Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-09-21
q. Washington McCaskrin IN
bosoms Himself to Rock So
Island Audience.
OPENS INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN
To Drive the kascals Out of Public
Office and Il oform the
State.

l
ed for Flatiron square earlier in the
week, so he decided to get closer to
| the business district to catch the ears
Of the Saturday bargain seekers
George gave all who listened plenty
| There was quite crowd, despite the
strenuous statesman had a Mormon
meeting at Eighteenth, and the Sal
walton Army at Nineteenth as counter
attractions.
The occasion for George coming be-
fore the public gaze was tOsformally
launch his horseback Independent
! candidacy for the governorship of
Illinois. He had a number of incan-
descent lights placed on the front of
the bandstand in order that he might
be seen as well as heard His original
plan was to deliver his speech from
the loft of the stand, but he found he
would not be able to display his man
~ form or his sonorous voice to as
great an advantage as if he were
closer to terra firma. So George hired
an express wagon, had it driven up
beneath his special electrical display,
and proceeded to deliver himself
Tells Story of His Life.
George related his various efforts
to land in public office, his only sue
cess having been in election as alder
man from the Fourth ward on the re-
publican ticket. When his dad used to
Juggle him On his knee he told George
that the republican party was the
goods. 1t was right. and he wanted
his son to study and live up to its
principles AS "A dutiful son he fol-
lowed the advice of his father. In
those days the republican party was
pursuing the proper tack. said George,
but time has wrought wonderful
change in the platforms and affairs
generally of the party. 1t is now in
the control of the grafters, who make
changes to suit their own wishes. Civ
ing no heed to the public needs or
demands. George therefore could not
longer ride in the republican wagon.
As. in his estimation. the democratic
party was built along about the same
| lines, he found it necessary to organ
ize a little party of his own.
''Hurrah for George!" cut in a small
boy on the outskirts who had come up
town to hear the speech and bought
a sack Of peanuts to keep him com
IPany.
The country is all shot to pieces. ac-
cording to George. He is not in a
position at present to direct the ma
tional administration. but proposes to
make a beginning by putting the state
of Illinois 81 the fair list. This ac-
c0mplished. he can be expected to
pursue bigger game. George said he
| believed in the initiative and referen-
dun. The people now have no voice
in state or national legislation They
elect men, but the ma jority of them
turn out to be grafters, and do the
bidding of the corporations instead OF
acting in the interest of their con
| stituency.
VIII Expend Energy Only.
| George said it was not going to
cost him a postage stamp to conduct
his campaign, and he would be heard
at every water tank in the state. The
horse would Craze along the road
way and George would live upon q
lsupply of sandwiches made at home
He would give the old party boys in
some of the towns in his itinerary a
jolt they would remember for a few
days. He would open the voters eye
He has had blanket over his head
these many years. 1t was about time
he was coming out and asserting his
right of franchise according to his
own conscience. George said the
trouble was the leaders of the two
| big parties had the voters buffaIoed
He wasn't afraid of any man on earth
would meet him i'm debate on the pub
! lie platform or en- the curbstone, OF
Egive him run for his money at any
Told game, and every American citi
zen should be equally as independent
IF they would tie onto his cart he
would lead them out of the darkness
into the light. He would be Their
political Moses, would release then
from the letters that the party bosses
had been tightening about them fol
years.
Time of game-two hours. Attend
ance, (estimated). 1,5OO.
In Two Places at Once.
The state or quality of being ubiqui
/ tous was ever one of Candidate Nc
Caskrin's strong traits, and so it will
occasion little surprise among his &C
lQudlHIdUCeS 10 iUdts White III
was addressing an audience in thi:
city Saturday night, he was about
same time in Muscatine and the cen
ter of a large assemblage, though mo-
in the interests of his candidacy fol
governor, according to the Muscatint
News-Tribune of yesterday morning
That paper says:
i Fearing an assault from one of oul
citizens, to whom he had been talking
on one of the street corners, last ev
ening George w. McCaSkrin, independ
ent candidate for governor of the
state of Illinois, called Justify for Pc
lice protection. 1t seems that Nc
/ Caskrin was on his way from Illinoi:
| City, where he had been in the inter
ests of his candidacy, to Rock Island
his home, and came to this city t,
i take the train. While strolling about
the city he met gentleman will