Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-31
Exigencies of a Campaign That
Transform Republicans
Into Citizens.
MEETING AT TURNER HALL
Carse Gets Chief Boosting But Move
ment Is Handicapped by Par
tisa9 Ticket.

polltlcS. 1t happened to- be presided
over by B. f. Knox chairman of the
republican city committee, though the
honor was unsolicited and entirely a |
surprise. as that gentleman took pains
to explain.
At the very outset of the meeting
The citizen feature was hammered
in till the candidates below mayor,
when called upon to say few words,
were so impressed that they did not
dare to chirrUp for themselves.
The session lasted just one hour. in
which time there were just i3
speeches by actual count. and two
numbers by the martial band. and At
the close three cheers We're given for
Mr.. Carse and then for the entire
republican ticket
Chairman Knox disclaimed respon-
sibility for the whole affair, when. in
announcing Judge w. II. Gest, he volun-
teered the information that the Judge
was 'the next speaker on this pro-
gram that was handed me as came in
the door" He neglected 10 say who
did the handing Judge Gest. how
ever. was not in the audience ami
neither was b. ID. Connolly, who was
twice called upon.
As to the Minors.
The apparent object was to waive
politics so far as it pertained to the
candidacy of Henry Carse for mayor,
and leave the others on the
i,ly tnl-
der the old party standard
SO everybody boosted Mr. Carse to a
fare-you-well Only one forgot to 10
this. That was Justice J. II. Cleland
and he came back and put on anoth II
turn, making it strong. j. +. Moelier,
candidate for assessor, remarked when
he came on near the end of the bill,
that all the English adjectives and
other parts of speech had been used
upon Mr.. Carse and so Mr.. Moellar
was driven to say a few words in
German.
J. X Scott came on first ito break
the ice," as he expressed it, He broke
ii, all right, but got in over his head
when, after what was really the m ost
eloquent burst of the evening, he
| lamely wound up an appeal Tor non-
partisan support for MIR. CarSe by de-
claring that, while he was personally
! friendly to both candidates for mayor
he intended supporting Mr. Carse
| because he is of my party
S. w. Searle was then intro
duced and made a plea for the sup
port of Mr.. CarSe by members of Ill
parties on the ground that he is better
fitted to have charge of the city's If
| fairs on the eve of the era of indus.
| trial growth. that the speaker pre-
dicted is opening before Rock Island.
| Mr.. Carse IL Heard.
| Mr.. Carse was presented and made
a non-partisan address, devoting
some time to his former admin
istration of the Office of mayor. not
ing the fact it was he who designed
the system of numbering streets and
avenues now used; that he built the
Fifth avenue sewer up to Seventeenth
street, removed the waterworks from
the west end of the city to its present
location and at the same time TOOK
care of a floating debt of $4,000
Referring TO the fact that it is up &C
the new administration to deal with
the water publication plant he said
he believed if there was one thing he
knew about it was water, for he has
made his living out of it for many
years. In concluding he said tha
many inquiries had been made as {
whom he would fill his appointive Off
ces with in case of his election. T,
these he had replied that he woul,
use his best judgment and the peopl,
would have to trust him. He added
that it was somewhat strange that M
body had asked Mr.. McCaskrin WIFI
his appointees would be and intimatet
that if his opponent should declar
himself in this respect he -himsel
might feel called upon to make a SIM
lar announcement.
Clarence Schroeder. who was next
discussed the fitness of candidates il
an impersonal way, and G. G. Wengel
who as he put it, didn't happen to b
a candidate for anything this spring,
followed and boosted the ticket i
general. Mr.. Wenger wound up b
saying that he would like to hes
from the candidate for alderman in til
Fourth ward and Jonas Bear immt
ldiately stepped over the chairman
|prerogatives and took to the boards.
Bear and Witter sample the Water.
Mr. Bear said being a candidate ha
given him something to do and he we
coined his nomination for that reason
He was now busily engaged in goin
about asking people to vote for hin
If elected he promised that mot
drop of the peoples money woul
filter into his private pocket" \
he said this he poured a glass of watt
from the pitcher on the table befoi
him and proceeded to drink it, displa
ling so much satisfaction that the susI
lcions of Jimmy Witter, candidate for eli
Iattorney, were aroused and he imm
diately proceeded to also sample Il
same beverage. Mr.. Witter apparent