Rock Island Argus., 1895-09-24
KNOCKING ATKNOX.
Executive Receives More In
structions From Kennedy.
ALDERMEN TO DO POLICE DUTY.

sixth Wor00r HAS C0mmntcoe App0aote0
to Isvsstigats Natter That Belongs to
Chief Etxsls NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
tion VIII Tell About Finances.
More instructions were received
by Mayor Knox at last evenings
council session from Aid. Kennedy.
FOr.the second time the Sixth ward al
derman, whose avowed object is to be-
little the present administration at
every juncture possible, has actually
insulted the dignity of the council
presidents Office. yet Mr.. Knox ap-
parently fails to comprehend the
true significance of the action. Re-
Gently Aid. Kennedy introduced
resolution instructing the enforce
ment of the ordinance governing sa-
looms, but the mayor then permitted
the council to usurp his prerogatives
and thus began the existing inn
broglio over the saloon question. 1t
would seem that the mayor could
have tumbled to the object and ridi-
cule of Aid. Kennedy's operations
and be on guard for him thereafter,
but no-almost an identical repeti-
ton was accorded MIR. Knox at last
evenings meeting by the introduce
tion of a resolution for the appoint
ment of a committee to investigate a
matter belonging entirely to the po-
lice department, of which the mayor
is head.
To Do Police Duty.
The instructions call upon three
aldermen to ferret out an alleged
saloon crooked act and report their
progress to the mayor in writing.
The natural query will be: What
has Rock Island a police department
for? Is it SO incompetent that
it is necessary to delegate aldermen
to do the work taxpayers remunerate
it for? A confessed weakness in
the affairs of modern municipality
and an admission of the eincompetency
of the republican administration in
toto. Chief Etzel is to assist the
committee.
One would conjecture something
awful had occurred. The manner in
which all matters of this nature are
invariably disposed of is through the
police department.. The mayor is
the head of it. and if he is unable to
satisfactorily adjust it, the council
is appealed to for suggestions. But
it is just reversed-mOre than that.
An alderman instructs the mayor to
delegate someone to do his and his
police departments duty.
Mayor Knox appointed as such
committee Aids. Kennedy, Surman
and Dauber. The matter to be in
vestigated is that of a young man
going into q saloon and being swim
died out of his months wages.
When Aid. Kennedy introduced the
resolution Mayor Knox arose and
assured the alderman that il such
things were reported to him he
would Investigate them personally,
but Kennedy didn't care about the
explanation. Aid. Maucker believed
it unfair to bring in such complaints
to the council. The city had chief
executive. police department, and
they were the ones to decide these
matters. Aid. Maucker substituted
to lay the resolution on the table and
received a second from Aid. Fender.
The substitute was lost, to 8, aud
the original motion carried unani-
mously. Mayor Knox appointed as
one of the committee Aid. Pender,
but he refused to serve, believing i t
the executives duty TO have a
knowledge of and dispose of such
complaints.
To Tell How 1t Happened.
Scorched by public expression con-
cerning the reckless and hurried ex-
penditure of this years appropria-
tions, the council last evening de-
cided to report the city's yearly dis
bursements and receipts from April,
1898, up to September, 1895. Aid.
Schroeder urged this move. holding
that people on the outside were un-
acquainted as to the condition of af-
fairs when the present administra-
tion took hold, and it car
ried. Aids. Pender and Mauck-
er discouraged the idea. They
thought if this administration could
report at the end of two years with
as good showing as their predeces-
sors there would be no complaint
coming from the people. All it's
| HuduCcS aDOuC cXuduSLcu UeIOTC SIX
months in power. the council is 60
ing to attempt to vindicate itself on
the strength of previous administra-
tions' standings.
other Doings.
j. H. Wilson was before the coun-
Gil protesting against the overflow
in times OF rain of Twenty-seventh
street on which he has property.
Mr.. Wilson stated the natural water
course was on Twenty-eighth street
and had been illegally diverted. and
unless something was done he would
be compelled to seek redress through
the courts. Mayor Knox instructed
the ward alderman and the sewer
committee to look into the matter.
The mayor stated there were con-
slant complaints about the i'm passiblc
condition Of Twelfth street, the i'm
provement of which is pending in
court. Aids. Maucker, Nelson and
johnson and the mayor were dele