Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-15

the enemy. and that in the meantim,
there is being prosecuted a still hunt
as OF yore- Simultaneous with IN,
mayors announcement is one from
your old friend. Phil Miller. the chief
of police Phil says he has held tho
Office as long az he feels he is entitled
to IL. and he is ready TO step aside al
the termination OF the present admins
tration. or course IL is hardly posi-
bic that Phil and the mayor have had a
heart to heart, and decided on a plar
of action.
ksox Bobs I'D Again.
Another who has come out from be
hind the clouds is b. F. Knox. who for
merly flied the office of mayor. witt
another manifestation OF periodical
ailment. Mr.. Knox was defeated fo1
the nomination two years ago by NJ
McConochie. Mr.. Knox did not make
bowling success OF either of his ad-
ministrations. and he would like an.
other whirl at the position just to dem
onstrate to his critics as was argue
in his last campaign that he can run
the city with the best OF them
at least just as ably as McConochie
has. So the public is again face to
face. IL one Is to believe what he hears
among the politicians. with a repetition
of the McConochie-Knox fight This
rivalry. which is of several years
standing. and has been bitter in the
past. has an added feature this time
In the prospect of the friends of both
aspirants dividing on the lines laid by
the gubernatorial contest of last
spring. Mr.. Knox was chairman of
the county committee that acted in op-
position TO the interests of Lowden
and favorable to Yates. The mayor
was for Lowden with both feet. Chief
Miller probably would be content 10
spending the remainder of his years
on his little cabbage patch in South
Rock Island IL he was satisfied that
Mr.. Knox was out of the running but
Phil has some political scores to set
tie with the former mayor. and will
not leave the local scene of action I'M
til one or the other is down and out.
Up to a few months ago the under
standing was that DIR. G. G. Craig had
been agreed upon as the choice of the
inner circle for the mayorality. for to
serve as the head of the city has been
the GROWING ambition politically of
the doctor. but for some unexplained
reason his stock has taken a rapid
decline. and the circle has thrown the
ermine about the form OF J. L. Haas.
the former city attorney.
What Payne Is Here For.
Doubtless you have observed the
presence for several months in the
city of former State Senator William
Payne. the statesman who made Yuma
famous. His transferring of residence
from the green fields of yuma to the
dusty streets of the city has been view
cd with considerable mystery. Once
IL was said that the senator had en-
tered the missionary field. and had
been assigned to the orient: then
again. that he was promoting an in
terurban line but the African has been
reused from the wood pile in the de-
velopments of the past week. The
affable William denies ii but there are
those who suspect that he wants to be
mayor OF the city. He feels that his
experience as n parliamentarian gain
cd in his years IN the legislature. and
his insight into the intricacieS of leg
islation. makes him about the most
desirable candidate that has come be-
fore the people OF the city in years.
Mr.. Payne has served the county as
sheriff. and points with pride to the
fact that at the end of his term the
county was indebted To- him in the
sum Of 5000. He did another stunt
while filing this position that would
doubtless bring the blush of shame TO
the cheeks of Gen. Funston if he heard
the details. A prisoner who sought
TO escape into Iowa jumped in the
river. Sheriff Payne. discarding al of
his attire except his necktie and a
collar button. pitched in after him. and
when the middle OF the stream was
reached the prisoner surrendered. and
turned his head towards shore. Sher-
III Payne waved aside party that set
out to follow him in a boat. He said
IL was simply exercise. Funston be-
came a hero because Of his swimming
pond in the Philippines. and was
called into the service of the regular
army. with a high appointment at the
hands OF the president as a reward &c;
Payne got a few years in the Iegisla-
ture. These are facts that the pubic
has right TO be familiarized with.
and there is no reason. in the event of
the Yuma statesman securing the may
orality nomination. why the swimming
incident should not be featured in his
press agents budget.
Also &. ,. LarskiB.
Charles J. Larkin is another prominent
man in the ranks who has been dis
cussed as fit maroyal timber. Mr..
Larkin is not understood to be seek
ing the nomination, but, like Mr..
Payne. he is looked upon as a possible
Moses TO lead the party out of the
darkness into which IL has gotten as a
result of internecine warfare and the
unsatisfactory record OF the present
administration. Aid. A. G. Anderson
also is a factor to be reckoned with.