Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-08
THE LOONEY SIDE
Aspiring Dual Leader Airs His
Grievances Before City
Committee.
HAS BEEN MUCH ABUsEI
Weak Attempt to Deny His AfiIia
ton With the Lowden
Crowd.

| CHAIRMAN j. w OdNanaugn calleu
| meeting of the democratic city-town
| ship committee at Turner hall last CIV
ening to Tectify inaccuracies in thu
/ personnel of the committee and al
low those claiming places from
different wards to be heard. The mis-
| takes seem to have occurred during
the municipal campaign Of last spring
when the names of several commit
| teemen selected a year before were
| secured and printed on the party sta
| tionery. Changes were made last ev
ening where deemed advisable.
In the course of the meeting John
p. Looney took occasion to reply tC
the comment in The Argus of Satur
day of his promiscuousness at the for
mer meeting of the committee held
Friday evening, endeavOring to show
that the paper had been prosecuting
him without cause for over twelve
years. He dealt in personalities, at
lacking the records of men who were
leaders in the ranks of the local
democracy before the speaker had at
tanned his majority. He defied anyone
70 prove him other than a democrat.
He had always been one, he stated,
and would continue as such. He did
admit. though. that he knitted one
democratic candidate, Hon. Guy c.
Scott, who was elected to member
ship on the supreme court bench of
Illinois last fall. Looney made a sad
effort to make himself appear con-
sistent here. He referred to the Low
den party that was held week ago
denying that political significance at
tached to it. 1t was just a gathering
Of his friends to initiate members of
he EGgingtOn LOafers' club.
Only One Yates Man.
In running over a list of those pres
ent. attempting to prove that it was
crowd of mixed political faith,
Iooney let the cat out of the bag by
naming the only alleged Yates man
that he could locate in the bunch. He
= a county official ana Looney should
not be too sure that he is for Yates.
{ has been reported that ne is a De
neen supporter. Hence the gathering
1T Looney's was practically unani-
mously for Lowden. For one protest
ing that he remains steadfast to the
democratic party Looney displays re-
markable audacity in his open confer
ances with the recognized Lowden
leaders to whom he suggests combina-
tions and even proceeds to the point
of selecting aldermanic candidates.
Secretary j. u. Sexton. in answer to
Looney. stated that he meeting Of
the city central committee was not
the proper place for the airing of per-
sonal differences with the party news
paper. 1t was not matter that CON
'erncd the party. 1t was with the in
dividual and he should not be inflict-
ing the committee with a recital of
his grievances. Mr.. Sexton stated
that he himself had known what it
vas to feel newspaper criticism. but
he did not bring ii into the councils of
a, he party for discussion. He believed
the only means of restoring harmony.
which was essential to success, was
% bury personal differences. and work
hand in hand from now on.
Chairman Cavanaugh thought it,
poor Judgment for the committee to
allow itself to he dragged into a con
troversy with the party newspaper.
The Argus was recognized as the par
y organ and would continue to be.
no matter what action the committee
might see fit to take. The paper was
entitled to its own political opinions.
It was not obliged to submit 10 the
!ictates of any committee OF demc-
Gratis. 1t knew how to conduct its
own affairs If its editorial utter
Iuccs did not always happen to strike
/. ,,F Of br
mittee they should remember that
we're as much entitled to an EXPIRES
sion of opinion as they were.
Misstattme.t Corrected.
Looney here made the 1riSstatemeut
that The Argus in its article last Sat
lr5ay gave notice that it would not
publish the official call Of the city
-ownship committee. y representa-
tive of the paper who was present at
he meeting corrected the speaker. !
and to further prove his sorrowful at |
tempt at distorting facts The para
graph from which he drew his infer
ance i reproduced from last Satur- |
laws Argus:
The Argus viii recognize the Off !
'ial call for the democratic city-town-I
hip convention when it * issued. but |
T. support of the ensuing convention
mi ward caucus proceedings depends |
lpon how they are conducted and TO
What extent they are dominated by |
,traight line democrats in good stand /
rs with their party"
And an evidence of the error of the /
.ouney view OF The Argus position Is
oUnd in the appearance Of the call
m another page of this issue of the /
PAPER. The Argus. in other words, 1
.arries out its declaration 10 recog- /
lize the official call. just as ii VIII its
ratement of position as 10 its support /
f the ensuing caucuses and conven-
ion contingent upon the dominating
pirit of the proceedings.
Rule Ruin to End.