THE ROCK ISLANDER

In the summer of 1851 there came to Rock Island a young man named Emanuel J. Pershing, seeking in a change of climate to reinvigorate a weak constitution. He had been connected with the Mountain Echo, a newspaper published at Johnstown , Pa , and his tastes naturally ran in the direction of newspaper life. It was at a time when the people were greatly excited about " the Nebraska bill," as it was called— a bill reported by Senator Douglas, as chairman of the committee on territories, for the organization of the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska, repealing " the Missouri Compromise " and establishing " squatter sovereignty," leaving the people who should locate in those territories to settle the slavery question for themselves.

The Democracy of Rock Island were divided on the question of the propriety of the bill, as, indeed, they were nearly everywhere. Joseph Knox, George Mixter, and a few others, anti-Nebraska, anti-Douglas Democrats, encouraged young Pershing to start an anti-Nebraska Democratic paper. Mr. Pershing procured material and started a weekly paper, issuing the first number on the 19th of September, 1854, calling it the Rock Islander. The office was in the basement of Lemuel Andrews' building. Though generally regarded at that time as an anti-Nebraska paper, the Rock Islander supported the regular Democracy at all times and was always a warm friend to Judge Douglas.

The office remained in Andrews' building until Bailey & Boyle's block (now Mitchell & Lynde's block) was erected, when it was moved to the third story of that building and there remained until it was united with the Argus on the 16th of September, 1857. The Daily Rock Islander was started in May, 1855, and published until its union with the Argus. Mr. Pershing was born in Johnstown , Cambria Co., Pa. , in the year 1831. From boyhood he was a close reader and diligent student. For a short time he attended the academy at Elder's Ridge, Indiana Co., Pa. , under the charge of Rev. Alex. Donaldson, D. D. Subsequently he entered as a student Jefferson College , at Canonsburg , Pa.

In 1857 or 1858 he was admitted to the Bar, in Rock Island. From his earliest years he was compelled to battle with ill health, and he came West, in the' hope of improving his physical condition. Books were his delight and newspaper office had great charms for him; but it was too exhausting and he was reluctantly compelled to seek a more active life. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church and was most amiable in all his ways.

In the early part of July, 1860, he left Rock Island to visit friends in Pennsylvania, where he died suddenly, at the Continential Hotel, Philadelphia, July 22, 1860.

The Rock Islander under his management was an able, dignified, well conducted newspaper, and its editors and proprietors men of high character, always held in great respect by all the people. Mr. Persh- ing's early death was much lamented. His surviving partner, Maj. Connelly, is yet one of the leading citizens of Rock Island, honored and respected by all.

In the fall of 1877 the County Central Committee of the Working-Men's party of Rock Island County issued a prospectus for the publication of a paper devoted to the interests of that party. The prospec­ tus set forth very distinctly the principles which would be advocated, among which were the taxation of Government bonds, taxation of incomes above $800 per year, the percentage of taxation being increased in the ratio of increase of income, the revision of the tariff laws in the interest of the working men, greenbacks to be the only national currency, change in the system of taxation that the rich might pay the same proportion as men of small means, revision of the patent laws that monopolies might not be fostered, reduction of army and navy expenses, opposition to Government subsidies, reduction of the number of civil officers, the remonetization of silver, payment of the Government debt in greenbacks, the better remuneration of labor and its protection.

Col. J. B. Danforth, Jr., agreed with the committee to purchase an office and publish the paper, provided sufficient encouragement should be given for its support. In a very short time a large subscription was secured, and on the 5th day of January, 1878, the first number of the paper made its appearance, a large, handsome nine-column folio. Mr. Danforth having retired from the Argus, thought best to revive the Rock Islander, which was formerly well known to the citizens of the county, rather than to start a paper under a new name

. In his salutatory, Mr. Danforth says of the Rock Islander; " Its mission will be to watch for and oppose all legislation which gives advantages to the rich over the poor, to warn the people that constant vigilance is the price of freedom. Its discussions will be conducted in candor and with a view to truth and justice.

It will treat everybody fairly and justly, and strive to incul­ cate good morals, and to benefit the mass of the people. It will be a working men's paper, a greenback paper, a silver paper, a grange paper, a business newspaper, a good family paper, a paper through which the men and women who work in factories, shops, mills, or for railroads or other corporations, and in which laborers, farmers and business men can all find a friend, and be heard in any matter of public interest—a paper which should be in every house."

Every one who knows Col. Danforth knows that the principles set forth in the prospectus would find in him a steadfast friend, and that his blows in defense of that which he considered right would fall thick and fast. He is one among the few men born to the editorial profession, and in his writings could not be dull if he tried. The Rock Islander has been a suc­ cess from the start. It is well printed, ably edited, and worthy of the cause which it espouses.

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