Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-09
MAYORAL VAGARY.
Statesmanlike Reasons for
Blocking Progress.
THE KNOX IDEA PRESENTED.

The Way to Get One Good Thing IL to
XIII Another-L,vee Improvement Serves
~ an Example of Administrative
Bfilllaucg.
The mayor in that statesmanlike
document of his-the com panioDpiece
OF his first inaugural about the bare.
foot boy-the veto Of the river front
improvement ordinance, expresses
his keen regret at being obliged to
withhold his official sanction. But
he sees no way to assess the
railroads, those which are enjoying
preempted possessions, or the new
Terminal company, which has taken
such deep aud sincere interest in
the levee Improvement so far, and
he consequently fears the burden
upon the private property holder, but
above all there is another improve
| ment. to-wit, reservoir on the bluff
that the city should spend its money
on. So that, according to our far
seeing mayor, the work on the levee
project must come to nanght and
another undertaking succeel it. The
~
Improvements should be pushed only
to that point where something else
may suggest Itself and then we must
turn attention to that. THE ARGUS
believes thoroughly in the reservoir,
and it believes in other great i'm
provements for the public benefit.
1t is ready to suggest and to urge
| do N at r. n d.
vancement and utility as will stamp
the city's progressive spirit. 1t was
in furtherance o. this disposition
that it stood for years alone for a
paid fire department, afterward for
paved streets, for park system. for
a metropolitan police patrol.
and our other evidences OF an up-to-
the-times city. 1t is the same spirit
that prompts it to urge the levee inn
voir. But these things must come
one at time.
The Mayors Vasarise.
The mayor has therefore INDUCED
in vagary in using the desirability
OF the reservoir as an excuse for op-
position to the levee improvement,
for verify the public has little to ex-
pect Of mayor who will set foot
down on any movement that has for
its aim the reconstruction of Rock
Islands river front, for it is indis-
lputablv the crying iced Of the times.
And mayor who has no more pride
in the city which has honored hi N
than to seek by his official act to
thwart the purpose Of the city tO
, make it what it should be-in keep
ing with the general progressive
policy of its recent history-is no
The man for Rock Island. There are
many great improvements such n:
hock Island wants and looks forward
to. The reservoir is one of them
and there are others-extension:
OF our park system, Of our paved
streets, Of our fire department
of our police protection. all thes'
must come in time, but none of thes,
commands the attention. the imme
date attention, that the levee does
II is the project of the hour. w
will accomplish nothing by permit
ting it to be s'detracked. One goot
thing was never accomplished b,
killing another. Rock Islands ad
vancement so far has been stead,
and it has been sure, and thanks t.
the Influences which have guideC
our fate, we have had no Mayol
Knoxs until the present moment t
intercept our forward march. Va
carries and subterfuges have PLAYED
no part in what Rock Island has don
in recent years. Oae thing has beer
taken In at time. and that dom
well. Problems far more intricat
than that which has puzzled Mayo
Knox have been confronted and over
come, because there has been th
determination to succeed. and ca
pable executive ready to cooperat
with and push forward the work il
} hand. Listlessness. Indifference an,
obstinacy do not contribute to Cit,
building. We want men at the helm
here who have courage, energy an
public spirit. 1t is much easier T.
tear down than to build up. aud tina
is the simple explanation of Mayo
Knox's laundering, stumbling, de
structive attitude
Not the Mayor for Rock IsianJ.
. Mayor Knox is not the ideal TO
Rock Island. 1t needs mayor VIII
will surmount that which is con
structed, instead of one who hang
to the coat tails of the aldermen VIII
seek to 90 higher. Rock Islant
wants n mayor who leads as Mayo
Medill and Mayor McConochie did
in public improvements; one who, a
each ii these did, fought for an un
dertakiug once started whethe
through courts or otherwise until
was completed.
Mayor Knox has opposed every i'm
provement that has come up since h
went into office. He did nothin!
that he could help for Twelfth stree,
he sat down on the alley improve
ment - but both were complete,