Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-26
NO OCCASION FOR EXCITEMENT
WHEN ORDER PREVAILS.

In times of public excitement or
near-excitement, it Is well for older
heads TO be calm and above all things
not to be moved by impulse.
The unusual incident which occurred
in Rock Island last night, was not a
riot, although for the instant 1t threat
ened to assume the proportions Of
riot. AS it happened, 1t was not even
a demonstration. The crowd that mov-
ed from Market square to the scene
Of the disturbance, was, be it said to
its credit, not bent on disorder, for the
element of spleen and malice was hap
PLY not apparent. Most of the people
in the crowd seemed to be acting
through curiosity rather than mis-
chief.
The dangerous suggestion that the
people had the power to overpowcr the
police, made by Harry NJ. McCaskrin
in the heat Of a political speech in be-
half of his own candidacy for the i'm
portant Office of the peoples prosecu-
tor, might have led to serious conse-
quences had the people been in the
temper for illconsidered action, and
while the police. constituting the utter
ings Of Mr.. McCaskrin as defiance of
the constituted authorities, together
with the possible effect of the remarks
of e. H. Gardner, socialist candidate
for the same platform, called a
company Of the fire department into
play and sought to dispense the crowd
with water, there was no public re-
sentiment of the course so pursued.
There was no threat Of open lawless-
ness on the part of the people. To be
sure there were those, mostly boys,
who threw brickbats at the win
dows of the police station and some
shots were fired into the air, and there
we're perhaps a half dozen on hand
who would have liked to make trou-
through. It is doubtful if any DISPOSE.
ton to do harm would have found the
least encouragement.
1t must be frankly admitted that a
hotheaded leader might have famed
the situation into a serious condition
Of affairs, and then there might have
been a genuine riot, but fortunately fol-
Rock Islands good name, the climax
was not reached. The peril of such
times is not in our own people, 81
much as in the boisterous element.
from outside who, without restraint Of
pride in the city, are very apt to rust
in and cause trouble. 1t is very often tn,
onloOker from outside who has no in
terest in the controversy who starts
something, either for the mere fun of i
or with evil intent and then before /
is realized the situation gets beyond
control. In this depends the onl!
cause for anxiety at such times.
On occasions such as that of las
evening IL is for the people to thinl
and contain themselves. and it is a
ways wise to keep away from publ
gatherings where in the excitement o
the moment melting utterances ma
escape. Excitement Is infectious an
under the strain of the minute humai
nature sometimes yields to emotion
that precipitate a state of affairs, tha
even those who participate are apt t
regret under the subduing influence
Of sober second judgment.
II is when the people lose contrc
that the instruments of the law ar
summoned, but when the people SUI
press the emotions of excitemen
there is nothing &c fear.
There is but one course for the PEE
pie always to pursue and that is in Vi
holding the law in the maintenance c
order. That is the peoples safeguard