Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-05

never fails in this, as, on the 9TH
er hand, he never fails to reveal
that anything which has to do with
other than paper of pins is to-
tally incomprehensible 10 him.
Thus his instinct is to think
and with Mr.. Mann to think is to
talk-that the crime against re-
spectability and decency was the
publication OF facts relating to
what men in congress have done
not the doing OF the things.
There are congressman mention
ed in the Mulhall narrative who,
the Tribune believes, will show
that the circumstances which en-
abled Mulhall TO put their names
in his narrative were innocent.
There are other congressman who
may not be so fortunate. There
are men who were congressman
who will not be so fortunate.
If Mr.. Mann's opinion of The
Tribune was that this paper was
INSCRIPTIONS, and if Mr.. Mann ad-
hered to that opinion, he could be
respected for an honest error. The
Tribune would continue to hope
that Mr.. Mann was in error, and
would continue to hope that better
judgment might be substituted.
But the gentleman who is thus
censorious is the same gentleman
who comes biennially to The Trib-
une office with the somewhat plain
tive plea that the chances of his
election and, therefore, of his con-
tinued usefulness to the country,
lie in the discretion of The Trib-
une.
The fattery never is deceptive,
and The Tribune never has regard
ed itself as the Second congress
sional district Of Illinois or as the
paramount influence in that dis
trict. But the tart and aspersive
Mann can cringe a bit when an
election is month of, and when
he cringes his words are honey.
Therefore, we do not respect
Mr.. Mann in his error. He is not
honest in it. We hope, however,
that next year Mr.. Mann will have
the courage of his convictions and
not apply TO this ''unscrupulous"
newspaper for support. We would,
at least, respect him if he would
stay away from this Office.
If he were merely Mr.. Mann. a
paragraph might describe him as
a dunderhead and answer his fe-
licitous comment On the MuIhaIl
exposure, but Mr.. Mann is the
leader of the republican party in
the house of representatives and
he expresses the sanctimonious
horror Of men who shudder at the
revelation and not at the thing
revealed.
Politics is inclined to this n.y.
pocrisy, and in spite of numerous
failures still endeavors to make
scandalous the exposure of mis-
doing. If public opinion could be
SO directed, the path of the trans
gressor would be rosy.
1t is not Mr.. Mann's first Of
Tense Of the kind, and his head is
fair mark for a cudgel.
His sentiments in this case
would do credit to Coupressman
McDermott.
There are those who, seeking publ
favor through political support, see
imbued with the idea that all a new
paper of the political faith of the par
that carries them may do is coming
them. 1t matters not how far tn
paper may go out Of its way TO bal
TO them the qualification of a wort
ambition or the attainment of a gre
honor, the paper is soon forgot,
when victory has come and the 60
friend during the campaign becom
an object Of Indifferent considerati,
when the election is over.
Not all men who succeed political
feel this way. Some Of them. many
them, are grateful beyond the reuui
ments ofthe situation OF the expectatio
OF the newspaper that supported the
Congressman Mann, however, is o
of those who have the wrong conce
ton of the common obligation to I
newspaper that has sustained the
He needed a lesson, and The Tribu
has taught it to him.