Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-12

III greater or less degree but ID
the summing up of the outcome. il
seems reasonably clear that Mr.. Nc
Caskrin drew an equal If not a greater
percent of his vote from the republican
party than he did from the democratic
party. In any event, the failure of the
democratic party to uphold its stan
dard not only in Rock Island but in
The associated counties in the district
left Mr.. Cooke so small a margin on
the straight vote of his own party that
il made il comparatively easy task
for an Independent drawing from all
parties 10 outrun him.
The Argus is happy in the belief
that in the outcome there has been
left no open breach between the demo
Gratis of Rock Island county and those
OF Mercer county. While at the outset
there was a disposition on the part of
a large portion of the party rank and
file in Rock Island county 10 place the
seal Of party condemnation on the
mass convention proposition. designed
as IL appeared TO be TO perpetuate in
definitely in the keeping of one county
the prestige OF control of the legisia-
tive situation. yet after Mr.. Cooke
came into the county and made clear
the attitude of both himself and his
party in Mercer county on the subject
both as it pertained to past and future
policy, the feeling engendered on this
score was largely abated. The only re-
greet that Mr.. Cooke can have now from
this source is that he did not come
sooner and stay longer.
The Argus recognized fully st the
time that the Aledo mass convention
was i'll advised, and did not hesitate
to condemn il not only as a precedent
but as evincing a disposition to take
advantage of the party here at a mo-
ment when il had troubles of its own.
which il was quite capable of handling
as subsequent events developed. There
were those among the representative
democrats Of the county, though. who
fully counseled the Aledo proceeding
on the ground that this was a year
when the party here at home could ac-
complish more in Kidding itself of the
causes of internal strife by having the
legislative question eliminated than by
permitting il to remain as a bone of
contention. The Argus was not among
those so minded for its confidence in
the efficiency of the party to rule it.
self and at the same time reserve to
its keeping all that belonged to it in
its relations with sister counties. was
such that il awaited the entire clear
ing up of all matters affecting the par
ty standing both on the question of
regularity. and its disposition on the
legislative question before taking a
stand. The state of uncertainty en-
velOped in the contests brought against
the proceedings of the regular organ
ization with the design of keeping the
ticket off the ballot in the interest of
the republican nominee for states at
torney. likewise deferred the party
from expressing itself either in APP
probation OF disapprovai of the circum
stances attending Mr.. Cookies nomina
ton until it was too late TO affect il
either way.
Then il was that The Argus in fur
therance of its duty to the democratic
party. and responding to its impulses
of admiration for Mr.. Cooke. both as a
man and democrat. gave to his can
didacy in the face of the handicap
caused by yexatious delay. the best
that il was capable Of.
But il was too late. The party in
the nation at large shattered and in
different. and at home perplexed by
the complications that had arisen
through those who were seeking TO
disrupt il. many had turned to the in
dependent legislative candidate. for
McCaskrin had been saving wood in
the interim. II is complimentary to
Mr.. Cooke that many OF the dissatis-
fed came over To- him after they had
been brought TO a realization of the sit
uation as il affected him. and in the
general survey of the field of battle
he should gain considerable satisfac-
ton from the fact that there was and
could not have been any opposition To
him personally.
He went down as did many good
democrat in this great country last
Tuesday because his party took day
of.