Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-13
STILL THEY HARP.
Lower End Counties on the
Asylum Location.
Rx-aov. F1FER Is INTERVIEWED.
Private Joe Attempts to Console Gales
burg Over Its Failure Kirkwood Swipes
Monmouth over Rock Islands Shout.


Monmouth Over Rock Islands Shout.
der.
That the loss of the Western insane
hospital, or the failure rather Of the
plans to land it. is still uppermost in
the minds Of the people of Knox and
Warren counties is indicated by the
fact that the papers talk Of little else
down that way. Everyone who
comes along is held up and asked for
consolation on the subject. Ex-Gov.
Joe Fifer went through Gales5urg
yesterday morning and the Republi-
can-kegister nailed him. Last nights
issue of that paper contains the fol-
lowing. which doubtless had the in
tended soothing effect on a city that
has gone after two state asylums this
year and Loss both:
"Ex-Governor Joe Fifer was met at
the depot this morning, and was on
his way home from Nebraska. He
said: so you have lost the asylum.
do not think you need regret it
| much. The value of these institu-
tions to town is greatly overesti-
mated. The newspapers get up big
boom and exaggerate the benefit and
an excitement ensues. When the in
stitution is once in operation it is
found not to be the benefit it was first
considered. The people who have to
be cared for are not desirable ac-
QUESTION. While I was governor l
had to inquire into these matters
closely. I remember that when in
Jacksonville prominent citizens told
me that they wished the asylum had
never been located there. 1t is not,
for instance, like a normal school.
In Bloomington we have mum Der
OF institutions. We show visitors
our normal school with pride. They
like to see the beautiful grounds and
buildings and the fresh young faces.
We never think of taking our guests
to the asy lum. 1t is the last place !
would care to show a friend. My
duty as governor often compelled me
to go to the various asylums of the
state, but never want to visit an-
other one as long as live. 1t is not
pleasant. An asylum is not the ben.
So ! don't think your people should
feel bad over the loss. l am also OF
the opinion that the asylum should be
by running stream. l want to say
further that the presence of such al
institution is cause of more or less
anxiety"
Roasting Monmouth.
The Monmouth Review has Matched
a cruel roast given that. city in the
dark, apropos of the hospital loca
ton. Hark We unto its lamenta
tions:
The Kirkwood Leader mans liver
is bad again. and in this week.
paper he gives Monmouth and he,
citizens terrible scoring. Their
for fear they would find out about i,
he held out his papers usually sem
to the Daily Review and the othel
newspapers of the city. Here is
what the Leader prints:
'Enumerate not your adolescent
pullets ere they cease to be ovs
form But Monmouth SAYS nit
She claims everything in sight. She
acts as il she owned Warren county
and makes an attempt to be as big az
the whole state. Last week when
she was bidding against Galesbure
and Rock Island for the location o.
the Western Insane asylum. she
claimed that she was strictly in it,
and that 1.-The other towns stood
no show at all. No doubt a good
many of her citizens believed what
they claimed, but the fact is Mon
mouth was merely used as cat:
paw to whip Rock Island into giving
a bonus. But Monmouth swallow ed
the bait all the same and Rock Isl
and jerked her out onto dry land
quicker than scat. There she i:
lying now. nursing the ugly wound
in her gill-the same one that was
hurt SO badly some time ago by Rock
Island county, when they coaxed the
Weir shops away. Oh, yes. Mon.
mouth is in it-just like McGinty
was"
| Close OF the Institute.
The farmers institute closed las,