Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-16
THE RIGHT OF OPINION.

The right of opinion, and the right
to express that opinion, ia inalienable
in this land Of the free, and while peo-
pie may grow wrsthful at times be-
cause others disagree with them and
all too often misconstrue the attitude
OF those of contrary views, The Argus
has never harbored resentment of those
whose ideas do not coincide with it's
own. According to others, that same
inalienable privilege that it reserves
unto itself, it has never hesitated to
express its honest convictions and to
stand by them.
Not TO irritate an unfortunate state
Of feeling in Rock Island, which 1t is
satisfied is all unnecessary, as grow
ing out OF the car routing controversy
as it, affects the business district, The
Argus finds occasion once more to
make its own position clear To begin
with, The Argus is not taking sides in
the pending issue, has not done so at
any time and does not propose to. 1t
has tried to take broad ground, con-
siderate of what is best for the entire
city. It. has endeavored as a news
paper to set forth the claims of both
sides, and in presenting its own sentf
ments it has at no time advocated the
! sacrificing of either Second or Third
avenue for the gain of the other
II has not suggested the taking of a
! single street car of Second avenue. It
has felt that certain of the lines might
use both avenues, by some such means
as are in effect in other cities, to the
| advantage Of all concerned. 1t has
| taken the position that Rock Island
ought 10 expand industrially, CONNER
| cially and in its business district, and
/ there II stands. And within the con-
| fines Of the entire city It does not be-
lieve there is a single citizen who,
down in his heart, will take issue with
/ II in the principles so laid down.
! In times without number, The Argus
has put on its armor in behalf of Rock
| Islands interests It has held Rock
Island up before the world as the mod
e! city in which to reside; has fought
| for its industries, its commercial es-
/ adjustments, its business men, and
]
sition that what is vital TO any one of
the three cities here clustered is OF
! concern 10 the others, especially as il
! pertains to Rock Island and Moline, II
has never hesitated, nevertheless, tC
| stick for Rock Island first, where the
issue happened unfortunately to be
/ drawn with either of the others.
] Nhan a III O.,
Railway company, in framing its ord
in8nces for renewal at the hands o
the council, made provision for track
down Twenty-fourth street, thu
connecting the two main lines from
Moline with the Bridge line, and max
ing the way possible TO run car!
through to Davenport BY way of Tween
tyfourth street without entering Reel
Island business district, The Argus
singIe-handed. and without even a sug
gestion from local business men, Tough
that section. 1t was through III
effort that it was stricken out by
unanimous vote of the council There
was a possibility that should have
aroused every merchant in Rock Is
4dubS ltbdI u4tSS VI WHAT avenue MA
business was located on, and yet NJ
protest came against the granting o.
the privilege which the street car com
pany sought, before it was knocked GU
by The Argus, and no word Of acknowl
edgment has been heard since. Ye
anyone who will contemplate nov
what the proposed short cut nigh
have meant To the business welfar
OF the city, will marvel that no NOR
attention was paid to il.
This particular instance is cite
merely 70 show that The Argus has a
ways been alert to the welfare o
Rock Island, regardless Of whethe
those who ought to be more vitsll
interested are or not.
Taking the high ground that tia
is OF most concern which affects tn
entire city, deprecating every sem
blance Of unfriendly strife, but conf
dent that in the end there will com
some adjustment, that will be halle
with mutual delight; confident abov
all of the future greatness of Rock Is
land, The Argus will always be fount
working toward that end.