Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-05-19

| 1t was furthermore reported that
| many of the committeeman whose
names appeared attached TO the calls
for ward meetings had been asked
| what manner of procedure it was
| planned to pursue. and they stated
that they did not know. One of the
committeeman had remarked that he
believed it was the plan Of LOOney,
who was directing the proceedings in
| Rock Island. to defer the manner of
| holding the meeting until the last
minute. Then. if opposition appeared
On the part of the regular
democrats. the plan was to
rough house il. but if the regular
| democrats remained away in disgust
| and in order to avoid trouble. then
bluff would be made at conducting an
| orderly meeting, even to making a
pretense of primary election. At all
events the LConey gang would be on
hand early for action as the circum-
stances might warrant. That there
could be no effective primary under
the call that limited the meeting to a
single hour was readily manifest to
all who would give the subject
thought.
1t came from one of the committee
men not bound by the Looney gag
that in his ward proposition had
been made to the Looney committee
men TO each choose half the delega-
ton to the county convention on
ticket and thus avoid any contest at
the ward meeting. But this PROPOSE
ton was rejected. Thus was afforded
an idea of the disposition of the rep
resentative of LoOney who is now
seeking to regain lost standing by tell
ing that he is for harmony in the dem
Ocratic party.
During the extended discussion as
TO how best to provide for fair eX-
preston from the representative dem
ocrats of Rock Island in a decent
manner. remarks were made by Hon.
f. w. Hurst. c. p. Marshall s. X. Ken
worthy, Daniel Corken. Peter Schlem-
mer, Hon. T. j. Mcdill, Capt. George
Lamont. +. c. Berry. j. w. Welch.
George Wright. j. W. Cavanaugh, V.
Dauber. II. l.. heelan, and others,
and finally motion prevailed that a
petition containing the names of 25
or more democrats from each waru
~ committee requesting him to call
primaries in each Of the wards of the
city of Rock Island for the purpose
Of eIrcting delegates to the county
convention. and that the members of
the city committee act as Judges of
such primaries. and that Il committee
of five from each ward be appointed
by the meeting'to circulate such petit
tons
The ward committees were there.
upon selected rs follows:
First ward. J. Lerch. Dan Nc
Kinny. +. W. Blochlinger, Robert
Beck. George Simpson.
Second ward-Carl Naab. Henry
Kinner. Joseph Geiger, L. C. Berry.
James CahaiI.
Third ward - Peter Schlemmer.
George w. Henry. Dan Corkcn, Her
man Sefdel, Il. King.
Fourth ward-N. Dauber. :. r. Ken
worthy, j. r. Stafford, T. j. Medill.
Charles McHugh.
Fifth ward. Il. Marshall. James
Lamont. John Grevc, II. l.. Wheelan,
J. H. Fender
Sixth ward-L. y. Bordeau. George
" iSAA w. hihih0s L ann -htNlliil.
Frank Lawlcr.
Seventh ward-Paul Thies%n, Miles
Mckinney. Christ Christensen. c. NJ.
Cannon. Al Schofer.
The majority of the committeeman
so selected being present, meeting
was held Immediately after the adj
iournmcnt of the conference. and the
petition to be directed TO the chair
man of the county committee was
prepared as follows:
To J. =. Sexton. Chairman of the
Democratic County Committee of the
County of Rock Island: The under
signed democratic voters of the city
of Rock Island, in view of the unfair
methods with which the caucuses in
the city of Rock Island to select del
egates to the democratic county CON
vention to be held May 26 are provided
for 10y several of the committeeman
in various wards of the city of Rock
Island. hereby petition you to issue n
call for primaries i'm the various wards
in the city of Rock Island, for the
following reasons:
First-Because the caucuses ar
ranged for by certain of the commit
teemen are contrary TO the lnStruc-
tionS of the last two democratic coun-
~ conventions.
Second-Because the caucuseS so
provided for by certain of the com
mitteemen in the city of Rock Island
will practically disfranchise a large
percentage of the voters of the city.
Third-Because the said democratic
caucuses as arranged for on various
days and to different hours and in
some instances at places not easy of
access, render fraudulent practices in
the conduct of said caucuses possible.
The petitions were placed IN ciTcu-
latiCn TODAY providing for primaries
n Ecu Of the brace caucuses contem-
plated hv the calls that have 50 far
been issued under Looney's direction.
and are already being generally sign
ei by democrats. If sufficient
names are attached 10 Justify Chair