Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-07
By J. VI. COLLIGAN.
Special to The Argus. J


Chicago, June What most i'm
presses the neutral observer here is
the absence'of enthusiasm, either over
the assurance that is said to prevail
among republicans of the nation that
they are to put a member of their
party in the White house next fall, or
in favor of any one of the numerous
presidential aspirants.
Manifestly somebody has punctured
the Roosevelt boom, and the said
somebody is well known gentleman
with whiskers at present occupying a
place on the supreme bench of the
United States, man who may land
the nomination by the sign language
for as far as known at this writing he
has not told anybody that he would
accept the honor if it were conferred
upon him by the convention.
Frank Hitchcock, former postmas-
ter general, admits that he has simply
: been taking long shot on Hughes;
that he has not any authorized word
from him. OF course Hitchcock is
promoting Hughes on the theory that
no man would refuse a nomination
for the presidency at the hands of
either of the great parties. Hitch
cock is keen politician, and you may
figure for yourself what an important
parsonage he would become in the
event of Hughes riding into the pres
idency
Four Years Ago and Now.
Speaking of enthusasm-foury years
ago stranger in Chicago during the
republican and moose conventions had
his hand on his pistol pocket every
time he turned a corner in the loop.
His first impression was that the city
had been captured by plainsmen and
Indians. Most everybOdy-except the
delegates in the republican conven-
tion-was whooping it up for the hero
Of Oyster Bay Today as one passes
through the Hobbies of the hotels
where the delegates are mingling one
rarely hears a conversation that is
attuned above d whisper. 1t seems as
| if each delegate was afraid that
someone other than the person to
whom he is talking was going to get
an earful of information for an enemy
| camp.
Four years ago everybody spoke as
though he wanted the whole world to
! know just where he stood. He was
either for Taft or Roosevelt. This
week, aside from those who are label
| ed, bound and gagged, those who ex-
| pect to be on record when the de-
Gliding ballot is counted, are so con-
| Quoting themselves that they will be
! able to claim that their man won, nc
matter who is nominated. Occasion
ally band hoves in view and rips of
some patriotic air, but the delegates
refuse to fall in line and throw their
| hats into the air.
There hasn't been enough excite
ment here since | came to keep me
awake nights" declared a MISSISSIPPI
plan. Even the red likker lacks the
rise that is contained in the article
we get back home. OF course, ours is
the hip-pocket brand, and possibly
that accounts for the hip. But put
ting aside all popularity, blamed if
can understand the obsequiousness OF
this convention gathering If | didn't
know differently | would think it was
| a conclave of gentlemen here to pay
| nDdI Tribute W PAL y tudl oHtc %
If things don't perk up a bit right
soon I'm going to take few bombs
with my pitcher of chaser to my room
when / retire tonight, and when il
| comes 9 o'clock throw the bombs into
the street and arouse the sleepers. Of
course | may be getting old and can
stir around like used to in the olden
days, but I'm not moving about with
binders on, and if there is anything
doing | reckon | would see it or hear
about it, Who are they going to nom
mate? Really, neighbor hadn't civ
en- the matter a thought. Yes, I'm
delegate, but | just crawled under tbs
canvas as a compromise, and of course
it makes little difference who my
choice for the nomination might be
It's up to me to follow the bell COW
That's all"
G. Perkins Explains.
We were curious to have q cha