Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-25

states have of recent years had-Van
SAINT of Minnesota, La Toilette of Wis
consin, Cummins of Iowa, Folk of Mis-
souri,, and Hanly of Indiana. He con
cluded by placing Deneen in the same
class, and said that the governor was
present to answer for his conduct and
career in Office.
BOASTS of Administrations.
The governor began his address by
telling how pleased he was with the
attentions shown him here, and stat
Ing that this was the 10th county he
visited in his campaign, SO having
been invaded before the last session
of the legislature, and IL in the last
two weeks. He said he is making
this sort of campaign because he
comedies the right of the people to
demand that men who occupy high
Office shall give an account of their
service when they apply again foI
continued service.
Governor Deneen said that four
years ago he had platform limited
&c three planks. These were for the
passage of the amendment to the con
|stitution providing for the Chicago
charter; for a civil service law for
state charitable and penal institu
tons, and for compulsory primary
law.
He then endeavored to show that
the aims of his platform have been
achieved in his three and one-third
years in Office. He told of the effect
of the changes in Chicago, and re
ferred to the justice shop system par
ticularly. He said that as a rule the
justice in the rest of the state oc
cupies an honorable office, and issue:
warrants to start cases. In Chicago
lie said, the justices had been issuing
letters of marque and reprisal an
handing them over to the constable:
10 pillage and plumber the community
This was replaced by the municipal
court system. He elaborated on thu
charter. showing the change in the
mayors term, the change in the town
ship system, and the wheel tax.
As to Civil Service.
| Referring to the civil service plank
1.-THE governor protested against tn,
Icriticism of former Governor Yate
because of this proposition. And thel
| the governor proceeded to admi
Yates's charges that his measure il
not ideal. and that it does not appl,
| universally to all employees of tn,
state. He said that he has no chroni,
| differences with the Legislature Oh
| this point because it limited the Law
to the IL charitable institutions, bu
that the legislature probably ha,
more sense than he. He contended, how
ever, that the law is a step in the RICH
direction, leaving the inference that from
the republican legislature the publ,
could not expect any more than the
merest beginning. He gave som,
figures to show what has taken place
under the operation of the civil ser
vice law. There have been 9S1 exam
nations in IL towns and cities, 3,72;
have been appointed, 2,427 have beer
discharged. There were 7,499 appli
cations for examination.
hiss at hdtcss
At this juncture the governor un
sheathed a knife, figuratively, and tool
jab at Yates. He said that no longe
is there the cry against the assess
ment system by which 5 per cent O
the wages paid to employees went tt
the campaign fund.
He endeavored to show that the
criticism of the administration of thu
state institutions is not quite as baC
as it is represented. He showed tina
there are 2265 employees, attendin.
| 1860 delinquent and defective per
sons, and that the number of insan,
grows each year.
Talks of Investigation.
From this he went into the investi
CATION made recently. He claimed
that it was a political move; that 4
was not for sincere motives; that tn,
places investigated were those who's,
heads were known to be unfriendIy t,
the administration; that discharged
employees were used as tools, and tina
no opportunity was given to refut.
| the charges made. even though the
committee gave assurance that thi
would be allowed
Passing from the state institutions
| the governor touched briefly on an
other sore place-the waterway pro
| ject and the scheme of the Econom.
Light e Power company.
He then took up the primary Law
question. He recounted from his owl
viewpoint the delays and difficulties
! in securing the adoption of this bill