Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-18

style 10 those who through convic-
ton or otherwise may differ with him.
IL will be recalled that quite early in
the mayors official career he occasion
ed some comment in a council meet
ing one night by referring TO the Rock
Island Citizens Improvement associa-
tion. a body Of representative bust
ness men to whose efforts is directly
attributable the advancement the city
has made in the past Is years. as the
mutual admiration society over on the
corner" And yet later on he same
mayor was very proud of the distinc-
! ton OF being the first municipal exec
utiye TO put into effect the improve
ments that association had made pos
siDle-the Inauguration OF street paw
Ing.
Many of the citizens Of Rock Island
will wildly recall a somewhat remark
able address made by his honor in
welcoming to the city the Bankers
Association Of the State Of Illinois.
in which he went outside his lines
just far enough TO pay his compli-
ments to one Of the most honored of
professions There was no reason for
thar departure. bur Mayor McCono-
chic felt like making it, and he did.
As a matter OF fact nearly all the
present mayors messages 10 the coun-
Gil have contained some sighting ref
erence. either to efforts or institutions
that have engaged the endeavor in
one form or another of some portion
Of the people of the city.
And at last Monday evenings council
meeting the mayor again evinced his
most notable characteristic by innuen-
does concerning tho establishment of
the office Of police matron in Rock Isl
and Notwithstanding that this is an
enterprise that has been So near toI
the hearts Of the women of Rock ISL
and for many years and their impulses
have always been OF the nobiest and
most unselfsh. yet the mayor took
occasion 10 remark that police mat
ron would not necessary have TO be a
Daughter Of the Revolution or one
who could trace her ancestry 10 the
Mayfiower This entirely uncallei for
observation on the mayors part was
drawn out wholly by the fact that the
Interested in the police matr"n project
have naturally been particularly desir-
Gus that care be taken To have the sys-
tenn properly inaugurated in Rock Isl
and in experienced hands. So that
with a sole aim to make the standard
OF the Office all that IL should be at the |
very outset, and to- avoid as far as
possible anything OF the nature Of ex-
pertinent. the ladies have in their zeal
innocently offended the
sensitiveness OF the mayor IS TO his
official prerogatives. Hence his re-
joinder regardless Of the indelicacy of
his attitude. in this particular instance
at least.
Just in the same spirit that The
Argus has always been an earnest ad-
vocate OF the Office OF police matron
il believes that such an auxiliary To
the police system of the city would
prove comparatively valueless II
placed in incompetent hands. EXper-
fence in the incumbent Is as es-
sential as the office itself. foE the dut-
les of the matron are of necessity
much more far reaching than the mere
care OF the unfortunate creatures of
her sex who may become police
charges There is a question Of sur
VIGILANCE. of moral influence and eX
erted influence involved that require
NJ experience and temperament that
must be the part only of one who has
made such duties life work.