The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-15
ExTRAl flIk ARGUS TO BE
INFECTED!


Il The Argus is to BE indicted for driving John
Looney out Of Rock Island. This informa- !
4 - comes from no less an authority than Dr.
4 61ph Do silva. The doctor announced the |
B kdsome tidings at gathering the
u fther evening The Argus assumes |
INIT the doctor knows whereof he |
tsaks, and therefore takes great pleasure in
iliiparting the Information to its readers from
kkom, as it has repeatedly said, it holds no
~ Screts The Argus assumes that the doctor
SlIot this hot IT'D on The Argus from the grand
iiry room. or perhaps DR.. De Silva merely
Heels that The Argus ought to be indicted for
llrivink Looney out OF Rock Island. The Argus
10 not in position to say just how close re-
i tlktionship existed between Looney and the
doctor. Perhaps the doctor experienced loss
4 III the sudden departure Or the blackmailing at
st6fney from our midst As to this The Argus
does not know.
But The Argus does know that the remnants
of the city hall political organization is des-
s'perately angling for some straw to which to
cling that might be employed to the ernbar-
ssf1ssment Of this newspaper for its stand
against lawlesness hi this community, a cam
lp3sn that has resulted in exposures that have
dfhdroushly discredited tile city administration
and resulted already in the Indictment Of two
bf its representatives. The Argus has studious-
III sought to avoid involving personalities in
the unpleasant task, 1t shouldered In behalf of
this community II realized that IT was cer->
tafn to Immediately smoke one African from
the woodpile. That African was John P.
Lconey. The Argus knew that Looney was the
central figure around which the lawless net
work in the city fsvoived. The Argus knew
that in correcting conditions it would cause the
downfall Of Loonoy and put an end to his GRIM
inAl activities ID the city. The Argus is proud
TO be able to say that 1t has accomplished what
It set out to do. Looney is fugitive from JUS
tice. "
Mayor Schriver had it within his power to
end the reign Of Looneyism in Rock Island.
But he lacked the moral courage to employ the
power Of his Office to five to the city the relief
that its people had repeatedly demanded Of
him. The Argus finally forced Mayor Schrfver
and City Attorney Scott to suppress the Rock
Island News but they did not suppress it until
4 tts publisher was safely out Of reach of the
court holding a warrant for his arrest The
q city administration resisted the Campaign
against lawlessness thatwa carried on by The
Arsus. The city administration has reechoed
the cry of the Iooney vultures that The Argus
was killing the city. The Looney underworld
crowd and the city administration ridicu1ed
the campaign Of The Argus when 1t was first
inaugurated. They said It couldn't be done.
The city administration shivered in its boots
at the thought Of mourning the displsasure Of
John Lboney. common blackmailer and thief
The Argus served notice John Looney that
vyoTy1d ND nP la II
lawlessness id this community. The Argus
knew that 1t could finish the job because it
knew that IS per cent OF the people Of Rock
island favored the undertaking. The Argus
could have had the county Judge nomination
petitions of John Looney invalidated IL 1t had
elected to do SO. The Argus wanted to get John
Looney before the people of Rock Island county
as candidate just to give his bump Of ego a
Jar. He got the jar He received 1856 votes in
the city Of Rock Island. That about represents
the vote some Of the city hall crowd Will get II
they ever again come before the people ct Rock
Island seeking their support as candidates for
public Office.
The city administration. during the more
strenuous days Of the recent campaign, took
It's orders from the Looney roost and turned fts
back on the law-abiding people Of this COM
munity. The Argus represented the voice Of
ss per cent Of the people Of Rock Island. The
Looney roost represented the underworld The
city administration. The Argus repeats, took its
orders from the Lo0ney roost. The Argus had
40 orders to give the city administration, but
i did have demands to make in the name Of
Z the people, And those demands we're finally
II fulfillef
(
The fact that the demands we're met, but not
until public protest became SO strong that they
& could no longer Be resisted, still weighs heav-
u ty at the city hall ana In the breast Of few
close political cohorts. THIS element has de-
cided that some punishment must be doied out
TO The Argus for the service that it has rem
dered the community The Argus is ready to
q face the penalty, whatever it is the dissfuntled
followers Of the frsit.ic Looney have decided
narst be dealt u t'::.s eeuspaper The Argos
has grown 50 hs-s hss.lcl as result 81 .its
Il battle with the b-El. c. a.lr5cre-s. blatkinaila
cfs and graftars that were s.-angling the COM
niunity that 1t re.-scs 70 81 liza 81 aHytiiini9
these days. ~
Perhaps Dr.. Desilva end x.yor schriyer
haze already been before the grand ;lry With