The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-22
i FREE RIDES ON THE CITY.

FREE RIDES ON The CIII.
when you want IN automobile to convey you !
10 or from your home or railroad station you
nv the regulation fare for the accommodation.
whsn Thomas Cox wants such service he
calls up the city police station and orders one
OF the department cars to serve him. You pay
Cox's taxi BILL The expense comes out Of the
police department fund. That fund is contrib
utsd BY tho taxpayers Of Rock Island.
You would not wish 10 see Mr.. Cox walk
from the Thirty-hrst street station to his home
on Twenty-third street at o'clock in the
] morning. You wouldn't care to take such a
/ walk yourself At such an early hour. There
I fore You would hale one Of the taxicabs wait
/ ing at the station and pay the driver for con-
veying you to your destination. But Mr.. Cox
would simeiy call up police headquarters and
1 command one of the department cars. This
I would mot be IN unusual proceeding were Mr..
fsCox still an Official of the city. but you have
| been given to understand that Mr.. Cox Is
NO longer oflicially identified with the city of
Rock Island. Mr.. Cox is under suspension as
chief of police. He has been requested to re-
/ Schriver has blocked an investigation Of the
suspended chief that the public is demanding
1 through his failure to appoint an acceptable
IRE and police board
There is no serious loss to the city involved
in the use of the police department cars by Mr..
Cox, but it certainly doesn't look just right
t that one in his position should continue in the
enjoyment Of privileges that denied the
binary taxpayer. The Argus therefore suggests
that II Chief Of Police William H. F1tzsimmons
E-has decided to convert the police department
! automobiles Into public taxicabs that he
afford the same accommodations to you that
he permits Mr.. Cox to enjoy. You pay taxes
just the same as Mr.. Cox does and therefore
you should receive equally generous considera-
ton at the city hall. Hence it is suggested
that the next time you are in need Of a taxicab
that you call the Rock Island police station and
order one Of the department cars dispatched to
serve you. That would make you feel that
fyou were getting as square deal at the city
hall as MI. Cox is getting.
{ Also II you happen to be as fortunate as
Mr.. Cox in possessing large autopobile need
Ting occasional repairs You do as Mr.. Cox does
land drive your car down to the city hall gar
sage and command one Of the mechanics to 60
sto work on it and have the city pay the bill.
kDurtn0 the past week Mr.. Cox had his private
tautomobilelat the city hall garage for repairs.
THE expense Of the job is understood TO have
been several dollars. Small matter, to be sure,
Sbut II every automobile owner had the same
privilege at the municipal garage that, Mr. Cox
shas il, probably would be necessary to increase
sthe force of mechanics
Tho rw,,c Sc colltuw alienation A. 49,. VA,
irregularities not with the idea Of embarrassing
MI. Cox, but for the sole purpose of inform
ling other taxpayers of the city that they are
snot getting their moneys worth from the pres
sent city administration. 1t is just possible.
showever. that Mr.. Cox is still laboring under
sthe Impression that he is chief Of police 1t
shas become habit with him seemingly. Chief
sFYtzsimmons has asserted that Mr. Cox has no
connection with the police department. Per-
maps Chief Ntxsimmons is not able to dis
stinguish the fine Italian hand Of the suspended
Schief. But there is plenty of evidence that he
has not entirely become convinced that he is
mo longer CHIEF Of police. The Argus is here
supplying some Of the evidence Of Mr.. Cox's
state Of mind.
The Argus serves notice ON Chief Fitxsim-
mons that he is head Of the police department
and IS going to be held accountable to the
$4,000 people Of Rock Island for the conduct of
chat department One Of the things that Chief
fttzsimmons had batter stop 10 converting the
police department cars into free taxicabs for
pho special accommodation Of Mr.. Cox Another
- to inform Mr.. Con that when he has repairs
70 mAfscn his private automobile to take it to
bome garage where he viii b charged a you
are charged whom you have any work done on
your car.
1t may scam ~ though The Argus wire
healing rather roughly with Mr. Cox. Perhaps
j ID. Bnt at times Il becomes necessary To
Hoai fvaghH with men of the calibrs Of Thomas
Cox. The people d Rock Island have dis
bshsed with htm a. chief Of police and they
propose that he shall have NO privileges At the
Pity hall that are net 10 be had by every other
eaxpayer in the city. Il Mr.. Coz ID determined
hat No shall not permanently detach himself
VI 6an4AAss police department. The Argus sus-
gests g him that hs prevail upon his good
fisMda. Mayor Schriver and CITY Attorney
6cctt. to appoint nrs and police commission
that WIN proceed Immediately with full In.
vsstisaticn Of the charges that stand against
him in the records Il the Rock Islasd are and
police boalA
81 ra44s.4--s