Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-01
WHERE WOULD
MCCASKRIN BE?
Not on Democratic Side of House
if Elected to the State
Legislature.
TRYING TO CATCH THE VOTERS
Members of Minority Party Who De-
sire Representation Should Sup
port G. A. Cooke.

Under the laws of Illinois the wise
provision has been made that no one
party control absolutely the lower house
| Of the legislature. It was contemplated
! BY the makers of the constitution that
better results would come TO the Deo-
| pie by having the lesser of the two
| predOmlnating political organizations
represented even though in the minor
ity. than to accord to the majority par
y undisputed sway. And SO the stiD-
ulatiOn was made for minority repre-
sentatiOn, under the advantages of
which the lesser party in every sena-
tOrial district in the state may send a
member to the legislature to protect
and advance the interests of he party
50 interested.
In districts overwhelmingly repubIi-
can this is in many instances the only
office the democrats are sure of plac-
ing a member of their own party in
and hence if they pass over the oppor-
tunity TO elect one of their own num-
Der and contribute instead to the sue
cess of an Independent candidate who
is in no way politically bound to them
they merely spite themselves. For the
man who. while running ostensibly as
an independent candidate. is at heart
and by every instinct a member of the
opposite political party. and is seeking
10 boost himself by preying upon the
prejudices of those whose votes he
Graves, will simply laugh when he
lands himself. a republican. in the leg
islature, in the seat that rightfully be-
longs to a democrat.
During his tour of Indiana, w J.
Bryan, in warning the members of his
own party against the cunning of the
republicans to take advantage of
prejudice. has repeatedly declared that
the most despicable creature on earth
is the one who seeks to gain advan-
tage by appealing to revenge. the one
who would climb up himself by con-
tinually stirring up discord in the fam
lily of his neighbor and aggravating
that unhappy state.
Play for Votes.
The republican candidate for the leg
islature who, while pretending to be
an Independent, is simply playing for
the votes of democrats by talking to
them about unfortunate disagreementS
as to matters of political exDediency
that are of no concern to anyone out
side that party, answers exactly to the
man of whom Mr. Bryan speaks who
would attempt personal gain by seek
ing to widen the breach in case of
unfortunate family conditions. There
is no way in which the election Of
George w. McCaskrin, a republican,
could operate to the advantage of the
democratic party.
At Springfield. as at all state CAPT
tails, where there are but two great
political organizations. party lines are
strictly drawn. There is the majority
and the minority party. and the man
gets recognition according to the
weight of his influence in his own po-
litical organization. From the record
and experience of George A. Cooke in
! the last session of the legislature. one
! may judge of his standing in the next
general assembly Indeed, it is al
ready almost conceded that his reeIec-
ton will place in his hands the recog-
| nized leadership on the democratic
side. whether that party be in the ma
| jOrity or the minority If it be the mi
nority. the position is of the utmost
| importance in influence to his cOnstitu-
| ents-if it he the majority so much
more greater the scope.
| Mr.. McCaskrin in the legislature I'M
| der any event or circumstances. would
| be like a man without a country unless
/ he lined up with one or the other of
/ the dominating political organizations,
| and under such inevitable circumstan-
/ ceS he would naturally turn to his own
! party-and the democrats to whom the
minority representation belongs would
/ Dc placing the commission in the hands
| If republican.
Would Not Heal Differences.
The differences that would develop
I between the democrats of Rock Island
ana Mercer county by reason of the de
/ eat Of Mr.. Cooke would not be reliev-
/ 81 by the election of Mr. McCaSkrin
| The Argus is confident that before an
/ 'thCr election comes around the dem
I pCrats OF the two counties will be fully
capable of adjusting their own affairs
20 the entire satisfaction OF Rock ISL
and county democrats without the aid
IF an outsider who hopes 10 profit him
self 70 the disadvantage of the demo
cratic party Let the democrats think
IF themselves and their own party,
whose welfare is Of broader and deeper
concern than mere matters of sectional
differences that may be readily rene
died without loss TO the party either
IN the aforesaid district or the state