Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-01

take of the hospitality of a genial
good fellow, had been discussed with
more or less interest before that
time. Many of the older newspaper
men and numerous of the younger
ones had often expressed them
selves in favor of such a
society. Other cities had press
clubs, it was argued, why not one
here in community with half hun
dred working newspaper men? There
was an ever present drawback, how
ever, and that was the club house
feature which it was generally I'M
derstood could not very well be To-
Gated in any one of the three. cities
and prove readily accessible to all
the members. In the spirit of fun 1t
was often said in those early discus
sions that the club might be formed
and fiatboat built and anchored in
the Mississippi river at point
equally distant from each of the three
cities and used as a meeting place.
This was the nearest approach to a
solution of the proposition, and so for
obvious reasons the dream OF a club
went year by year without realization.
But when the Watch Tower dinner
came along and the newspaper fell
lows found they could get together
without being stranded somewhere
in midstream, or without club house
for that matter, the idea developed
of an organization, meeting alternate
ly once month in each of the three
cities. And that Is what has been
happening since.
The object of the Tri-City Press
Club, according to the letter of its
constitution is "to bring the mem
bers of the newspaper profession in
the cities of Davenport, Iowa, and
Rock Island and Moline, ILL.,, togeth-
er in closer social relation, to pro-
mote good fellowship and do part
in furthering the general welfare of
the community"
The Press Club has done the things
it started out to do. 1t has fulfilled
it's constitutional requirements as far
as its membership is concerned. I'm
der its influence better and broader |
understanding has come among the |
newspaper workers in the three cit |
les Good fellowship has taken the |
place of bitterness in strife. Per-
sonalities in newspaper discussion, |
political and otherwise, have been en-
tirely eliminated from respectable
journalism. At the social functions |
the cub reporter touches elbows with |
his city editor, the editor and the |
publisher. The cub has as much |
voice in the Press Club, as much |
right to be recognized in its manage
ment as the man who employs him.
Among the members themselves, diff
ferences of opinion on questions of
moment, on public policy and on pol
itics, are ignored. Shop talk is as
a rule eschewed. The sessions are
of the rounds table order and every
body feels at home. There are no
chickering's, no jealousies. 1t is a
happy family of newspaper fellows.
So much for what the Tri-City Press
Club has done professionally.
IN doing it's part in furthering the
general welfare of the community the
Tri-C City Press Club has been equally
successful 1t is the only tri-city or
gauizatiou with n common interest.
1t has done much for the three cit
les as whole. 1t has brought the
foremost men of the times to the
locality In its behalf or through
its instrCmentality, men of national
and International fane have come
the people Of The three cit
les, and none has gone away with
aught but a kindly feeling. 1t has
spread the fame of the locality and
has shown that these three cities Of
fer attractions for the best of earth,
and in them awaits glad hand and
an open heart for al: who come.