Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-04
COMMISSION PLAN
A WINNER BY 8O8
Rock Island Business and Union
Labor Men Join Forces and
Garry Proposition.
LOSE IN THREE PRECINCTS
Liquor Vote, First Time in City's Po-
Iitical History, Is Divided
Total Ballots 1925.

Rock Island went on record yes
terday as favoring the adoption of the
commission form OF municipal gov
eminent by a majority of sos. The
total vote for the proposition was
1853, and against it 1866. sig,
nificant fact was that the total af-
hrmative vote fell just 26 short of
the number of signatures on the Pc
tition addressed to the county court
asking for the calling of the special
election.
The vote was in the afirmati in
all OF the 15 precincts excepting
three. These were the first of the
Fourth, the first Of the Fifth and the
third of the Seventh. In the two
former precincts those of the liquor
interests opposed a change from the
present order of governmental regux
lation put forth their strongest
fight. In the first of the Fourth the
vote was ~ for and SO against. In
the first of the Fifth 1t was 20 for
and 80 against. In the third of the
Seventh it was "a for and IS against.
In this connection it should be ex-
planned, however, that not all of the
people engaged in the liquor traffic
in the city were on the negative side.
NOT UNIT THIS TIME.
For once, as it was aptly put by
a close observer of local political con-
ditions after the result of the cleo
ton had become known, the liquor
interests did not walk as a unit to the
polls. There are men engaged in the
saloon business in Rock Island who
do not approve of the loose methods
that surround the traffic in
this city, and they expressed
themselves yesterday by not vot-
ing with those of their associates in
the same line who were loudest in
their opposition to a change to the
government of the city by a commits
sion.
Mayor George W. McCaskrin led
the attack on the new plan. He call
ed a mass meeting at the Illinois
theatre last Friday night at which he
gave his reasons for taking issue with
the large body of citizens that stood
in advocacy of a change. 1t is not
to be doubted that the opponents of
the measure polled their whole
strength at the ballot box.
WHO DID NOT VOTE.
Assuming that the number of voters,
representing the difference between
the total vote cast and the normal
elective strength of the city, was for
the most part in sympathy with the
commission form, had the supporters
OF the plan been as successful in get
ting out the vote as was the other
side the proposition would have been
carried by a sweeping majority. The
elements that represented the mega
tive in the election yesterday never
fail in carrying out instructions to
the letter. But there were hundreds
of good citizens who will confess to
you now that they simply forgot
there was an election and conse-
Quently did not go to the polls.
To the Rock Island Business Mems
association belongs the greatest
credit for the carrying of the COM
mission plan Associated with the
committee of the business association
were delegations from various union
labor bodies, the majority of the lat
ter. It m Ist be said TO their credit.
early approaching the benefits in