Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-04-03
clTY's BEST INTERESTS.
T. j. Medin Always Identified With
Them.

Attention has been called to an ar
ticle appearing in the Union few
DAYS ago, as an attempted reply to
a statement appearing in THE ARGUS
the evening before on the advance
ment made by Rock Island in sub
stantial progress under the progress
sive, vet conservative, administrations
of Mayor MeGill. 1t seems that in
the Unions comment some questions
were asked as TO Mr. Medill's specific
accomplishments. 1t is asked, for in
stance, if Mr.. Medill brought the
Woodmen head offices here from Full
ton, if he brought the Fraternal Tri-
bunes office to Rock Island, if he built
the addition to the Rock Island Plow
works the past year, if he built the
Crescent bridge, the hospital for the
insane at WATERFOWL, the arsenal
small arms plant, the Rock Island
postoffice, ETC., together with few
other things that have contributed
to Rock Islands advancement and
prosperity. 1t so happens that OF
the enterprises mentioned, Mr.. Me
| dill was connected with each one.
Taking them in order, he was secre-
| tarv of the Citizens Improvement as
ISOLATION at the time of its influence
| in the upbuilding of the city, which
organization took the initiative in
Sg2 in the move to bring the head
Office here, and sent committee to
Omaha for that purpose. 1t was
this association, by the way, that Mr.
McConochie, during the time he was
serving in the city council, termed
1.-THE mutual admiration society over
on the corner" AS to the Fraternal
Tribunes, Mr.. Medill was one of the
| incorporators, and is now and has
been since the society was instituted
its highest officer, being past supreme
| tribune of the entire order With
reference to the Pillow shop addition,
| it was through Mayor Medill that
| the company was given the es-
sential encouragement to en-
large through the granting of
the use of practically abandoned
street for that purpose. He did his
part in aiding the Crescent bridge, by
approving of such rights of way as
were necessary to its success. To
him, and to him alone, was due the
location for the Western hospital for
the insane in Rock Island county, be-
inc a mem Der of the commission that
located the hospital, and in which he
also distinguished himself by insist
ing on and succeeding i'll having a
provision for S-hour labor included in
the contract for construction. He is
a leading member of the Rock Island
Club, which he assisted in forming,
and which organization sent repre-
sentative to Washington, who worked
with the committeeman from Daven-
port and Moline in insuring the es-
Establishment os the small arms plant
at the arsenal. AS secretary of the
Improvement association he was one
of the appraisers of the Rock Island
postoffice building property before the
United States grand jury at Peoria,
prepared the title for the property,
and as deputy United States marshal,
appointed by Marshal Hitchcock for
the purpose, served all the papers in
the case.
These are but some of the instances
that have gone to show the useful
part Mr.. Medill has taken in the COM
munity. 1t was the industrious and
self-sacrificing spirit he manifested as
the first secretary of the Improve
ment association, which started the
paving and park improvements, and
Engineered numerous other public en-
terprises that brought him to the
front as Il candidate for mayor the
first time he was elected. In point of
public-spirited labor for the best in
terest of the entire city, no citizen
has done more for Rock Island, wheth-
er in the capacity of citizen or public
official, than has L. j. Medill.
stick to 1t Though the Heavens Fan.
| The reputation by President ID. z.
Gregg, over his own signature, of the
action of a couple of politicians in at
tempting to officially record to Met
al Workers union as having taken a
part as an organization in the pend
ing campaign was winder for the
Union, but following the instructions
it is working under, it although in an
insignificant manner, in striking con-
trast with the blow it made the day
it printed the misrepresentation, in
sists that 1.-the report given the Union
was official and it was straight" This
is Characteristic of the course the
Union is following in the present
campaign, which is to deliberately
perpetrate n falsehood and then stick
toit. The fact that no action of the Met
nj Workers or any other union could
be considered as official without the
signature of the president, CONVEYS its
own indisputable remuneration of
the Unions misstatement, and
that the necessity of using the name
of the executive of the Metal Work
ers' union was necessary to give ac-
ton attributed il the sem blance OF
being reliable was shown in the use of
Mr.. Gregg's name, although without
authority. But in these times of des-
peration among the McConochie sup