Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-20

Indep, ndent Voters Have a Mass
Meeting at illinois Thea.
ire.
cRlTICIsEATTORNEYG GENERAL
:. w. McCaskrin Reviews His Fight
and Says He Believes He
Will Win.

Six hundred voters of the city who
supported George w. McCaskrin for
the legislature, 1T mass meeting at
the Illinois theatre Saturday evening,
signed resolutions protesting protest
ing against the opinion of Attorney
General w. T Stead, which. if it is
sustained by the legislature. will result
in, they allege their being disfran-
chised of half their votes.
The meeting at the theatre was plan
ned by the Independent Voters club.
The club bore the expense, and at the
conclusion of the addresses passed the
hat with an invitation for all those in
terested in the cause of Independent
politics to contribute. About S3S was
subscribed The stage was decorated
with one of the large flags that the in
dependent legislative candidate raised
last fall Prof. w. l.. Read, principal
If Browns Business college, was chair
man of the meeting. He said that dur
ing the afternoon he had been warned
that if he had political future here
T would be best for him if he would
not allow himself to become so conspic-
uously identified with the McCaskrin
blowout. Mr.. Read said he was not
ambitious politically. hence he was
free TO act on his convictions He said
he voted for McCaskrin. The fight now
was not McCaskrin' sit had been
shifted to the shoulders of the people
who voted for the independent candi-
late by reason of the attempt to take
away from them half of the votes that
hey cast for their candidate for the
legislature last fall
Permanent MayOraI Timber.
When Mr.. NcCas1rin was introduced
he was given an ovation. He said that
&c bad nothing TO do with the getting
up Of the meeting. He was merely an
invited guest. He said that he had
been accused of working up the meet
ing for the purpose of springing his
mayOral candidacy. He wanted il I'M
derstood that that had long ago been
sprung and it remained in force in
definitely. The speaker stated that he
was so accustomed to talking i'm the
open air that he did not feel just com
fOrtable with a roof over him, and e
asked the audience to permit him to
remove his coat. He had freer arm
action with his coat off. He reviewed
the history of the recent strenuous
campaign, and produced the CORE
spondence that passed between the
attorney generals office and States At
torney II. a. Weld and Representatives
Cooke and Magill in reference to the
marking of the ballot He denied that
he had had anything to dnwith getting
the opinion from Mr. Hamlin. But the
opinion was right. according to law.
and he read from the statutes to sup
port it.
Believes He VIII stick.
He had been busy since he reached
Springfield, and ne thought he would
remain there a few weeks longer. lie
believed that he had right on his side
and that there were enough members
.nf the Legislature possessed of a sense
IF Justice TO defeat the attempt being
made 10 Gust him from his seat.
Following Mr.. McCaskrin there were
addresses by Attorney Carlstrom, of
Aiedo. and J. A. LOgsdon. of Moline.
The latter presented the resolutions.
which were adopted unanimously. The
theatre was filed