Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-29
This No Time for
Party Narrowness
Warns Sen. Lewis

! Senator James Hamilton Lewis in
a statement issued from his cam
( paign headquarters at Hotel La
Sale, as having been made by him
at Benton, said:
This is no time for partisan
narrowness-no of expression OF
criticism for the sake Of arousing
prejudices."
Senator Lewis statement carried
with it the idea of nonpartisanship,
expressed by him when he opened
his active campaign for reelection.
Senator Lewis statement, as Civ
en- out by his headquarters, fol-
lows:
Il regret that men of the east,
styling themselves leaders of the
Republicans, have assumed that
they could deceive the west and its
sensible Republicans by the state
ment sent out saying that if Presi-
, dent Wilson were given the sena-
tors he asks for the Republicans
tors he asks for, the Republicans
the government.
First, let the truth be known
that by law only one-third of the
senate is up for election. Without
a ballot cast, the Republicans in
opposition to Wilson have, together,
one-half of the senate-and this is
a fair division-and could with JUS
tice continue.
illinois has for two senators
Lewis, called Democrat, and Sher-
man, called Republican Thus each
part Of Illinois equally is repre-
sented.
After the election if every doubt
full state gave a Wilson man for
the president the Democrats. so
called, would have only a working
majority. the Republicans having a
prepondering minority. So the
statement sent out is purposely de-
ceiving. or, through ignorance, is
misleading
The reference as to Republican
representation is answered by the
fact that the war is being conduct
ed by bureaus of SO heads, II of
these party Republicans, IL of these
OF the Progressive or insurgent Re
publicans, eight only are party
Democrats From General Perish
ing, Republican, commander of the
army forces in France; from Ad-
miral Sims, Republican. command
er of the navy in Europe, to ex-
President Taft, head of the labor
Conciliation board, influencing, if it
would, a force for politics greater
in number than any other agency
in America; President Taft's son,
under Hoover, head of the food bu-
reau. and Hoover and Taft Jr.,
both Republicans; Professor Gar
field, head of the coal and fuel de-
partment, a Republican; Schwab,
head of the ship construction, a
Republican, with Hurley of Illinois,
Democrat, and Piez. Republican of
Illinois. heads of the board. This
division of power extend> through
all branches.
I'm Illinois. Of appointees for
food, coal, grain, and public ser
vice, out of Is, heads of different
work, only three voted for Dunno
for governor and Wilson for presi-
dent, while on the state council of
defense only four are Democrats;
vet all these men are trying to do
their duty They are patriotic, and
no Democrat is complaining nor
should any one complain against
Governor Lowden, Republican, for
these appointments or for the sec
retary of war, Democrat, confirm
ing them. They are all our fellow
citizens of Illinois all doing their
duty as they see it. This is no time
for partisan narrowness-nor of
expression of criticism for sake of
arousing prejudices. l mention
these comparisons to show the un-
fairness of the false statements
sent from the east that Republicans
.had not representation.