Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-09
F. G. ALLEN TALKS
AT TURNER HALL
Moline Congressional Nomination Az
pirant Gives His Views on
Various Topics.

F. G. Allen, of Moline, republican
congressional nomination candidate,
last evening addressed a large audi
ence at Turner hall in Rock Island. He
said he desired to set the voters right.
as to his opinions on various public
questions, and went on to explain his
standing on the trusts. He stated that
he, was unalterably opposed TO trusts,
and characterized them as wrong in
principle and practice and inimical to
the interests of the community. He
qualified his statement by explaining
his action when a pillow trust was 'agi-
tated about five years ago. his action
then, on behalf of the Moline Pillow COM
pany, preventing the organization of
trust. He stated that he is firm be-
lever in the protective tariff He
stands in favor of reciprocity, and
took the position that if reciprocal re-
lations were established with Great
Britain and duties in Canada modified.
a much larger volume of farm imple
ments could be sold in that country by
American manufacturers.
With reference to railway rate legis-
lation. he declared he is in harmony
with the present in the effort TO prop
erly regulate the railways. He be-
lieves. he said in railways and believes
they have developed the country and
are responsible for a large degree of
prosperity in the Mississippi valley, at
the same time maintaining that they
have become too aggressive, too selfish
and too unmindful of the interests of
shippers. With these conditions, he
held. there should be a power vested
in the government to correct the evils,
and maintain a just relation between
shipper and railway.
He said he favors sound money and
national banks, but is, however oppos-
ed to asset currency, now agitated, on
the grounds that while right perhaps in
theory. it would be pernicious in prac-
tice and not provide reliable money
such as the people now have.
He took up the question of his views
in regard to the laboring class. He
recited his early history, and showed
that he had come from the Iaboring
class and that his sympathies are with
the laborers. He made the statement
that if 50 per cent of those employed
at the Moline Pillow company factory
did not want him TO go to congress he
would retire from the contest. He
quoted union authorities on his cam
paign. In reply to the charge that the
Moline Plow company used coercion to
secure the support of its men for him.
Mr. Allen called attention to the offer
of 1000 for any case and every case of
coercion or undue influence exercised
by the company in the campaign, and
as manager of the company. and au-
thOrized to make the offer, he repeated
in behalf of the company the offer of
$1,000 for any case of coercion.
He reviewed his own political history
and that of his opponent, and pointed
out that he had never asked the party
for an Office, either elective or APP
pointive, during the 80 years in which
he has worked diligently for the party's
interests. He stated that legislation
is largely a business matter, and that
business man who had been init |
mately connected with the manufactur-
ing business for "a years is naturally |
better informed. and consequently bet
ter capable of legislating for the com
munity, than an attorney whose bust
ness matters are limited by information
gained from newspapers and books.
He said if elected he will represent
the people of the district, not his own |
personal ideas or prejudices, that he is
aggressive and progressive in his ideas |
of government. and that he would seek |
to impress these sentiments on the |
party in caucuses and conferences.
On the question of primaries, he said |
ne favored voting primaries throughout |
the county, but as they were not sup |
ported by the law he had opposed them. |
He said that not single Allen man is |
a judge or clerk of the primaries in |
Rock Island on the list appointed by
the city central committee. and de-
nounced this method of procedure