Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-01

Springfield, Ill, Feb. by unani
nous vote the house OF representative.
this morning adopted resolution pro
Vlding for a Committee OF seven to in
Vestigate charges of corruption an,
ufiderhand practices made by Repre-
sentative Comerford against member.
of the Legislature
Text of Charges.
Comerford's charges, which were
made in an address before the stu.
dents OF the law school in Chicago
allege that the Illinois legislature is
a great public auction. where special
privileges are sold to the highest cor.
poration's bidders and that without re.
spect TO party affiliations. 'Grafters'
seem To be- in the majority"
VIII Have To Testify.
The investigating committee is en-
powered to- bring before it Represen-
tatiye Comerford and cause him to
testify as to what he knows Of the al
legged wholesale corruption
Many members OF the legislature
are walking about armed. Threats
have been made against Comerford.
who acknowledges he has a revolver
in his pocket To defend himself in an
emergency.
Reporf~r Assaulted.
One assault has already been re-
corded as consequences of the Conner
ford charges. James Burdette. a re-
porter for Chicago paper, was
knocked down just outside the en-
trance of the Leland hotel by alieee&1
friends of one of the accused members
he was roughly handled His assail-
ants escaped.
In New Member.
Springfield. ILL.,. Feb. with four
weeks experience in the Legislature.
Representative Frank ID. Comerford
of the Second district of Chicago faces
the prospect OF leaving the general as
sembly at the vigorous. il not violent.
request of the other members.
MIR. Comerford made a speech in
Chicago last week before the students
OF the Illinois College OF Law. He
made many general and some specific
charges of corruption against the legis-
Iators. collectively and individually
Copies OF his speech. not made pub
lie I'm Chicago reached Springfield yes
terday-
May ExpeI or Impeach.
The representatives associates are
undecided whether they merely will
expel him or whether they will i'm
peach him and have him tried by the
senate. the body intrusted with the
conduct of such proceedings. At pres
ent. unless the members OF the house /
cool down. IL is simply question OF
what they will do to him. as they fully |
are decided To do a plenty.
After a conference last night be- |
tween Speaker Shurtleff and Represen-
tative Mckinley. the speaker announc-
ed:
Il shall give the widest and fullest
to Mr.. Comerford to
make good on the charges he has
made against the legislature AMI
against its individual members. II
conditions exist as he has described
them there should be every oppOrtun-
ity granted to prove them
In ,oduer- Referendum
Senator Campbell introduced bill
in the senate yesterday which provides
for n referendum on all ordinances and
passed by law-making bod
les OF cities. counties. towns and viii
lagos.
The bill was prepared by the I'LL
nois Referendum league. and Is the
most drastic measure ever introduced
in the Illinois general assembly. IL
provided. however. that n referendum
vote need not be taken unless petit
tious are submitted within n specified
number OF days
Another Anfi-Pns. BILL
Srnator Chafee introduced a bill TO
make n unlawful for public officials to
accept free railroad transportation or
sleeping car tickets. express. telephone
or telegraph franks.
Senator Chafee also introduced
fellow servants bill. placing the bu--
nm Nrnrr