Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-25
COMMISSION FOR THE
COUNTY.

There is sense in the demand, which
has its origin in East Moline, for
a change in the form of government
in Rock Island county from board OF
thirty-odd supervisors to one of three
commissioners. 1t would help CEN
tralize responsibility and would be in
line with the trend of modern local
government.
But that isn't all.
We may just as well admit the facts
as they exist without further pretense
at being blind to them. The people
have no faith in the county govern
ment as il is now organized and so
long as this attitude prevails it is ex-
tremely unlikely that any large ex-
penditures will be authorized by popu-
lar vote. Under a commission form
the public might look on matters in
different light. :,
Lack of confidence has been mani
tested for a number of years when
ever there has been an expression of
the popular will, ever since, in fact,
the bond issue for the present court
house was voted. Repeatedly the vot-
ers have been asked to approve of
bonds to refund the county's debt and
to build a new jail and in every case
the project has lost by a large major
ity.
Rock Island county needs a new jail
needs it desperately.
The pile of masonry which now
serves as a bastile is too small to house
the number which is commonly con-
fined there, its builders defied every
7 10 Il docs af-
ford a safe place to imprison any en-
/ terprising criminal who really wants
/ to get out Experts in such matters
have said that the Rock Island county
| Jail is a relic of the dark ages, and no
doubt it is.
Moline and the district east of the
\ city needs a new bridge to give access
| from Henry county, and Rock Island
and the lower end of the county are
/ entitled TO such improved means of
communication as a bridge across the
mouth of Rock river and road SOUTH
west through the bottoms would pro-
vide
The entire county is suffering from
lack of good roads-roads which are
permanent and can be travelled with
motor driven vehicles every day in
the year and if these roads are not
built at once other counties of this
and nearby states Will accept the OPP
portunity and benefit by the prosperity
born of good highways to which this
locality is entitled.
There is no serious difference Of
opinion among voters, taking the
county over, on any of these PROPOSE
tions The people, beyond doubt,
would be willing in due time to vote
the necessary bonds to finance all
these undertakings If they felt salts
fed that the money would be honestly
and wisely expended and that there
would be no political favoritism shown
in the handling of the funds.
That they do not feel that they have
this assurance has been pretty clearly
shown when bond issues have been
put up to a vote in the past. Moth
ing has occurred during the last two
! or three years to change public senti-
ment under this head. at least nothing
to make the people more disposed to
loosen up their purse strings. There
may have been a change in the other
direction and probably has.
Inasmuch as conditions are as they
are, the only sensible thing 10 do "a to
substitute the present FORM of county
government for one which will meet
with greater degree of popular APP
proval. Fortunately. the state laws
provide for such a change.
Those who have the best interests
OF the county at heart Ghouii Lot
stand in the way.
The countess OF Warwick has now
started in business as a garden deeign-