Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-27

end of successful government. We
who have been entrusted with power
as public servants during the past
seven years of administration and leg
isiation now come before the people
content to be judged by our record
of achievement. In the years that
have gone by we have made the deed
square with the word: and if we are
continued in power we shall unswerv-
ingly follow out the great lines of
public policy which the republican
party has already laid down; a pub
lie policy to which we are giving, and
shall give. Il united, and therefore an
efficient, support.
Would stand Pat. ..
In all of this we are more fortunate
than our opponents, who now appeal
for confidence on the ground, which
some express and some seek TO have
confidentially understood, that if
triumphant they may be trusted to
prove false to every principle which
in the last eight years they have laid
down as vital, and to leave undisturb-
ed those very acts of the administra-
ton because of which they ask that
the administration itself be driven
from power. Seemingly, their present
attitude as to their past record is tina,
some of them were mistaken and 9th
ers inSincere. We make our appeal in
a wholly different spirit. We are not
constrained TO keep silent on any vital
question; our policy is continuous. ana
is the same for all sections and local.
ties. There is nothii-E experimental
about the government We ask tho peO-
pie to continue in power, for our per
Torrance in the PAST. our proved gov
ernmCntal efficiency. is a guarantee rs
10 orr promises for the future. Our
opponents. either openly or secretly.
according TO their several tempera-
ments. now ask the people to trust
their present promises in consideration
of the fact that they intend TO treat
their past promises as null and void
We know our own minds. and we have
kept of the same mind for a sufficient
length of time 10 give to our policy
conference and sanity. IN such q fun
dameHtal matter as the enforcement
Of the law we do not have to depend
upon promises. but merely ask that
our record be taken as an earnest of
what we shall continue to do. In deal
ing with the great organizations known
as trusts, we do not have TO explain
why the laws were not enforced. but
TO point out that they actually have
been enforced and that legislation has
been enacted to increase the effective
ness of their enforcement. We do not
have 10 propose To turn the raScals
out" for we have shown in very deed
that whenever by diligent investiga-
ton public official who can be found
who has betrayed his trust he will be
punished TO the full extent of the law
without regard to whether he was ap-
pointed under a republican or a demo
cratic administration. This is the eff
ficient way to turn the rascals out and
TO keep them out. and it has the merit
Of sincerity. Moreover. the betrayals
of trust in the last seven years have
been Insignificant in number when
compared with the extent of the pub
lie service. Never has the admins
tration of the government been on a
cleaner and higher level: never has
the public work of the nation been
done more honestly and efficiently.
Where Advantage Lies.
Assuredly il is unwise TO change the
policies which have worked so well
and which are now working so well.
Prosperity has come at home The
national honor and interest has been
upheld abroad. We have placed the
finances of the nation upon a sound
gold basis. We have done this with
the aid of many who were formerly
our opponents. but who would neither
openly support nor silently acquiesce
in the heresy of unsound finance: and
and we have done il against the con-
WINGED and violent opposition of the
mass Of our present opponents who
still refuse to recant the unsound
opinions which for the moment they
think it inexpedient to assert. We
know what we mean when we speak
of an honest and stable currency. We