Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-05-19
JOHN W. LINN, e
JOHN TOBIN,
Committee, Fourth Ward.


In the LoOney organ OF this morn
ing appears another of those articles
which bear so strikingly the earmarks
of its author as to admit of no argu-
ment on that score. The aim of the
article is to show that the meeting
was clothed with mystery, and that the
object incidentally to throwing Loon
ey overheard was to have Il preju-
dicial effect upon the preferences of
the democracy of this county relative
to the candidacy of William II. Hearst
for the presidency, whose campaign in
this county is being managed by Loon
ey." AS to the allegation of mystery
in the meeting, it need only be stated
that the conference was free and
open to all democrats who desired to
attend, and that, considering the
short notice under which it was call
ed. not less than fifty were present.
and had the Union had the enterprise
to have Investigated instead of relying
upon Looney and his sleuths to report
the conference it would have expert
enced no difficulty in asccrtaining the
correct story of the proceedings. On
the point of throwing LoOncy over
board" the Union may be reminded
that this feat was rather neatly ac-
cumplished with the sanction of the
court as far as the democrats of Rock
Island are concerned few weeks ago,
and the boost was so strong that the
victim did not land until he was again
safely within the ranks of the repub-
lican party with which he has during
the past two years been so closely
affiliated. The move of last night was
simply to aid straight democrats in
avoiding the trap he has set to get
himself back on deck again. The fol-
ly of the assertion relative to the
presidential candidacy of William
Randolph Hearst could be no more
conclusively proven than the fact that
cmong those present were practically
all the officers of the Hearst club in
Rock Island. together with others who
have been prominent in leading the
Hearst movement locally since before
Looney ever thought of attempting to
regain his lost standing by posing as
the self-chosen leader of the Hearst
campaign in Rock Island. This fact
in itself should serve to refute the
miserable political misrepresentation
that has been reSCrtCd to to divert
the party mind in Rock Island county
from the duty that it has set out to
perform in the complete eradication
of all that pertains to Looneyism. To
be anti-LConey does not imply to be
of an anti-Hcarst disposition, and if
LoOney were as much a friend of the
Hearst candidacy as he assumes to be
he would know from the irrepara bic
harm that he did the LCWden gubcr-
Material candidacy in this county by
identifying himself with its mana ge-
ment. that his best Kindness to Mr..
Hcarst's interests would be to keep
quiet. And if there was the slightest
disposition on the part of any demo-
Gratis in Rock Island county to divert
the Hearst sentiment into other chan
nels. no better means could be adopt
ed than to permit the Looney an
ncunced statement that he is man
aging the Hearst campaign in this
county to go unchalIenged. \ proper
regard for the truth, however, de-
mands that il be said that Looney is
in no way identified with the Hearst
campaign III hOCk lSldilN NbhiiA y .
Among the leading democrats who are
most opposed to Looney are the most
prominent admirers and supporters of
Mr.. Hearst. and they do not propose
to permit their cause to suffer at the
hands of Looney and his little cotcrie.
nor do they propose to suspend their
fight on Looneyism because of the
part he is pretending to play.
There is but one issue before the
democrats IF Rock Island county. and
that i Locneyism. The party. regard
less of all else. will declare itself free
and untrammeled on the question Of
presidential preference when it
gets into convention. and the ma
ioritv will experience no difficulty in
vCicing its full sentiments regardless
of Looney. 1t ~ the spirit of democ-
racy that the majority shall rule. and
the only time that there is n question
raised against this procedure Is when
Looney has enough of a following