Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-10
POINTS 7. R. AS
APONTIUS PLATE
Senator Jones Replies to Roose.
velt's Criticism of Lori
mer Committee.
PLAY TO THE MOB SPIRIT
Appealing to All That Is Base anC
Selfish in Hope of Gratifying
Ambition.

/ ANOOSCNSAI was pOl II eS GU III the SSudlC
today as the counterpart of Pontius
Plate. The picture was drawn by
Senator Jones, OF Washington, who
sketched as the groundwork the re-
cent Detroit speech of the former pres
ident condemning the votes of the ma
jority members of the Lorimer COM
mittee, favorably to the Illinois sena-
tor, as not being responsive to the SEN
timent of their constituencies.
This is the latest rule for judicial
action suggested by this self-proclaim-
ed leader of progress said Senator
Jones. Because we have not follow
ed it We are not progressive, but re-
dictionary. This was the rule of action
followed by Plate nearly 1900 years
ago. This is the first time, venture
to say, in our history or in the history
of any civilized people, that Pilates
rule of judicial action has met the
approval of any man, save those who
would cruelty Jesus, and they despise
him for following it.
WOULD HAVE CLAPPED HANDS.
IF former President Roosevelt had
been standing on one side when Plate
delivered Jesus to the Jews, after hav-
ing examined into the charges and
found no fault in him, but at the de-
mand of the people, turned him over
to them for crucifxion. he would have
clapped his hands and exclaimed:
Most righteous, most honorable, most
just Judge. At least he would have
done this if he had been as progress
sive then as he is now. l am charita-
BILE enough to believe, however, that
he would have been a reactionary."
Senator Jones prefaced his speech
by saying that those who expected
to hear the sensational would be
disappointed and that those expecting
a discussion of the presidential cam
paign need not listen. He said he
would not discuss politics. He re-
cited rapidly conditions which made
the present time prosperous, but said
that with everything to make US hap
Pc we are engaged in saturnalia
of political vituperation."
Justice and fair dealing are
thrown TO the Winds" he added. "Ap-
peals to passion and prejudice dis
place reason and logic. Vileness and
corruption are sought for eagerly anc
we rejoice if we are successful in our
search. Sinister motives prompt
those who disagree with us and none
is good save ourselves.
ANARCHY IN HONENED PHRASE.
Under the banner of progression,
anarchy is preached in honeyed
phrase and fulsome flattery. Our
sense of justice and fairness is dead
reDed by loud defamation and insid-
ious suggestion. Until a short time
ago supposedly new ideas, as old as
governments among men, we're ad-
vocated with some show of reason
and prudence.
"A new Richmond. however, has
rushed upon the political field. The
real, consistent, faithful leader of
radical political thought. whose cour-
age, consistency and faithfulness we
all admired, even if we did not accept
the doctrines advocated, became i'll
and exhausted. The banner he was
faithfully and bravely carrying was
dropping
This new Richmond rushed upon
the political scene, threw his hat into
the ring, and shouted TO the waver-
ing hosts to follow him in the high
ways of progress and victory. Hop
ing TO reap where others had sown,
he sought to pluck the fruit of vic
tory TO his own bosom. Having
worked and won with the despised
standpatters, and not being practiced
in the principles of modern political
progress, he, with the recklessness of
ignorance and the rashness of the
new convert, is appealing to all that
is base, selfish and Unjust in the ap-
parent hope of gratifying an fnsat-
liable ambition
HAS FORGOTTEN HONORs.
"In his campaign for place and
power he seems to have forgotten the
honors bestowed upon him by his
party and by the people of the coun>
try. He seems to be unmindful of
the dignity and department of one
who has filled the most exalted posi-
ton IN the gift of man. We expect
and tolerate the actions and utterances
of the ordinary politician but it is
a shock to our people to see their
idol seeking place and power by ap-
pealing TO passions, prejudices and
hatreds and whose most powerful ar
gument is denunciation of the mo-
tives and honesty of those who op-
pose him. He would substitute the
biased, warped and inhamed opinions
OF the multitude for the judgment Of
those acting in a judicial capacity
based on sworn evidence, weighed and
balanced by those rules and princi-
pies which have been brought forth
from the crucible Of time to insure
justice to the poor and the rich; the
weak and the strong"
Senator Jones said he did not pro-
pose to discuss the judicial recall,
but would notice only the latest sug-
gestion advanced for the guidance of
those acting in a judicial capacity.
He then quoted at some length from
Colonel Roosevelt's comment upon
the Lorimer case in his speech of
March 80 at Detroit, wherein the
former president charped tpa- Sara