Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-09-27
From Orphan Boy 10 II Member of the
Supreme Court of the State.

From Orphan Boy TO Member of the
Supreme Court of the State.
From struggling orphan boy, working
his way through the public schools and
through college to a judge of the SUI
preme court of Illinois at the age of
40, is an achievement worthy OF con-
sideration by the youth of the state.
Such is the record of Hon. George A
Cooke of Aledo. who was elected to fill
the place OF his dead friend, Judge
Guy c. Scott, At the special election in
this district Saturday Mr. Cooke has
attained the high post of honor and
distinction through standing ny prin-
ciple, added TO the sheer force of merit
and q most attractive and winning per
sonality.
Mr.. Cookies success cannot be term
ed democratic triumph in the strict
ly partisan sense. 1t was a democratic
victory only in so far as that Mr..
Cooke is q democrat. who ran to sue
coed a democrat. on the theory that
the principle OF bi-partisanship which
has been recognized in the supreme
court of the state for period of 80
years. shall be maintained. 1t was
both the issue and the man that won.
While Mr. Cooke was able to poll the
votes of the majority of the rank and
file of his own party, take ii the dis
trict over. the places of those who for
peculiar reasons were disinclined TO
support him were taken and added to
two-fold by republicans who eth
er recognized the principle of fairness
involved in the campaign or were NOV
ed by the contrast in the proceedings
that developed the respective candi-
dates
While from the first there was never
any serious doubt of Mr.. Cookies sue
cess, taking into consideration both the
man and the platform upon which he
stood. every move of the opposition re-
bounded TO his advantage First, the
Macomb republican convention that
broke up in a farce and a joke; then
the aftermath dominated by repudiated
republican politicians that went behind
closed doors in an Iowa hote! and pro-
vided for the vacancy created by the
of the dark horse nom
inee; then the attempt by cowardly
anonymous contributor. through the
columns of an Iowa paper, TO assail the
acts of the dead jurist whom Mr.. Cooke
was a candidate TO succeed; and, last
of all, the dragging into the campaign
of the local option issue with all the
and feeling that it was des.
tined TO arouse.
So, taking it as whole, the people
of the district have shown conclusive
~ that they recognize the principle of
-partisanship i'll the personnel If
the supreme court of the state. they ap-
preciate suitable candidate, they de-
nounce the SANDER of the dead, and
they resent the attempt of the local
option league of Illinois to dictate to
them from outside the district whom
they shall elect to the exalted position
of judge of the supreme court. Incl
dentally. too. the people of the district
have indicated with considerable en-
phasis that they do not need the adj
vice of a Chicago paper, which at one
time stood for bi-partisanship in judi
cial elections IN its own city and then
came out into the state endeavoring
to destroy that same principle.
The people of the Fourth district
despite all that could be done TO sway
them, have reposed their confidence
in George \. Cooke as the worthy sue
ccssor of his lamented and talented
friend and professional associarc.
Judge Guy c. Scott And
so it should be; for if those whose
paths i'll life have ceen laid along those
traversed by the two men. living and
dead, could hear from beyond the
realms of space the voice of the one
whose untimely ending so grieyed us
all, the message would surely be well
done"