Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-17
Per cent.

/ Japan ...... ..... .....-....... 1876
Representative Mckinney of the
/ Fourteenth district voted against the
ubiquitous ship subsidy bill two years
| ago, l am glad to say, and will do so
as often as opportunity offers.
/ Two Unpopular Appointments.
The appointment of Judge Robert W.
Archibald of Pennsylvania and Inter
state Commerce Commissioner Martin
y. Knapp to the federal court of com
merce is satisfactory-to big int 3rests,
particularly
Archibald. although the president
may not have known it, was once upon
time the subject of a scathing ar
raignment in a decision of the Penn
sylvania supreme court, when an enter
prise floated by him was denounced as
a fraud upon the public" and a dis
regard of the requirements of bust
ness honesty" The suit was one
brought in 1855 by Hill. Keiser & Co.
in the Lackawanna county court
against Archibald and others, doing
business as the Amity Coal company
limited The suit was carried to the
state supreme court. The decision
against Archibald was written by the
late Justice Williams. 1t declares that
the concern in which Archibald was
one of the four partners was an emp
ty she'll" and its business conducted
on a fake capital of $50, 900. a fraud
upon the public"
The nomination of Commissioner
Knapp is objected to on the ground
that Knapp has shown himself to be
strongly in favor of railroad privilege,
and is therefore disqualified for service
on a court which is TO pass upon rail
road questions.
Close observers here at the capital
declare there is nothing surprising
about the appointments. The two NOM
inees are of the same temperament as
the men who are most frequently re-
ceived at the White house, to-wit: Aid
rich. Hale, Stephenson, Guggenheim.
PenrCse. From the first, the presi-
dents advisers have been men whose
views were not the views of the great
mass of the American people. Repub-
iCans like La Toilette who have called
at the White house to counsel with
the president have been kept waiting
in the ante-room so long that they have
left the executive mansion in disgust
Since the president has relied upon
the suggestions and advice of men I'M
popular with the people. and has re-
jccted the advice and counsel of re-
publicans popular with the people, the
president should not be surprised that
his administration is failing to please
the people
PrOEressiycs disappointed.
When President Taft was consider
ing who he would appoint to the SUI
preme bench he gave the progressive
republicans list of men and asked
them to investigate their records and
decline what their attitude would be
if he should nominate them This the
progressives did, reporting in favor of
some and against others. Imagine
their surprise when the president an
nOunced his selections and it was found
that neither of the two men appointed
were included in any list which had
been submitted to them
BaIIInEer should Resign.
Are the services of Richard A. Bal
iiiiSSA a. 0SSlS'eiJ VI IuS lhtSliOI uS-
partment worth the price the Taft ad-
ministration is paying in keeping him
in office? This is a question that many
are considering. Despite
the 'vindication" Of Mr.. Ballinger by
a partisan majority of the congression- /
al investigating committee, the fact re- /
mains that the evidence discredited
him as a public servant Even the re- (
publicans feel that he has lost the con-
fdence of the people and that his res
ignation would Iist a load from the |
Taft administration