Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-18
CIVIC BODY TO
GUARD MORALS
Mass Meeting to Be Called to
Perfect Organization in
Rock Island
COMMITTEE is APPOINTED
Outgrowth of Discussion of ''Munici-
pal Reform at the First NJ.
T.. Church.

An organization which viii take the
form of a civic federation. whose mis-
sion will be the guarding of the mu-
nicipal morals. was launched at the
First Methodist church last evening
Following the regular evening service,
at which Municipal Reform was dis
cussed by II. z. Brown, pri1 cipal Of
the high school: F. o. Van Calder,
editor of the Modern Woodmen, and
Hon. William Jackson, me citing OF
the men of the congregation Vas held.
1t was decided to call a public mass
meeting at an early date and perfect
The organization. The prehminari 3
were entrusted TO a committee con-
sisting of Mr. Jackson, Mir. Brown, Dr.
e. NJ. Sala and @. Buckner.
Mr.. Brown was the first to give his
views on the subject of Municipal
Reform" He traced the formation nj
the nation from the time when the
family constituted the single govern
ment. with the father or head of the
family as ruler, TO the time when en-
peror or car was ruler and was the
law For some time this ruler was
able to make laws to suit himself.
Nov" Mr. Brown said. the mass
makes the laws and they are response
Bile for the enforcement of the law.
The law is supreme and the law must
be ObeyeI Tne people OF this city
should stand for the best things, and
in order to get these best things it
will be necessary 20 take he respon-
sibility upon ourselves. We are mora
-~+ ,-r,
ington than we are in local affairs
We must center our interests here to
secure a betterment OF conditions"
Men of City Responsible.
F. o. Van Calder said: When /
first considered the topic Municipal
Reform / thought that the city officials
were responsible for the conditions
which our newspapers say exist. But
On second thought | must say thai |
think it IS coyardly for the men of
this city to tell any official that he IS
responsible. For any man who woIld
enforce the law i'll this city single
handed is brave We all want some
one else to do it. None of us are brave
enough to tell ;he mayor THAI we want
conditions changed If 10 men would
band together to do this, something
might be accomplished These l2eE
could interest 1G0 men in a refoun
and if you want municipal reform get
these 100 men. We Temperance people
are all anxious to cut the saloCI OFT
at once. If We would so after 4 rea-
sonable reform something would BE-
accomplished. The cturcn men IF this.
city do not stand on the side which
they should. This is prOyan ny the
fact that at the election over year
ago the number of votes for no saloon
did not amount to half OF he number
of male church members in this city
There is no use in having The saloons
wide open. We should go after re4-
sonable reform, not technical one.
If you can not eliminate, why not inn
prove? We would gain more by a
radical reform than by trying 10 obtain
an absolute reform"
Major c. W. HAYES was to have
spoken, but he was indisposcG IL
sent word. however. that his symya
thies were entirely on the side Of "du-
I,icipal Reform = Hon william Jack
son was substituted in place CT Major
Halves
Have Made Failure.
whenever we talk to a foreigner