Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-11-29
Mayor McCaskrin Gets Out on
a Real Ram.
page.
SLOT MACHINES
Which Crusade He Vehementiy
Attributes to The
Argus.


newspapers, but particularly upon The
| Argus. Mayor McCaskrin started out
| his afternoon to do something.
1t was a crusade against the slot
machines that he inaugurated. If you
| want TO know the cause. ask The Ar
gus" he vehemently declared. without
| giving the surprised shopkeepers. into
| whose places of business he rushed.
| time 10 get their breath.
Yes. it's The Argus he repeated.
I'll show them who is mayor I'll put
an end TO every franchise corporation
| n this town. I'll stop the cars. and
thereH be moss growing insthe streets
before ! am through. I'll SOW the grass
seed myself" he went on to say.
Newspaper Men, Beware.
Occasionally he handed a package to
the Union and the Davenport Times,
but most of his fury was directed to-
ward The Argus.
Don't let a representative of any
Of those newspapers come near me-"
he dramatically exclaimed I'll show
| them | am mayor. and I'll teach them
who is running this town. I'll close it
up tighter than a drum"
Anu SO ne went. out OF one place
and into another. Last night, it is I'M
derstood. the mayor gave orders for
the closing of all gambling houses, and
| il is 70 the press comments on the
somewhat awkward way that he called
attention TO the existence of these re-
sorts that he has taken such exception
Whether he will carry his crusade to
| the greater evils that have fiourished
in Rock Island for several months re-
| mains to be seen.
Ii has been said that it sometimes
takes excitement to awaken moral zeal
| in a man. And the mayor is excited
| there is no doubt about that.
| The RumOrs Current Last Night.
Reports were current last night that
| Mayor McCaskrin. acting upon the SEN
| sational exposures of the last few days,
had ordered the gambling houses of the
city closed. An Argus representative
called upon his honor in the city hall
this morning and ventured 70 make in
quiry as 10 the truth of the rumors.
Il do not know anything about ito"
was the mayors curt response. .
Suppression of News.
Last night when an Argus represen-
| tative called at the police station and
followed the usual custom of glancing
at the daily transcript of arrests and
Ambulance calls, a record that in all
administrations past has been open to
newspaper men, he found il covered.
THE orders are that the record shall
not be seen" was the information re-
ceived from the desk sergeant.
| Receives the Press Delegation.
For the purpose of determining the
situation with reference to the gamb-
ling houses and the suppression of
news, an Argus representative APP
preached the mayor at his office, and
before the subject was reached repre-
sentatives of other papers, who had
| found themselves temporarily handi-
capped in getting news at the police
station, appeared and the delegation
was received by his honor.
| Only Partial Suppression.
With the gambling question still
where the mayor had left it, the next
question was:
is il a fact that you have barred
the newspaper reporters from seeing
the daily report of the police station"
! Yes, sir. All matters of a private
nature will be kept to ourselves" said
his honor, throwing out his chest and
looking fierce.
Then how are We to keep informed
as to the ambulance calls?" he was
4 asked with all due meekness.
| sid Pearson drives the ambulance"
he answered.
! And about the night calls?"
''Kell is on at night There will be
record kept of all calls on file in the
station" was the reply.
/ Whom will we depend upon to find
out about arrests?" was the next
query.
The magistrates book will show a
PLANTATION.
And those who are arrested and
turned loose without conviction will
be unknown to the newspaper mem"
Yes. sir. Such proceedings will be
kept private" This with a positive
ness of expression that shook the build
ing.
But, under other administrations
the newspapers had the confidence
of the officers and were inform
ed on all such cases. and if it was not
best to publish them the confidence
was not violated" the mayor was in
| formed
City's Business within HimseIf.
Il do not care what has been done
before / am running this city now
he replied. In that article printed last
night. reference was made to the one
man idea but / want it understood
that the business of this city will be
kept within myself" and then he told
what the newspapers could do II they
did not like IT, II was shocking.
By this time the mayor was allowing
his wrath. which il was apparent had
been beneath the surface, 10 get the