Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-25
A STATEMENT BY J. MCCAIN DAVIS.

A STATEMENT BY J. MCCAIN DAVIS.
No ought to be governor of Illinois for three !
consecutive terms. (
Such has been the unwritten law in Illinois for all
most century. It is law which until now In the
whole history of the state has sought to violate
The governorship was originally one-term Office
not by the unwritten but by the written law Prior to
1870 constitution self succession in the Of
flee of governor. }.
The people believed that when they came to elect .
governor-the most important Office within their gift
they should have free and untrammeled choice;
that the prestige and power of the in office should
not be used to proong his tenure of Office.
And they in their constitution. It plain
sense. But if it good law 80 years ago
it is hundred fold better
For an amazing change has come in a half century.
From few clerks in modest little state house, the
patronage of the governor has grown until his ap-
pointees directly and Indirectly numbered
by the thousands He controls vast political organ
zation composed of the most expert wirepulers and
manpuators that lucrative Offices will commend-al
maintained at public expense.
In 20 years the state machine has grown enormous
y In the view Of many who part of it, the machine
is nvncble. 1t has proved its power repeatedly 1t
proved it conclusivey in 1908 when it forced the
nomination of the incumbent of the Office.
The same power-the machine-the same 'an-
vncble organization''-now seeks overthrow the
precedent of hundred years. to thwart the unwritten
law which heretofore man has dared defy, to
mate and elect the present governor for the third
time and thus perpeuate the state machine in its
existence and its autocratic power
There is no personal feeling in this statement I
am not condemning personally the who hold Of
fees. denounce the SYSTEM system sufficiently
powerful unless met by extraordinary opposition to
defeat the real will of the people
Abolish the third term in the governors Office
that is the only remedy at hand for state Of
things both dangerous and intolerable. The remedy
lies in the hands of the voters.
am not chronic critic of the machine believe
in party organization but not in personal machine
designed to perpetuate individual in Office Of
great prestige and power .tas
That is one great issue of this campaign. 1-TiWTl
There is another issue-one that must become Of
even greater magnitude unless the people effect
change Of conditions.
refer TO the extravagant use of money to secure
nomination for governor. 1t is aneged-and though
specific proof is not available, abundant circum-
stances support the asserton-that in this primary
campaign one candidate for governor has at his
nnand $1,000 another 100000 another $3.50. 900.
Where does this money from? 4
do not pretend to know / do not pretend to say
from what particular interests it comes. But it
comes from somewhere; it does not from empty
pockets it does not grow bushes And rest assur-
ed that back S3o0,o0 campaign fund there is
somebody who is interested in seeing particular
made governor of the state.
The big campaign fund is public danger 1t is more
dangerous than the jackpot for it is beyond the reach
of the law.
As candidate for governor, claim neither q
machine nor big campaign fund. 1 appeal to the
people, to their deliberate Judgment, to their good
sense I making no promises to move mountains
only to give the people fair honest, decent adj
ministration of the Office of governor
J. MCCAIN DAVIS.