Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-09

districts with a large colored popula-
ton the whites live in constant dread
of riotous outbreaks. They dislike the
negro sober; they fear him drunk.
Much of the great majority given to
prohibition i'll the city of Atlanta,
majority that could not have been OBJ
tanned in any northern city of like
character and size, was due to the At
lanta race riots of year or more ago
These riots hardly would have occur
red except for the free access to intOx.
icants possessed by both whites and
blacks at the time. Mark my words,
as long as the negro is as powerful an
element numerically in the life of the
south as 1t is now prohibition will en-
dure and will be extended"
Hearst's National Programme.
Mr.. Hearst, who has led, or perhaps
thrust his Independence league into
preparation for national activities, does
not read history very well. though he
stands a chance of making some his
tory himself.
Last week he held a meeting of ma
tional sympathizers coming to New
York from nearly half the states Of
the Union and filed with such enthusi-
assn that, as his own newspaper said
naively, many even paid their own
expenses" Who paid the expenses of
the remainder can only be conjectured.
But in explaining his reasons for
making national organization out
of the Independence league, which in
turn he had made a state organiZa-
ton out of the Municipal Ownership
league, Mr.. Hearst through his news
paper had this to say:
1T was Lincoln who in the early
stages Of the Republican party ad
vised against submerging the move
ment in each locality to mere local is
sues"
The Republican party was national
| organization before Lincoln appeared
as its prophet. 1t was founded on Z
national issue, that of slavery, anG
was the outcome of the prolonged agi
tation OF the abolitioniSts, the de
, cadence of the Wing party and the
general breakup of all party organiZa
! tons opposing the historic Democracy
1t was not originally organized locally
| to nominate q candidate for mayor
nor was it made a state organization
: to nominate the same candidate fol
governor. Nor indeed did it entel
| the national field to nominate-but Mr.
Hearst says he will never again be ;
| candidate for elective Office.
The Republican party had its frs
! inception in the minds of number Q,
members of congress. They, after lone
! discussion, called the convention which
met under the oaks at Jackson, Mich.
and created the party which has beer
the only successful opposition to TIL
Democratic party since the days o
jefferson. 1t sprang from Il popula
K unrest and a popular agitation, no
from the ambitions the mindsand tn
money. of one man. EHowa far the IN
dependence league fails short of eithe
the Republican or Democratic idea o
self government is fairly indicated b.
the fact that the state leagues are al
Incorporated, control of the corpora
/ tions being vested in Mr.. Hearst him
self. As for the national league, it
enough to call attention TO the fac
that the committee in providing for
national organization authorized MI
Hearst personally to select all of it
members. to appoint all of it's officer
and even to determine whether
should or should not call convention
and put ticket in the field. That
hardly the American method of pre-
ceeding toward a popular politica
movement.
The President and Oklahoma.
I 1t is matter of official and newspape
etiquette, not to say rule. that th
president is not to be interviewed III
less he invites the interview. Indeed,
good many unfortunate persons, bot
political and journalistic, have ha
cause to bitterly repent the promulg;
ton of an interview which was Offered
but repudiated when it was found r.
u