Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-22
Tuesday, March %, 1904.
Anarchy and Lawlessness VS.. Law
and Order.


ing where anarchy and ruffianism are
arrayed against lawful procedure.
Even if il were possible TO place such
misconstruction upon the standards
Of parliamentary tactics as TO encour-
age a precedent for the course seized
upon by Looney and his adberents TO
gain by unfair and irregular means
the control of the democratic city
township convention in which his del
egates were in a hopeless minority, no
one with respect fer right and decen-
cy could give conntenance to any part
Of the program as carried out under
Lnoney's direction 1t Turner hall sat
urdaN night. For If il could be shown
by any peryersiOn of the laws of con
vcntionS that the Linn motion was in
order. and that Looney adopting it as
he did as Il preteXt for leaping to the
stage. iHrcrrupting the proceedings, and
overthrowing by rowGyi>m the chair
man and secretary. even if at this in
slant The regularity of the proceed
ings depended upon the question of
physical force. still the democratic or
ganizaIion had the best of it. With
out the police at his back, Looney
could have been removed bodily from
the stage and his adhereHts could
readily have been driven back AT ey-
cry advance by the sheer force of
number, ON the other side. but for
the fact that the entire police force
of the city was at LooneY'S command.
and in charge Of a captain If police
whose orders from his chief were 10
hold Looney in the center of the stage
at any cost. So that with the que~-
ton OF the law out of consideration
for The mere sake of the argument. |
and the matter Of control resorting |
Ia the issue Of numbers and the eX-
crcisc Cf foTce-w which. heaven forbid. |
will never come within the meaning of |
the law "a provided for such cases
Looncy even then was at a disadvan |
tage.
1t was in full realization of the fact
that the anti-Looney delegates in con-
troll Of the convention needed only
sufficient police protection to pre-
serve order i'm the convention and see
that none but delegates gained seats
within the space reserved for the de-
egateS that the committee asked for
no more than six policemen. al told.
II was in the same realization a. to
the real situation that he would be
overwhelmed in numbers on the floor
Of the convention on any reasonable
Showdown. that I.ooncy demanded
that the entire police force of the city
he sent to sustain him in holding the
entire convention in check while he
and his noisy rowdies overran ii.
Ban il Goes not require that a man
be close student of law To- know that
i: i no; the purpose or contemplation
of any statute To permit hoodhmsm
To break i'm and dominate over parlia.
mentaTE U~ageS at any stage. so that
Looney. instead of showing his power
10 rule even by lawleSSne>S. demon
stratcd that il was necessary to have
the police in the conspiracy 10 gain
the han and the stage. Without
the presence of the bIHecoatS To the
extent of practically the entire force
the sergeant>-at-armS of the conven-
ton would. with the moral backing
of the law to the extent of single
policeman to see that no overt act
was committed. have had no difficult
~ in ciecting Looney from the stage.
aud indicating 10 his followers that
they must behave themselves and sub
NIT 10 The majority.
The convention was proceeding ac
cordin% 10 the form prescribed by law
and usage. and in the regular order of
things the time would have been
reached for LoCney to- show his
strength ON The floor Of the convcn-
tion. But Looney did not want such
time to he reached. He knew fully
a we'll n his opponents did that in Il
fair conn; he could not round up at
the very outside third of the dele
gales rightfuIly sitting in the conven-
ton. and this by giving him the First
and Fifth wards and his scattering
followers in Others Of the delegations
He had not the cards Ia back any
trick that i known To the rules of
conventions. and hence he determined
To resort To the act of a desperate.
Riot was his motive. and the police.
instead t interfering To prevent such
n condition. aided and ubetted Il.
There could have been hut one course
for law respecting people in this
state az affairs appeal for order.
ST.. w nat was going on rs long a
ps is,ie. and then retire.
The regular democrats. in order
thu. ;o-~ course might he wholly
within the law. had retained the law
firm az Searle & Marshall in advance
aHG aad member - that firm within
close reach so that ne might ne con-
suited from time 10 time a. to the
best course TO be purs sued in order