Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-26

lie suspicion of the integrity of the big
can say that he exposed these methods.
one sees no reason why he should not
boast of it. The only attacks made up
on him are made by the we'll recog-
nized organs of high finance in New
York. These attacks will not hurt
What might hurt would be his talking
In one way in private and another in
public. There will be rather a close
watch Kept to discover whether he is
going to repudiate the Dahlman inter-
view or not. 1t would be unwise for
him to do it, as it expresses some
what notorious truth.
The Political Game of Chance.
Only few weeks ago the more
righteous people of the land were re-
buking the president for permitting
the senators from South Dakota to
cast lots for the selection of certain
public officials whose appointments
were in the hands of the president 1t
happened that the two senators were
not on the very best terms of friend
ship, and it is hard to discover what
better method the president could have
adopted to make a fair division of
spoils between them. OF course it
doesn't sound like the earlier Theodore
Roosevelt. the famous civil service re-
former, the member of the civil service
| commission. But with advancing years
he has become. like his friend Mr.. Har-
riman, n practical man, and the mere
question of fitness for Office seems not
| TO appeal TO him quite as much as the
long or the short straw held in the
fist of senator trying to take care of
| q constituent.
But. after all, there seems to be no
| reason why members either of the
house or the senate can properly pro-
| test. Recently they conducted quite Il
| considerable lottery. Their new Office
| building, which is fitted up with the
| gorgeousness of n New York club. will
be ready for occupancy when they re-
turn after the holidays. The rooms
were assigned purely by chance.
| The new office building is going to
be of great assistance to the work of
congress. Possibly it is little over
gorgeous. all the furniture being solid
mahogany and there being swimming
baths, Turkish baths, magnificent
restaurant and all the appointments of
| a club. But to the people who have
business to do with their representa-
tives the convenience will be worth the
price. Instead of having TO pursue
members of congress to this and that
hotel or to distant committee rooms in
the cellars of the capitol. they can be
found hereafter in their own offices
furnished by the nation. If they can
not he found there it is a fair indica
ton that they are not attending to the
business for which they We're sent t.
Washington.
Prohibition In the District.
One of the first measures to he press
ed after congress recOnvenes in Jan
nary wfebe the one providing to make
the District of Columbia dry" II
is going to have some strength. 1t vii
be opposed by the District commission
ers and by most of the property own
ers in Washington. Today the Capita
City eSacts from its liquor dealers til,
heaviest license tax of any city outside
of Boston. 1t has within the border:
of the District three extensive prOhi
bition territories. No liquor is sold a
the capitol nor at any point facing thu
capitol park. But the demands of til,
extremists for complete prohibition il
influencing many members of con
gress. The argument does not seen
, logical, because the man from Nortl
, Dakota who comes to congress ant
. votes to regulate the morals of TIL
people of the District of Columbia can
not believe in home rule. cannot be
lieve in local self government. If con
gress shall ultimately determine t
leave the question to vote G tn
District, it may be fair enough
Washington has more nonresident cit
zens than any city in the Unite
States. There are more people VIII
live here, in fact, but whose interest
are largely elsewhere than could
readily enumerated. Nevertheless
| congress should submit the questio
$ of prohibition to a vote of the peopl
! Of the capital there could be no issu
1 raised as to its propriety. 1t would b
I time then to argue before a jury @
10000 voters or more the rightfulnes
or the wrongfulness of the proposition
Washington, D. c.
+ WILLIS J. ABBOTT.
1