Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-27

Mayor George Washington McCas-
krin caused to be distributed broad
cast over the city Saturday campaign
dodgers, containing allegations which
specifically refer to The Argus in a
manner that demands such attention
as might otherwise be unnecessary.
Through the medium Of these dodgers
and by platform speech at the ILL
nois theatre in the evening, the mayor
assumes that there exists a diabolical
conspiracy in Rock Island to crush
him politically. alleging that as fac
tor in such undertaking there has
been formed a newspaper trust" OF
which The Argus is a member. To
prove this the mayor afirms that ne
can get no consideration from the
press OF the city, and that as he
includes The Argus in his wholesale
Indictment the inference gained from
the mayors charges might be that a
bitter enmity existed between him
and this paper.
Such. however, is not the case. The
Argus has no quarrel with Mayor Nc
Caskrin, and it does not take him ser
III Tue lAC
paper that he is causing to be circulat-
ed over the city on paper and by word
of mouth. In truth, The Argus does
not think that the mayor Is taking
himself seriously in this angle of his
campaign for reelection.
1t Is to be doubted II there is an
other public man In Rock Island who
has gotten more free use Of the col
umns of The Argus than has Mayor
McCaskrin in the past several years.
There were times when he ground 1t
out by the column to express his ideas
and opinions on public questions. The
Argus feels that 1t has been exceed
ingly fair with Mr.. McCaskrin and If
public sentiment were consulted II
would say Il has been extremely con-
siderate OF him. True, It has dis
agreed with him IN certain of his poll
cies, but II feels that every newspaper
reserves that right. In fact, The Ar
gus has not hesitated 10 criticise for.
mer mayors Of Rock Island and has
been known TO criticise tho policies of
congressman, governors, presidents
and kings, and czars.
And while taking exception to Ger.
tain OF the policies of Mayor McCas.
krin, The Argus has not hesitated to
give him full credit for whatever ser.
vice he has rendered in his ofiicial ca,
pacity for tho good OF the city. The
Argus would rather az any time iaud
the virtues rather than condemn the
errors Of a public servant
The columns Of this paper have al
ways been open to him for communi.
cations upon public questions or in
his own behalf, and during the pri
mary election campaign the same in.
vitatfon that was extended to all the
mayoral candidates to submit their
platforms went TO Mayor McCaskrin,
Notwithstanding that he did not avail
himself OF the courtesy. A communi-
cation which the mayor refers to In
his dodger as having been delivered
by him in person to The Argus along
with the other newspapers, last week,
which in connection with a challenge
TO Harry M. Schriyer, fatty accuses
this paper being party to "newspa-
per trust" was refused because the
charge against The Argus was untrue,
as the mayor at the time was inform
ed
Lest through the statements the
mayor has made involving the atti.
tude OF this paper. a misunderstand-
ing may arise in the public mind, 1t
may be frankly said, that while the
mayor has made his own administra-
ton an issue of which this paper can
not approve in its entirety. The Argus
speaking for The Argus only-has
given its support TO Harry NJ. Schriv-
er for mayor primarily because his dec