changed.
PLAINLY STATED TWO YEARS AGO
Something for Those Who Desire I'm.
provement of Conditions
to Think About.

Two years ago, when William Nc
Conochie left the office of mayor af-
ter serving his last term, he took oc-
casion in the course of his valedictory
address to take a good, hearty slam
at the class that is in favor of muni-
cipal cleanliness and decency. His
administration had left the city in a
condition admitted by all self-respect-
ing citizens as the worst that had
ever been known. His successor,
a man of his own party, was pledged
to reform, and yet the retiring mayor
took junction. at those who sought to
revive a semblance of decency, placed
them in ORe class and cOntemptuously
referred to them as ''reformers." The
following is taken verbatim from the
address that he delivered upon that
occasion:
Calls 1t a Craze.
I'VE have had quite a craze for
moral reform lately. These strike us
periodically, but as a rule no lasting
benefits come from them. We know
something of the so-called reformers,
of their lives, habits and characters,
and often wonder why all men will
not practice what they preach.
We who are brought in contact with
all phases of human character have
had a chance to study and investi-
gate the causes that lead to lives of
moral depraYity, and l must admit
that l am amazed at the standing and
character of some of their patrons.
My experience with reformers
in the matter of appointments L must
admit is neither fattering to me nor
complimentary to them as men of
good Judgment, but as rule they
are the most persistent in advocating
the appointment of disreputable men,
who are absolutely unqualified to fill
any position and the very first to
condemn you when they fail to meet
public approval. l will say, however,
l never took their advice to any
great extent. for l saw they either
lacked Judgment, were dishonest or
ignorant, and perhaps little of both
in these matters
Holds Same Opinion
That is where William McConochie
stands today. To be sure, he was
suffering at the time that he framed
those sentences with the bitterness
of defeat in the race for denomination
and the rebuke that his laNness had
brought upon him from his own par
~. Yet nothing has transpired since
that date to show that he has in any
manner changed except the isolated
instance when just before his late
nomination he stood up to be count
ed &C. in church meeting at vot-
ing gratitude and moral support to
the states attorney in the fight he
had begun to bring .some of the more
fragrant violators of the law to JUS
tice.
There was inconsistency there, to
be sure, but all uncertainties. if there
were any engendered al that time, have
since been swept away by the cam
paign methods that have been so dill
igentIy practiced with his approval
by his lieutenants both before and
after his nomination.
William McConochie, should he by
any possibility be elected, will not
improve local moral conditions. He
is opposed in principle to making the
attempt. and furthermore there is
every reason to believe that he was
bound by pledges even before his
nomination that would prevent his
instituting reform measures in good
faith even were he disposed to do so.