Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-22

J. MCCAIN DAVIS of Springfield Illinois.
A STATEMENT BY J. MCCAIN DAVIS.
oppose the third term for governor Of Illinois
No ought to be governor of Illinois for three =
consecutive terms.
Such has been the unwritten law in Illinois for al
most a century. It is law which until now, in the
whole history of the state has sought to violate
The governorship originally one term office
not by the unwrtten but by the written law Prior to
1870, the constitution barred self succession in the Of
fee 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 prolong his tenure of office.
And they it in their constitution. It plain
But if it good law so years ago
it is hundred fold better now.
For an amazing change has come in half century.
From few clerks in a 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
ization, composed of the most expert wrepulers and
manpuators that lucrative offices will commend-au
maintained at public expense.
In 20 years the state machine has grown enormous
~ In the view of who part of it, the machine
proved it conclusively in 1908 when it forced the
nomination of the incumbent of the Office.
The same power-the same machine-the same Gin
vincible organization'-now seeks to overthrow the
precedent of hundred years, to thwart the unwrtten
law which heretofore has dared defy, to NOM
mate and elect the present governor for the third
time, and thus to perpeuate the state machine in its
existence and its autocratic power
There is no personal feeling in this statement.
am not condemning personally the who hold Of
fees denounce the system-a system sufficiently
powerful unless met by extraordinary opposition, to
defeat the real will of the people
Abolish the third term in the governors once
that is the only remedy at hand for state Of
things both dangerous and intolerable. The remedy
hes 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
That is great issue of this campaign.
There is another issue-cne that must become of
even greater magnitude unless the people effect
change of conditions.
refer to the extravagant Of money
nomination for governor. Il is aleged-and though
specific proof is not available, abundant crcum-
stances support the assertion-that in this primary
campaign one candidate To- governor has at his
mand 900, another $500, 600 another $4,000.
Where does this money come from?
do not pretend to know do pretend to say
from what particular 'inte SITS, it But it
comes from somewhere; it does come from empty
pockets; it does not grow bushes. And rest
ed that back OF $500, 900 campaign fund there is
somebody vino 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 beyond the reach
of the law.
As candidate for governor, claim neither
machine nor big campaign fund. I appeal TO the
people to their deliberate Judgment, to their good
making promises to move mountains
only to give the people fair honest, decent ad-
minstration Of the Office Of governor