Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-10-15
For Minority Representative.

FOR minority Representative.
The democrats of the Thirty-third
senatorial district of Illinois. of which
Rock Island county is a part, should
have member of the next general as
sembly. To contribute TO this end is
a duty and a responsibility resting up
on every democrat in the district To
insure this result a democratic candi-
date must be elected. The name of
but one candidate for minority repre-
sentative will appear under the dem
Ocratic appellation on the official bal
lot Only the one so designated can
be regarded as a democrat, accountable
TO the party as q democrat, and TO be
depended upon as a democrat, where
questions arise in the Legislature af-
fecting party expediency, party inter
est and party welfare.
Under the democratic caption on the
official ballot the name of George 4.
Cooke will appear as the only candi-
date for minority representative. The
fact that no democratic senatorial con-
ventiOn was held in the Thirty-third
district. other than the one at which
Mr.. Cooke was nominated. leaves him
the party candidate without contest or
dispute Realizing the fact that there
existed at the time or Mr. Cookies re
nomination dissatisfaction among dem
Ocrats-nOt with Mr.. Cooke personally.
but with the manner and form of call
| ing the convention that selected him,
which provided for mass rather than
representative cOnvention-The Argus
has awaited the limit of time prescrib-
ed within the law for the democrats
here to by second convention or other
wise express themselves on the Situa-
ton. At the county convention of June
30 provision was made for delegates
| TO Il senatorial convention and such
delegates were elected to serve in the
event of a convention being called
which might either renOminate Mr.
Cooke or select some one else. But
no senatorial convention was called or
held. and consequently Mr.. Cooke be-
comes the only nominee of the party.
As 10 Mr.. Cookies standing political
| ~ and personally there can be no pos
siblc objection to his candidacy At
| the former session of the legislature he
proved in an eminent degree his ability
and his capacity as a legislator. In
deed, he gained prominence and recog-
lnitiOn throughout the state. and should
he be returned to the Illinois general
assembly would be very apt TO be en-
trusted with the leadership on the
democratic side of the house
The peculiar phases surrounding his
candidacy constitute but another out
come of the condition of affairs that
existed in the party in Rock ISL
and county two years ago and
which has kept the party in
this county in a state of I'M
| rest throughout the present campaign
and up to the present time Mis-
placed. misguided party control has
| been responsible for it all. This state
of affairs Will not be relieved by pick
| ing a fight at this stage with the demo-
Gratis of Mercer and Henderson coun-
| ties. The best way 10 act now is to
| elect Mr.. Cooke. and two years hence
| the party united and in good hands
will be in a position TO demand of its
sister counties terms of fairness in the
matter of holding conventions. In the
meantime Mercer will have had the
| candidate in the legislature for two
terms and by every precedent of right
and fairness will be obliged to submit
TO Rock Island county. If at the pres
ent time the democrats of Rock Island
county attempt to contribute TO the
defeat of the Mercer county candidate
it Will simply open breach that may
not be closed throughout the existence
of the present district. and should they
succeed. the only gain would be to stab
the party by sending a republican TO
the legislature. The independent can
| didacy OF George Washington McCas-
| krin is Il farce so far as the democrat
! iC party is concerned. As Paul Henne-
| berg. the socialist nominee for the leg
! islature declared in his speech at the
/ Illinois theatre last evening. Mr.. Nc
| Caskrin is a republican on national is
/ sues and has never declared other
| wise. If by any possibility he should
/ be elected to the legislature he would
| vote with that party on straight par
| " issues. If the republicans want to
| elect him let them do it, Should the
! legislature be close the Thirty-third
! district might in the event of the dem
! ocrats sending him there he the means
/ of thwarting the viii and defeating
the interests of the party in questions
| OF far reaching Importance. even TO
matters of national concern.
The duty of the democrats of the
! Thirty-third district is plain II is TO
stand by the democrat for the only
| office the democrats are certain of Sc
| curing.