Rock Island Argus., 1914-10-24

farm produce. which sells nowhere
else in the country so high as here.
The saving effected really means more
TO the Rock Islander who lives by the
sweat OF his brow than II does TO the
one TO whom the winning of his daily
bread is a matter OF less concern. Had
those who work with their hands the
time TO devote to movements for their
own betterment the cause Is one OF
sufficient merit TO warrant organized
effort to help IL TO carry at the polls.
IL should not be necessary TO point the
advantage TO the average voter more
than once to insure his earnest sup
port
In Rock Island this should be the Is
sue OF the campaign and every citizen
should be more interested in seeing IL
win than in the success OF any partic-
ular candidate.
Probably the people who have lived
a few miles southwest OF the city for a
period of years have given more seri-
Gus consideration to what such a road
would mean than anybody in the city
has. Many OF them have long dreamed
% such a highway. which they felt
would bring them three or four miles
nearer the city, increasing the value
OF their land proportionately. and max
ing life for them on the farm more de-
sirable and their farming operations
more profitable.
Not a serious minded tiller of the
soil who has driven back and forth 10
the city behind plodding teams through
winters SHOWS and summers rains but
has rebelled at the necessity OF trav-
cling the many extra miles which the
present route involves. No doubt
enough unproftable hours and suffici-
ent horse power have been expended
in this way in the last 20 years to
build the road across the bottoms and
pay for the bridge besides. Some years
ago the farmers time was not so val
liable but IL is different now
These farmers. coming and going, !
have viewed the hundreds of fertile I
acres I'm the bottoms southwest of tine I
city and wondered when, If ever, the \
district would be dyked and reclaimed /
from the overflow of the Mississippi /
river. thereby enabling the county to I
produce more and to support a greater /
population. The farmer has had time
TO think of these things while the av-
srage city dweller. because they have
not been called to his attention, has
never given them much thought.
Therefore the support of theIower end
residents for the southwest road and
bridge should be expected as a mat
.er OF course
As for the Colona bridge it must be
borne in mind that there is a large and
ertile farming area in Henry county
o which the Colona bridge means
lbout as much as the. other one does
o those in the west end of the county
They have a right to expect the sup
'ort Of Rock Island and the entire low
II end.
II ought not to be necessary to say
much about the need for a new Jail.
The topic is one which the people of
he county as a whole would prefer to
dispose of at the earliest opportunity
With the least possible publicity. The
Id jail, built so years ago. has done a
'reat deal to give this county an un-
avory reputation. 1t has been a
reeder OF diseases, mental and physi- {
al, which have permeated the entire &
ommunity and have spread their con- :
agion into other fields.
The question of dollars and cents
hould not receive any consideration
conn ection with the advisability of
'iping out this pest hole.