Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-27
THE FAILINGS AND THE
FAILURES OF M'CASKRIN
Few Reminders Concerning Promise and Fulhllment.

Caskrin had FILTERED away the first
six months of his administration in
quarrelng with the council notwth-
otanding the friendly attitude of that
body toward all his appointments, and
paying much more attention to what
might have been said in criticism of
his course than the disposition on the
part of the press to be fair with him.
came the incident WHARF, the success
full attempt to save to him
from the clutches Of the common en-
envy of mankind in the community, was
rewarded by the basest of ingratitude.
One Sunday morning along in the
fall of the first year of the McCaskrin
regime, two of the mayors closest
friends, one of them an attache of his
administration and the other an alder
man who afterWard became an ap
pointee, came to The Argus office with
the information that we'll laid plan
was under way to accomplish McCask-
rims ruin and at the same time to
bring disgrace upon the city. 1t was
the spiteful spirit of the common en-
envy, who was thus seeking to get even
with the mayor for some of his APP
pointments. So thoroughly had the
plot been worked out that speedy &C
ton was necessary if it was to be of
avail. There were two arguments
that appealed to The Argus when its
ipfl to cH acLy
rim from the hands of his then enc
mics. One was the fact that anything
that would have a tendency to show
that within seven months from the
time that the people of Rock Island
had elected a mayor by the biggest
majority ever given a candidate in
Rock Island, the man so honored had
been thrown out of office would not
prove to the outside world a fIatterng
commentary on the judgment and in
telliaence of the people of Rock Island.
The other argument was that McCask
rim was very young man, with prom
iSing future ahead of him. if he could
only be induced to put aside some OF
his silly and headstrong notions. that
despite the fact that he had persistent
ly made enemies when he could just as
we'll have made friends, it seemed
pity to permit the blasting of his own
reputation and the reputation of the
city at that stage of his career.
ACTS OF KINDNESS WASTED.
Accordingly, The Argus enlisted the CO.
operation of the Union, and Z day and
night were given by the two papers to
saving McCaskrin from the penalty of
his own folly, with the result that the
proceedings against him fell through.
In all that time McCaskrin was him
self net seen, but the next day. when
he realized what had been done for
him, he voluntarily thanked The Argus
for its own good offices, Of which, to
use his exact language, he said it was
an evidence of human good will and
friendly position toward a public Off
cial, that he would never forget mo
matter what may come up in the way
of differences of opinion" he said TO
The Argus, mo matter how you may
criticise me as mayor, | will remember
only in friendship to the end of my life
this act of good will"
The lesson that McCaskrin should
have learned from this demonstration,
that all who disagreed with him were
not necessarily his enemies, failed 10
impress him. The least exception to
reckless acts that might involve the
city was met with the same old spirit
of deep-seated resentment-and abuse.
The Argus had tried to overlook his
faults for the city's sake, had only crit
icised his official acts when they were
of such nature thai no 3eIf-respecting
paper could have done otherwise. had
labored with him, and even defended
him fer the public good, urging him
all along to he cautious. Above all
things, he was urged to appoint com
petent chief of police. But the force
was permitted to 60 along without head
or discipline. The city, as has been
otated in former reference to the Nc
Caskrin administration. was beinq over
run with GAMBLERS AND CONF
DENCE MEN WHO WERE BOLDLY
PLYING THEIR OCCUPATION with
out molestaticn or hindrance. OF this
unfortunate condition there could be
but one inevitable OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ure and public condemnation.
THE FINAL EXPOSURE.
And it came. The total absence Of
judgment and experience in the con
troll of police affairs that produced tn;
condition, produced the result. TIL,
gamblers had become so bold that the,
began to fight among themselves. Thu
gray wolf was fattening and double
cross game was frequently practiced
A gambling house was actually burglar
lied by another gambling house. Nc
Caskrin, instead of pulling the entir,
gang, fell into the trap and a state war
rant was sworn out by him in whic
Used NV