Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-01-04
JUST WANTS THE
PEOPLE TO KNOW
ABOUT COMMISH
Nothing, II Not Naive, Mayor Nc
Conocllis Makes Characteristic
Review of Administration.
NOT THAT HE is ASPIRING.
Doesn't Say That Anybody Is Going
to Be q Candidate Or Anything,
But-WeIl, Here 1t Is.


Rock Island, Dec. 4.-Editor The
Argus: With charity for all and
malice toward none, am going to
briefly outline the success or failure
of the present city commission.
In this, the fourth and final year
of our administration, I am not 60
ing to say we made a wonderful
success, for we did not Many
things we might have done we failed
- do, and some things we did do
might as well have been left IN
done, but personally, there is moth
ing we did do, or failed to do,
now regret We did the best we
know how, and for one l am willing
to stand by the record as written,
be it good or bad. We will leave
that to the people to Judge. We are
not infallible, we are not saints
and never claimed to be. We are
used to criticism, we have been IN
der fire before. We are human and
prone to error. don't know wheth-
er any Of US has any political as
pirations or not We have never
discussed this. But to be honest
with you, while we may have no
political aspirations to crafty,
think like Barcus, we are willing, if
we should get the call. But don't
understand that this is a political
bid for it is not, and you must also
understand 1 am speaking only for
myself, but when you come to make
up your jewels, the commission as
q whole, outside of myself, is en-
titled TO your serious consideration
their experience, honesty and
Integrity. We all did the very best
we could under the circumstances.
Short Of Funds.
We were handicapped from first
to last for lack Of funds, but we are
going to pass the buck and blame
it upon the other fellow. We will
certainly charge some of it against
the war, the high cost of living, the
advanced price OF labor and ma
teriaI. 1 am not going to criticise
our predecessors, for they no doubt
had their own troubles and Difficult
ties to contend with Neither am
going to tell our successors that
they will have q clear field and an
open sea, for they will not, for we
know by experience that the chan
mel is filled with hidden shoals and
sunken rocks that will wreck the
hopes of the most, experienced mar
iners.
Now I am not going into details
and give you actual figures of our
annual financia standing. Our
/, commissioner Of finance will do
that in his annual report, so COM
plete and concise that all will I'M
derstand it I am only going to
give you a brief outline of a few
facts as I understand them, and
tell you of some of the things we
have done and paid for, for this
commission has made it rule to
pay as we go, without issuing bonds
which we all are adverse to, unless
it1s an improvement bond, when
lis no tax against the general tax
payers, and is paid only by the
property benefited by the improve
ment- Such improvements are
growing more popular every year.
The demand for such improvements
exceeds our ability to comply.
Scarcely anyone objects to public
improvements now. They all want
to get lifted out of the mud, unless
1t is. the chronic kicker and objec-
tor, who will tell you they are all
in favor of an improvement, provid-
ing you put it in front of the other
fellows property.
Met Unpaid Bills.
When we assumed our official
duties in the spring of 1915, we
were confronted with an avalanche
of unpaid bills, which continued to
come in for a year or more with
very little available cash to meet
our obligations, all of which had to
be paid and were paid, for we were
in duty bound to fulfill every obi
lhkEation and preserve the city's cred
If it took our last dollar, and
3 did it without bond issue.
W Our troubles began soon after
we were elected. The same vote
that elected US carried with it the
annexation ordinance, with bind
ing contract made between this city
and the village of Sears, and all
the territory lying between, where
by the city agreed to do certain
oltpOAGAtCd III AAC CAACAoLtSLA
ordinance, such as paving Ninth
and Twelfth streets, extending the
water mains on both streets clear
out, a waterworks system for the
village of Sears. including an ele-
waited tank, a fire department sys-
tenn. with streets lights, all of
which we have carried out, also
grading and improving their dirt
streets. One-half of the paving of
the long streets was paid by the
city and was and will be paid out
of the general fund. Whether or
not the city did get the worst of
the bargain, l am inclined to think
we did Sears and South Rock Is
land certainly lost nothing, while
we have to pay the enhanced cost
of labor and material, on account
Of the high cost of living and the
war.
Litigation to Overcome.
One of the first obstacles that
frOnted us was the costly legal
aation we had to meet in car
g out the provisions of that or
FINANCE, not only in paving Ninth