Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-09
Illinois Speaker Opens
Fire on Wilson, Anti
Saloon Leader.
PUTS BLAME ON LATTER
Alleges Forgery Was PractiCed
in a Statement Sent Out
Under His Name.

Chicago, Ill, July "a stinging re- !
ply to the criticism that he killed" |
the residence district option bill by |
denying il a roll call on the last day |
of the session was made yesterday to |
his critics by William Mckinley, |
speaker of the state house of represen |
tatives. Charging Representative G. |
H. Wilson, republican dry" leader of
the house, with having made threats |
and with having attempted coercion |
in connection with the measure, and |
F. Scott Mcbride, state superintendent
of the Anti-Saloon league, with falsity
ing, Speaker Mckinley told what he
asserts is the real reason for the de- !
feat of the dry" bill, and laid the de- !
feat Of home rule" in the public util- |
tiles bill largely a the door of the
former. Forgery" is word also used
by the speaker in connection with
reference in a statement signed by
him in which the words residence
district" appear, when, according to
Mr.. Mckinley, they should not.
DELAYED REPLY PURPOSELY.
In order that a statement of mine
might have no effect on legislation
pending before the governor for ac-
tion, | have refrained until this time
from taking cognizance of unwarrant-
ed attacks made upon me by Repre-
sentative Wilson, F. Scott Mcbride
and others whose means of livelihood
is connected more or less intimately
with the Anti-Saloon league" assert
ed the speaker. Il have expected
these attacks since June 20, when Will
son tried to coerce me into doing
something that would have upset the
! entire work of the legislature, with a
threat that unless l did his bidding
these attacks would be made.
Il am charged by Mr.. Wilson and
/ his cohorts with killing the so-called
| residence district option bill by deny
| ing it a roll call on the last day of the
: session. The fact is that Mr.. Wilson
| and his followers were responsible for
/ the death of the measure by trying to
| play sharp parliamentary politics
Mr.. Wilson informed me that he
and his followers we're more anxious
/ to kill wet bills than they were to
pass dry bills. The house defeated
every wet measure called up for
| passage.
SCORES METHODS OF CRITICS.
"On the final day six administra-
ton bills had the right of way under
the rules. Mr.. Wilson and F. Scott
Mcbride then demanded an imme-
date roll call. With the previously
arranged program in mind, l told
them | would give them the first avail
able opportunity. They were impa-
ient They had only one bill on their
minds, while had fifty or sixty bills
to look after. Mr.. Wilson came to see
me a second time and asked me to be
on the lookout for a time when the
vets were off their guard so as to
insure the passage of the residence
district bill | told him his request
was unbecoming a member of the leg
islature and that his bill, like all 9TH
ers, was a matter for the considera-
tion of the house. This was the first
and only time during the entire ses-
sion that anybody had asked me to
sneak through a bill.
Mr. Wilson then told me that un-
less he had a roll call on this bill be-
fore 1880 a m. he did not want it at
. all.
Before the evening session Mr..
, Wilson, with Representative Fayette
Munro, on whose motion the house
had stricken the home rule pro-
visions from the public utilities bill,
came to my office win the proposition
} that unless the residence district bill
was brought up when they wanted it
they and their dry followers would
vote against the senate amendments
; by which the home rule article was
: restored to the bill.
SAYS GOVERNOR SPURNED THEM.
Il later learned that Wilson, Nun.
I 70 and others went to Governor Dunno
and tried to make deal with him on
the home rule amendment and their
residence district bill, but the gov.
ernor promptly told them that every
zone of his measures must stand OF
fall on its own merits and was not up
for harter. When the home rule
1 amendment was called up it received
seventy votes. 1t needed seventy
, seven. Wilson, as he had threatened
TO do, voted against it.
CHARGES FORGERY.
D 'lf the original of the alleged photo
graphic copy of statement signed by
: me contains any reference to the res
q idence district bill such reference is
?. an absolute forgery and such words
3 have been added since my signature
q was attached thereto.
Those who have distorted facts, a: