Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-27
King and Queen of Spain at bull fight.

great industrial plants which made
these things possible Had their curl
oSity, however. carried them further
east, west or south into the interior of
the country, the numerous lanes OF
muddy roads they would have encOun-
tered would have hGrrifed them and
they would have naturally exclaimed,
Vanity. Vanity, All else is vanity"
The history of the industrial growth
and development of Rock Island cOun-
ty reads like romance. 1t bristles
with facts and fancies and suggests
such glorious visions of the future
that, in comparison, the story of Alad-
din's lamp pales into childish insig-
nificance.
These visions of the long heralded
golden age, however. will never be
fully realized in Rock Island county
until the people as whole wake up
from their sleep of Indifference and
seriously get to work improving their
roads in a systematic and business
like manner. If they do not already
know, they should be educated to IN
derstand that roads serviceable 365
days in the year are the county foun-
datiOn stones of prosperity and great
ness.
God Almighty has blessed this county
above all others in this great middle
west empire with everything that
makes for ideal living conditions. 1t
is a veritable garden of Eden with its
iich agricultural lands and scenic
beauties. The growing intelligence of
the people has utilized its water power
and other natural resources to great
advantage in the upbuilding of world
removed industrial center. Much
wealth has been created through these
activities. Many comfortable and beau
tiful homes, together with commodi-
Gus churches, hospitals, schools, and
colleges have been provided as the
fruit of intelligent labor. The tri-
cities are beautified and interlaced by
a net work Of majestic trees, well ar
ranged parks and recreation grounds.
All these things speak grandly of a
budding divine intelligence in the
hearts and minds of mankind, but it is
not enough.
With all the natural and cultural ad-
yantages which they possess, the peo-
pie of Rock Island county as a whole
are still far from the goal of POSSIBLE
tiles. They have only claimed a small
portion of their natural inheritance.
They do not yet seem alive to the
blessings which can only come to them
through a wholesome reasoning spirit
of cooperation.
The centers of population are divid-
ed They remain aloof from each other
through jealousy, petty chickering's and
village strife, while the city and rural
communities regard one another with
undisguised tribal-like suspicion.
How different it would be if we
would only recognize the fact that all
are important parts Of one great coun-
ty whole, and would also more intel
ligently act upon the realization that
what benefits one part benefits all
parts.
The unlfying power of a common in
tefest is what is most needed at the
present time TO visualize more effect
lively the benefits to be derived through
economic cooperative effort. This COM
mon interest is found in the good roads
cause which is free from all political.
racial and religious prejudice. There
fore, let us all join hands in this most
righteous cause and with hearty good
will resolutely set to work to redeem
our county roads from a century of
gross neglect.