Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-24
INFLUENCE OF AUXILIARIEs.
What Has Been Accomplished for the City
Through United Effort.

/ "The generation in which we live,
more than all preceding time. has
demonstrated the potency of con
certed action. This policy is win
ming for this country predominance
/ in every field of business activity. In
this day and age argument and Illus
tration advanced to demonstrate the
potency of concerted effort would
be futile. The truth of the propo-
sition is axiomatic-is conceded by
ALL" said L. ii. Guyer. whose toast
was Influence of Auxiliary Associa-
tons"
"And vet when concerted action *
invoked to insure development and
progress where we are all equally
Interested and equally benefited. Il
short-sighted selfishnesS consigns
the labor and the sacrifices 10 the
few. thereby dwarfing the fruit which
would be full grown and splendid if
fostered and developed by the joint
labor of the entire community.
$50 far as | know the first local
attempt to secure cooperative effort
was i'm the organization of the Citi-
zens' Improvement association. At
that time Rock Island was the dead
est town in the state. The streets
were hub deep with mud, and of un-
certain grade; the board walks were
cursed by every one except the sur
geons; n quarry and II frog pond dis
graced Spencer square; the danger
GUS railroad crossing at the bridge
approach kept our undertakers busy;
real estate had no value and capital
sought investment every place eX-
cept at home.
"By means of the agitation of that
association public opinion was edu-
Gated to the point of demanding
street paving. The associations
committee reported as to the most
desirable methods, and organized an
excursion on special train to more
progressive cities in order to. con
vince the city council and the public
as to the merits of brick pavement.
1.-The energy and push of the asso-
cations first president, with the CO.
operation of the members, secured
from congress an appropriation for
the viaduct over which the vast
stream of travel now passes in safety
to and from our sister city.
me dPPOuiS VI AhN oaoc
cations second president reclaimed
Spencer square and secured for it
appropriate adornments to testify
TO our citizens liberality.
The association entertained the
ambitious project of securing the
head Offices of the Modern Wood
men. \ committee consisting of eX-
Aid. Ohlweiler. L. w. Hurst and my
self lobbied so successfully with the
head camp at Omaha that the prize
was fortunately wrested from com
petitors stronger AID larger than
Rock Island. The employment in our
city of that orders $50 clerks, the
rapid growth of our postal business,
the flow of money through our local
banks. and fruits that benefit all,
though due the effort of the few that
were members of that cooperative as
sociation. No finer monument could
testify the benefits of concerted effort
than the beautiful office building
the home of the largest cooperative
insurance order in the world"
In conclusion Mr.. Guyer told of the
good results that had attended the
efforts in behalf of the Rock Island
arsenal small arms factory and other
projects.
The Legal Department..
j. L. Haas discussed "The Legal De-