Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-14
The First Citizen.


In almost every community there
abides a man who by common consent
or consensus of opinion is regarded as
the first citizen. He may not have at
tanned distinction in the realms of
politics; he may not have written his
name on the pages of the history of
his time; his name may not have
been indelibly inscribed upon the
tablets of fame, but by his bearing
in the daily walks of life, he has be-
come regarded as the model man.
President Mckinley found the high
est type of manhood in the one who
| walked upright before his fellow men
and humbly before his God. This
does not apply to the individual but
to the whole. 1t is the manner of
man whom the people look up to.
They point to him as an example.
1t did not require last nights gath
ering at the New Harper in honor of the
oldest member of the Rock Island
county bar in continuous service,
to establish the noteworthy fact that
the man whose so years of service
in one of the noblest professions was
thus SO becomingly celebrated, is re-
garded in the light of the first citi-
zen of Rock Island. William Jack
son has been so held in popular es-
TEEN for some time. The event of
| last night merely emphasized what is
conceded. Nor does this acknowl-
edgement involve any disparagement
of the other, many other, good men
of Rock Island, who by word and
deed and act have earned imperish-
able place among the most respected
of a common citizenship, for in the
broader sense the common citizen is
worthy of the name as the first citi-
zen.
Mr.. Jackson has earned his rank,
not by seeking, but rather by striv-
ing to do his simple duty as a man
among men. He has been true to his
calling and has responded to the die
tates of conscience and the require
ments and responsibilities that
weigh in the relations of man to
man and of man to men. He has
been true to himself, and hence it
has followed that he could not be
false to any man. He has adorned
his profession; he has done for those
about him; he has accomplished
good for the people among whom
he resides. AS he said with so much
feeling in acknowledging the evil
dences of esteem that were shown
him, he has striven through life to pay
back for the privileges and opportun-
tiles that this, his adopted country,
offered to him, in living his life cor
rectly as he has seen it. He has
dared do all that would become a
man; who'd dare do more is none"
Many of the speakers of the even
ing were moved in their remarks by
the unique character of the gather
ing, springing from every walk of
life to extend Fluctuations about the
banquet board to the host of the oc-
casion. Certainly no more fitting
tribute could have been paid than
the presence in Which Mr.. Jackson
stood. All classes of men were
there and it was by the nature of
that greeting that compliment was
paid even more eloquent than the
words of praise which rang in his
ears.
And so it is we'll to sing the vir-
tues of men while they live. OF all
the grand old pictures that hang on
memory's wall, there is none which
we contemplate without regret that
we could not have said more in ap-
probation before it was too late.
Men and women who have orna-
mented their kind deserve to know
the regard in which they are held,
and the singular distinction that has
been paid Mr.. Jackson is worthy, fit
ting and deserved.
He is the ideal of the common
citizen the first citizen.