Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-16

the Lowden convention ii was mani
fest that the delegations from num-
Der Of the rural districts were voted
lin both meetings. There had been
repeating. as one had the temerity to
remark r. \. Smith from, South
Moline was the only one to respond
from his section. but he voted the full
strength of the delegation. He said
he had started TO Rock Island with
his Il colleagues. but they had been
lost between the Harper house and
the court house. Where they had
gone he was not in u position to state.
but until they authorized him to do
otherwise he proposed voting them
with what he considered the regular
| ly constituted convention of his party.
| TT. Murphy. of Coal Valley, blew into |
the circuit court room shortly be
fore the assemblage was called to or
| der. He had been at the opera house, |
and he asked the privilege Of making |
Il speech, which was granted, in which |
he made an attempt to explain him |
self. but in doing so he failed to show
his true cOlors. Murphy proved him
self first-class straddler. He tried !
! 10 make good by delving into the his |
ttIN VI lis parry III WHICH liS pOiht-
ed at his untarnshed political re-
cord. but the bunch declined to warm |
up to him. From several parts of the /
house there were cries of ''cut it |
short Murphy at first thought they |
had reference to his hair. but on re-
ceiving an optical huHch from the
chairman he dropped back into his |
seat where he remained quiet until |
the senatorial candidacy of Larry Ma
gill was preached. Then he came for
ward with both feet for Larry. So
did II. A. Smith. the latter remarking
that Moline was solid for Magilrs re-
turn to the Legislature.
Boom NIpped In Bud.
just then Larry, who had been hob
nobbing with the boys up at the
theatre, came in. II. NJ. McCaslrin,
who was suspected of nursing a legis
lative boom on his own account, want
ed TO know if Magill recognized the
meeting ut the court house as the
regular republican convention of the
county. Reynolds NJ Johnson having
previously announced his withdrawal
as a candidate for the general assem-
bly,. Reynolds said he and Larry had /
buried the Ratchet and had broken
friends. lie was for Larry. In ans
wer to the McCaskrin query Magill
said he did not feel qualified to- eX
press an opinion off-hand on the legal
proposition involved. However, he was
satisfied to abide the action of the
court house convention. Col. {. l..
Walker was not opposed TO the candi-
dacy of Magill. but he would not like to
see him choose a list of delegates to
the senatorial convention who had
participated in the gathering at the
theatre. The matter was finally dis
posed of by appointing a committee
composed of V. o. Peterson. James
McGarvey, Charles George. Peter Mel
son. H. Il. Martin and William Ash
down. to confer with Magill in the Sc
lection of the senatorial delegation,
he makeup Of the latter to be subject
to the approval of the convention.
While the committee was meeting
with Mr. Magill. Mr.. McCasIrin pre-
pared Il statement that he asked Ma
gill to sign pledging the latter to the
court house convention and all its
proceedings. Larry refused to sign,
and the ma iority of the committee
concurred in the decision. McCaskrin
insisted that il was not asking too
much to demand of Mr.. MagilI to at
tach his signature to the paper he had
drafted. He stated that there was
but one member of the committee
who raised his voice in support of Ma
gill'S declination to do so. He thought
II was leaving too big a loophole for
fellow like Larry. to crawl out of. V.
o. Peterson. the committeeman at
whom McCaskrin had handed the slam.
gave the latter a neat little calling .
down. Mr.. Peterson said it was not
necessary to have any signing of
pledges by candidates. There was no
other convention that he knew of and
he did not see the sense Of fighting
IN imaginary foe. McCaSIlrin was
down ana cut. Ills scheme to pat
Larry ont or the business and have
himself indorscd lid not work. Larry ,
did not sign the document, but finally
was pressed to admit he believed the I
court house convention would be re-
cognizod as the legal one
P-ter-ou for Equalization Board.
6. T.. Peterson. of South Moline. can /
d:datc for membership i'm the state
board Of equalization. was allowed
to select the delegation to the con-
grCssioual convention which will have
the choosing cf the nominee for the
Office to which he aSpircs. and for
which ne will have a opponent NJ.
VI. Sturgeon. Of this city. who was en-
dorsei by the Lowden convention. J
When Mr.. Searle declared the tenn
porary organization made perma- I
nent on roll call. in which the Second.
Third. Fourth and Seventh wards. Mo .
limo. the Sixth ward. Rock Island. An
dalusia and the SECOND Edgingtou
precinct were omitted. there were
cries - rotten" from the rear of the
room. presumably from the ranks of
the Lowlcn supporters. number of
y.