Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-23
HAVE PROGRAM
FOR MEETING
Call Out for Conference at Pc.
oria to Protest Against
Grating.
ROCK ISLANDERS BOOST IT
breakdown of Representative Gov
eminent" Declared to Have Been
Shown by Disclosures.

Circulars are out announcing the
proposed program of the meeting to
be held at Peoria June 81 and % to
consider the breakdown of represent
| alive government in Illinois, and to
devise ways and means, if possible, of
restoring it." The recent exposures
of legislative graft have been the i'm
mediate cause of the call for the meet
| ing, which is fathered by the Illinois
Retail Merchants association.
Among 300 others the names of
George H. Kingsbury, F. T. Myers, C.
A. Schoessel, H. E. Casteel, L. R.
Crane, l.. s. McCabe, E. B. Kreis,
Ralph w. Lamont, Frank c. Young
| and S. W. Searle of Rock Island ap-
pear at the bottom of the call, which
follows:
Under the constitution of Illinois,
the people have the right to assemble
in peaceable manner TO consult for
the common good
1T is rarely that this prerogative is
formally exercised; but intolerable
conditions demand extraordinary eff
forts.
Opportunity for Citizens.
THE undersigned call the attention
of their fellow citizens to the legisla-
ture of Illinois.
"An unusual opportunity now pre-
sentS itself to the unselfsh citizenship
of Illinois to insist upon a legislature
that shall be truly representative, shall
really conserve the interests of the
state and shall assure the enactment
into law of the progressive legislation
demanded by the people of the state.
primaries for the nomination of
candidates for the legislature will
shortly be held. The issue involved in
electing an honest and representative
legislature will be less confused with
other issues than is usually the case.
The public conscience throughout the
state is aroused to an extent unknown
in years. To fail to avail ourselves of
this opportunity to elect representa-
tives of the people instead of repre-
sentatives of interests adverse to the
people, would be to confess our incom-.
petence for self-government.
The undersigned citizens therefore
call upon their fellow citizens through
out the state to meet at Peoria on June
81 and IS next to consider the break
down of representative government in
Illinois and TO devise ways and means.
if possible. of restoring it. This con-
ference will be called to order Monday
afternoon, June q, at 2 o'clock in the
assembly room of the city hall, Peoria.
The afternoon of the second day will
be devoted to the consideration of
resolutions. 1t is the idea of those
signing this call that the conference
will prove most useful if it undertakes
to speak through resolutions only on
matters on which there is substantial
unanimity of sentiment.
The Program.
The proposed program follows:
2 p. REORGANIZATION. Discussion Of
procedure and methods by members
of the legislature and citizens. Brief
accounts of experiences in connection
with various bills. (a) Commission
form of government. OBJ Regulation
of express rates. Co Authority to mu-
inequalities to sell electricity. Cd
municipal charter legislation. (e) Civil
service legislation (D Election laws.
And other important matters before
the legislature.
s p. m, THE Oregon Plan"-Hon.
Jonathan Bourne, Jr., U. S. senator
from Oregon.
Tuesday, June ESQ a. m. Further
discussion of legislative matters. (a)
Legislative payroll. OBJ Minority rep
resentation. (c) Corrupt practices act.
1880 a. m, THE Wisconsin Legis-
lative Bureau"-Dr Charles Mccarthy
of Madison, Wis.
2 p. m.-What are We going to do
about 1t? Resolutions and general DIS
Cussion.
8 p. m, THE Short Ballot"-Hon.
Winston Churchill of New Hampshire.