Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-13
THE RoND IsSIE.

/ The Rock Island county board OF
! supervisors has by resolution, drawn
/ in due form OF law, authorized the p,ac-
I ing On the ballot at the next general
election a proposition 10 bond the
county for $4,000 to obtain funds for
three purposes. enumerated as follows:
The building OF a new county
Jail. $4,000.
The erection OF a bridge across
Rock river at Colona. $4,000.
The erection Of bridge across
Rock river near the mouth Of the
stream. $4,000.
The three propositions are worthy OF
support Every humanitarian impulse
Gals for a new county Jail. The pres
ent structure. decaying with age, unfit
and unhealthy. unsafe and inadequate.
with no means Of segregating. much
less housing prisoners, has passed the
stage where It can be moGernized. To
put IL in sanitary condition would
cost almost, If not quite as much as a
new building. and then IL would be i'm
possible, because OF it's architecture.
to arrange q proper separation OF
classes. As much evil is done through
communication il the house of deten-
ton as through any oher means.
Modern methods grade the inmates
and this is proper.
Apart from all this is the principle
OF health Because a man II a public
offender and must be restrained, II
does not follow that he should be
treated as a beast. Humanity cries out
against inhumanity under all c1rcum-
stances. A jail should be roomy.
healthy and so arranged that the var
ious classes OF offenders may be sep
arated and kept apart. A modern Jail
will provide for all this.
The two bridge propositions are
equally praisewOrthy and essential
They. too. evince the modern idea in
an altogether different light from the
jaiI question. All over the state, all over
the nation. a movement is being made
for better roads. The idea has taken
firm root in Rock Island county in the
formation this week OF the Rock Is
land County Highway Improvement as
ISOLATION. Safe and modern bridges
conveniently located are as necessary
as good roads. The proposed bridges,
one in the upper end of the county and
the other making access more direct TO
the lower end are long felt wants.
The success OF the three PROPOSE
lions depends upon the awakening OF
the public spirit OF the people of the
county and this will not be difficult 20
accomplish. Common fairness. as wei
as the common requirements OF the
people. demand that a central organi-
zation be formed and a campaign con-
Quoted at the proper time for the uni
form success Of all three measures.
The opportunity IS therefore 10 be
presented for the best get-together
movement in Rock Island county that
has ever been instituted. None OF the
propositions is local. although there
is the possibility OF either or the.
bridge projects being made so and this
would be a mistake. II would result
in factionalism that could not prove
otherwise than destructive In the END.
The cities of Rock Island. Moline.
East Mo..1e and Milan are Jointly in
terested in the success OF the three
undertakings The people OF the
whole county are TO be the bene-
ficiaries 10 a greater or less extent
What heirs any section OF the county
helms the entire county. and what may
he accomplished for the success OF all
these PROPOSITIONS will contribute TO
the upbuiIding of the county, the bet
Ter DEVELOPMENT Of its resources and
the enhancement OF its values.