The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-26
The Organ san Dodeine.

The official organ of the present city adj
is still skulking from its own
to talk election" Its eyes
we're SO blinded with official patronage that
t evidently thought no charges could be
made against its fayorite. The ARGUS, in
behalf of the people, made Eve, and asked
The organ to answer them. It has oteven
attempted to do it, but has dried up with
a sort Of faint gasp, asking for figures
Among the charges we made was the fol-
lowing:
l. 1t 1.-THE administration has increased the taxes
some fourteen thousand dollars.
The organ asks for Figures" Why,
bless your soul, Mr. Organ, we gave you
the figures on the 9Th of this month, as
follows: ...
1873. BAILEY DAVENPORT. Mayor.
Tax on real and personal property. $331 1879 -
Do for city in Black Hawk tp...-...... s sss e
Do in Moline tp.. sos oa
Gas tax. ...........-......-..... 444% %
Railroad tax. .................... l,s9o 81
Total city taxes. ,759 A
1874. THOMAS GAIT, Mayor.
Tax on real and personal property al, s51 04
Do for city in Moline tp .......... SsS Ss
Gas tax; s'oSo Of
Total city taxes $547so 81
There they are, taken from the official
tax books. The people understand them.
The next charge we made was as fol
lows:
. 1t 1.-THE administration has made no public i'm.
provements of note.
! No figures are needed in this case. Ii
any such improvements have been made
let the organ name them.
The next charge was as follows:
8. 1t has established system of espionage ovel
licensed saloon keepers which is very arbitrary and
offensive.
No figures are needed here. Ask every
licensed dealer in the city and he will cor.
roborate it, Think back to the long, bot
Sundays of summer and of the pains taken
to prevent any one from getting glass Of
lager beer in Rock Island. Think of the
hundreds of our citizens who thronged the
ferry and the bridges every Sunday, going te
Davenport where they could get it. Thinl
of the thousands of dollars carried
away from our own city and our own bust
ness, and left on the other side of the river
Think of the loss to our hotels in custom
by travellers refusing to stop here owe
Sunday because of the unnecessary cours
of our city authorities. Think of the per
manent injury to the business of thi
place by giving the town name for illiber
atty and Puritan bigotry and intolerance
causing people to avoid it when they could
Think of the unnecessary harrassing Q
our dealers by malicious prosecutions a
the cost of the people, which accomplish
no good whatever. These are figures
lenough in this question.
u The next charge we made was as fo
lows:
A. 1t abolished the ward system for street in
provements and the collection of road taxes, whic
was generally satisfactory, and established Oh
which is probably the most unpopular we ever hal
| Ask the people in the various wards, an
you will learn that the system introduce
is not satisfactory. They prefer to pay
supervisor only for the days he works, il
stead of paying him 1888 for ever
month in the year, whether he does an.
shing or not, They prefer to have til
t work done under the supervision of cit
zen of the ward. They prefer to have til
ward tax in their ward collected by cit
zen of the ward. They prefer home ru
in the matter of their ward affairs, as til
organ will probably find on election day.
The next charge was as follows:
5. 1t has bankrupted the treasury, and pays eli
debts in time orders.
+ Ask City Clerk Cook if the Mayor di
y not tell him that there was no money
: pay the last order allowed and direct hi
to fill them up on 60 days time.
e Let the organ cease lodging, and publis
, these charges and figures" if it woul
: give its readers facts.
A splendid stock of first-class furnisl
ling goods,-fne underwear, hoisery,g love