Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-18
feat for its patrons every day in the
Hoist With His Own Petard-Or the
Donkey on the Wagon.

w dSuilS 4hNSoohilli 40 u N~A--'A-0'-
blackguard and a common slanderer, as
well as a public falsifier, that substan-
tiation was presented by McCaskrin
himself in Market square Saturday
night. Stripped for the most part of
his wearing apparel, in the March
wind, and with a wagon platform for
rostrum, he raved like maniac and
brayed like an ass. Ii was like unto
the spectacle of Maud. the long-eared
animal of cartoon fame. attempting to
kick Il powder can into the face of
someone Who had tantaliZed her. and
blowing herself up in the effort.
II was a case of hoist with his own
petard with McCaskrin, and the more
ridiculous he became, the more he
ranted. Ii was continuous perform
ance. For two long hours the show
went on. Notwithstanding that the
usual Saturday night crowds were on
the streets, and a goodly portion stop
ped from time 10 time to hear Georges
bombast, none tarried long. The peO-
pie who halted in front of the imprO-
vised campaign platform with wheels
below and wheels above, were con-
|stantly changing. Realizing this, the
speaker went over his talk again and
again. Vainly he endeaVOred to sway
his hearers by characteristic grand
stand maneuvers. But there was no
response His auditors were there
through curiosity. They wanted to OBJ
serve if the experience of public office
had improved the McCaskrin nature.
They found it had not 1t had grown
worse. There was nothing in all his
talk but abuse-the natural resort of
the natural knOcker. 1t was the de-
mOTaliZing exhibition of the fool with
authority in the hands of knave. The
man with no higher impulse in his soul
than 10 assail and blackguard others was
posing undisguised as the parasite of
the evil genius of the whole commu-
nifty.
The Argus does not care fig for the
McCaskrin false statements concerning
it, This paper knows too well their
source. Making at the outset of his
speech the declaration that he had been
Handicapped from the beginning of his
administration by the hostility of The
Argus, he pretended TO forget that
from the day he took office this paper
did all in its power to make his adj
miniStration a Succession the city's
sake commended all his appointments
and gave him every encouragement
possible, even going 10 the extent of
saving him from humiliation. if not
disgrace. The Argus does not make a
lpractice of rehearsing the favOrs it
does for anyone, but this is an instance
where the base ingratitude that has
been McCaskrin's return justifies the
reference. SO deeply, in fact. did he
at the time, appreciate the evidence OF
kindly feeling on the part of The Ar
gus that he spoke of it voluntarily to
The Argus. stating that it was an evi
dence of human good will and friendly
disposition toward a public official. that
he would never forget. mo matter
what may come up in the way of diff
ferences of opinion" he said to The
Argus; mo matter how you may crit
icise me as mayor, | will remember
only in friendship to the end of my life
this act of good will"
And yet, in less than three months
time, the same McCaskrin was ped
Idling on the street corners, and haG
his police force distributing in stree
cars, attacks of a scandalous nature
upon the Argus-and all because
this paper could no longer over
look the injury that was being done
to the city by a misadministration o
Ipolice affairs and the irresponsible an
ltics that were being performed by the
mayor in carrying out his announced
determination to make grass grow il
the streets of Rock Island" So mucl
for the McCaskrin brand of gratitude
not because it pertains particularly It
The Argus, but as illustrating the trenC
of his nature toward all who disagree,
with him, no matter how kind the!
may have been toward him in othe
respects, and at other times.
Fortunately for the community, Nc
Caskrin has reached the point wher
the effect of his unhealthful croaking
is no longer influential in his own be
half, and, happily, not communicating
to others His rasping voice no lOT
ger falls on eager ears. 1t sometime
takes the people a long time to dis
= cover the insincerity of those who's
| sole ambition in life is to boost then
selves at others expense, whose ma
ural temper is to knock and tear dow
: what others have built up. But whe
> the people do learn the lesson, the
learn it well. No man ever mounte
, high by going down the ladder. Whe
; he falls in public estimation. his cours
is as surely toward the lowest level. a
the duck that has been shot on tn
wing. It is as sure as fate.