The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-30
Argus Opens Fight When Of:
ficials Refuse to Curb
Vicious Conditions.
.looAfYlsM IS MAIN ISSUE
Lord Of the Vice Ring Uses
Scandal Sheet A. Weap-
on Over Authorities.
By J. M. COLLIGAN.
Managing Editor Of The Argus.

By ]. M. COLLIGAN.
Managing Editor Of The Argus.
Rock Island during the year Just
closing passed through q crisis that
has proved the turning point OF the
city's future. Rock Island has been
diverged from a course that was un-
dermining its stability and progress
to one that insures its security and
healthy and contented development.
Rock Island during the year was
delivered from a government OF
outlawry to q government function
ing in, accordance with the laws that
are written in the statutes. Rock
Island a year ago today was known
from coast to coast as one OF the
widest and wettest cities In the
United States. It was recorded in
the underworld as city where any
lawless activity could be practicei
providing the promoter made fnan-
cial arrangements with the con-
trolling powers. Today the influ-
ences that dominated the govern
ment of your city a year ago have
been dethroned and Rock Island Is
probably without an equal among
the cities of its size in the nation
for freedom from general lawless-
ness and public vice.
Doubtless you have been curious
to know how the campaign that has
resulted in the suppression of law
lessness in Rock Island had its be-
ginning. You may have read a para
graph that was printed on the edi-
torial page of The Argus on June
| S last. Here is the paragraph:
Third avenue, between Tween.
Heth and Twenty fourth streets,
reminds one of Buckt0wn days
in Davenport. The police ut
least ought to insist on the mp.
plying Of the soft pedal
You'll have to Agree. If you re-
call conditions as they existed at
that time in the Third avenue dis
| trict, that the paragraph was very
mild and polite. 1t was intended
merely as a kindly suggestion to
the Rock Island city administration
that there was developing c0ndi-
ton on Third avenue and in other
sections of the city that would have
! to be checked. Innumerable- COM
| plants had come to The Argus re-
garding the growing extent ami
brazenness of the Rock Island I'M
derworld. The Argus appreciated
that Rock Island had always been
regarded as a liberal city; that
there was spirit of tolerance for
minor vices that were understood
to prevail in every community that
has risen above the puritanical vii
lage classification. The Argus had
known Rock Island when it had Sc
deceased saloons that operated seven
days a week. 1t had known Rock
Island when it tolerated public re-
sorts of different classifications, bat
it never before had experienced the
spectacle where the underworld
| could snap its fingers at the city
hall and the court house and openly
defy officials sworn to uphold laws
whose enforcement could have al
any time completely wiped ou'
every underworld establishment IL
the city Of Rock Island. g..
Duty Of Newspaper.
1t is not the province of a news
paper to regulate the private NOR
ais of a community, but it is thu
duty of a newspaper to defend thu
public welfare against condition
that is recognized as harmful to thu
common good. The Rock Islant
underworld government had riser
2 above the government entrusted
r with the protection OF the law-abid
n ing citizenship of the community
!, The Argus proved the existence o
! this startling condition after ap ex
e haustive investigation conducts,
1 under the direction Of this news
!, paper, the results of which were il
a part revealed in a series OF under
world stories printed in its column;
r Most people of the city are awar
:, that there was being printed week
i ly in the city a newspaper know
9 as the Rock island News, the prop
e erty Of John Looney. for upwards Z
4 thirty years q practicing attorney I
e the community. Looney had expei
4 fenced .precarious career in II
newspaper business in Rock Isispl
ii 0nce he published daily. but
d time he discovered that ft was q
ri expensive enterprise when COZ
o Quoted in accordance with his PEI
b verted ideas Of daily journalisr
nj Looney from the beginning emplo,
Isl ed his newspaper for the promotio
n of his shady activities Eseutuasl
10 the daily passed out Of existenc
u Looney always boasting Of hls pm
lel pose and determination to- defer
let the inforests Of the common psopl
Theirs b no denying that there We
Isl people who believed that he y,
d sincere In his pruteslAtionG,
# though his Representations cou
A. =