Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-14

rison through and through. He lightly
rated Harrison's ability, and he did
not trust him, politically, or other
wise. knew Governor Altgeld well,
and got this information from him at
/ first hand: and recall it now, after
/ having seen a striking exhibition of
/ Carter Harrison's character and meth
/ DDS. 1t seems to me that a strong
man would have acted differently from
| the way Carter Harrison acted, the
other day. A strong man would hove
said to me: Yes, come on! Speak
your piece" Small men sometimes
make ffrst-class tyrants. 1t was a hap
by day for Carter Harrison when Gov
ernor Altgeld passed away-for he
| feared that honest old eagle. He fear
ed not only his piercing, penetrating
eye-but he feared his beak end claw
If Governor Altgeld were alive to-
day, how he would make the feathers fly
from Andrew Lawrence and Carter
Harrison. If Governor Altgeld were
alive, these men would not now be as
piring to state leadership. How we do
miss the leadership of that patriotic,
that courageous, that honest man!
ocratic sheepfold did despise him!
The speakers at this meeting round
ly denounced the Springfield conven-
ton Of 1904. But hat convention was
honorable and merciful compared to
this Springfield meeting. At the
Springfield convention of 1904 there
was a fight on. There were two strong
factions in that convention, one led by
Hopkins, Lawrence, Brennan and
Quinn, aided by their Chicago friends
and hackers. and the other composed
wholly of down-state democrats. The
Hopkins Lawrence-Quinn faction was
we'll organized and vigorously led.
The down-state faction had no lead
er, and the minority, organized and
led as it was, triumphed over the
majority. That great wrongs were
done at the Springfield convention no
fair man viii deny; but bitter as the
fight between the factions was, no per
sonal violence vas used. IN 5rU-a'tty.
the Springfield meeting far surpassed
the Springfield convention of 1904.
At the Springfield convention of
itDf, tlS UOIIAlldltt idtLlCll pei III lieu
the other side a hearing tn :
mayor of Joliet, and others being
heard. But at the Springfield meet
ing o. 1911, not a word was permitted
from the other side by those in con
troll. At the Springfield convention it
was gavei rule. At the Springfield
meeting il was gag rule. Both are bad, !
but Of the two, gag rule is the worst. !
1t is more destructive to liberty. |
When free oxTl ession is denied, TO
vestige of liberty remains. Without |
free speech, liberty is an idle dream.
Hear me, Hear me! Let me plead my
cause, and I'll take my chances with |
the worst of men. Gag rule is hells |
invention There's nothing worse.
At the Springfield meeting the othe"
day, it was one man against a thOus-
and He had no show TO change the .
cut-and. dried program of that meet /
ing. or to change its foreordained re- |
suits. and there was no valid reason /
why he should not have been heard .
in defense of the state organization, ,
which had been so unfairly and so /
viciously assaiIed. Yet, he was beaten .
down like dog and silenced by rude
violence.
1t cannot be possible that the man
hood Of America will stand for such I'M
American actions as prevailed at this
meeting of so-caIled progressive DEM
ocrats" / have no doubt but for the
interference OF Mr.. Rees
and his brotherly appeals 10 me. that
much greater violence would have been
TO; but for his friendly ap-
peals I should have gone further, and
should. no doubt, have been dealt with
more severely than I was.
So far as l am personally concerned,
| exceedingly regret the conduct Of Mr.
Harrison and his Chicago following.
regret that such unfair. such un-Amer-
lean, such ruthless methods should be
to by men calling themselves