Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-04-17
IN THE MATTER
OF FACTORIES
Legitimate Encouragement of
Those Here and the Induce
ments to New Ones.
IRsT OF ALL, GOOD SITES
The Spirit of Tri-city Unity and
It's Violation..As To
Bonuses.

The factory question is one of the
most important before the people of
Rock Island at the present time. The
retention of such industries as we
have and the encouragement of as
many additional ones as may be Sc
cured should command the attention
of all citizens having the city's inter-
ests at heart. Rock Island needs,
first of all. desirable factory sites.
East Moline has been offering oppor-
tunities in this direction for some
years, and Davenport has taken the
matter up of late with thu result
that lands finely situated are
now at the disposal of those
seeking advantageous surroundings
for such purposes. Rock Islank has
on foot movement of this kind. and
public spirited citizens are ready to
do their part to develop the project.
so far is essential if Rock Island is to
keep pace with its neigh bors.
The Spirit of Fairness.
THE ARGUS believes thoroughly in
the spirit of tri-city unity and
effort, but it is forced to confess
that it takes no stock in the species of
underwriting such as has developed
on both sides of us in the past few
months. A common purpose with the
object of bringing new industries to
the locality, regardless of which of
the three cities gets the beneht-for
what helps one must necessarily ben
eft all three-is laudable, and should
enlist the combined energies of the
three cities. But any move on the
part of any one of the three cities to
profit at the expense of another does
not smack of the spirit that so many
in this great commercial and indus
trial community are anxious to sus-
tain. The disposition on the part of
any one of these cities to create dis
satisfaction in a local industry, to
make it feel that it is not being treat
ed right in the town in which it is To-
Gated is not conducive to the general
aim.
The Legitimate Assistance.
And right here it is perhaps right
to say q word as to what would see N
reasonably the proper thing to be
done to encourage factories to RENAL n
here, and what on the other hand
| ought not to be expected. In the first
place it is conceded, or at least would
naturally be expected, that factories
now situated here have as much in
| terest in the advancement and indus
| trial development of the town as the
people generally. There are legiti-
mate ways of helping local industries,
but there may be sometimes things
| expected that are not reasonable. If
a factory has outgrown its existing
accommodations and needs better
facilities, if it is in position to show
that for the purposes of expansion ii
needs more capital such as can
be profitably invested. such factory
should be helped. All factories ought
to get the encouragement that it is
possible to extend them, and they
should have all the possible opportuni.
ties that may be given them. But
/ when it comes to asking bonuses as q
e cause neigh boring city has
tempted them to forsake Rock Is.
land. that is another question alto.
| gether. No established industry has
any more right to expect this kind OF
consideration than another. A factory
that is cramped for room, or needs
financial assistance, ought to have as
much claim upon Rock Island as 8
new conner, but no local enterprise
ought to feel that for the sake of re-
manning here it should have the priv
lege of holding the town up.
We should help all the industries
that are here that need help, and
should spare no effort to induce new
ones to come. We ought to have fac
tory sites to offer to those of the pres.
emit industries that require improved
facilities and to offer to outside ones
that may desire or may be influenced
| to become established here Rock
Island needs an industrial commu.
nity in which all are interested.
a I.nr