, 1875-11-17

Tho simultaneous nctton Of tho County
Hoard asnl tho Common Council last Monday
o1a tho Court House building shows that pub
lie opinion has not yet lost oil it's forco. TAu
conviction evidently heamed upon the Conn.,
1niseiouera and Aldermen ihat tlo people Of
Chicago would not tolerate plain violation
Of tho contract bctweon tho city aud county,
md hayo two distinct buildings erected on tho
Courthouse Sluaro without any harmony in
design. Perhaps it VIA the movement Ut
citizens 10 bring tho matter into tho courts,
nntt to cnjoin the prosecution of tho work
Until uniform stylo shall bo agreed
upon, which, brought tho two bodies
to their senses. At all events, tho
Common Council Instructed tho Mayor,
Board Of Public Works., mud tho 1}uilding
Committee, to consult with thu Commission
ers as 10 all agreomcnt Of plan !; md rcsoln-
ton waa introduced into tho Comfy Doartl
authorizing the Joint Committee Of Commits
soncrs aud Aldermen to confer with tho city
authorities to agreo upon plan whereby tho
county shall construct lilo entire building
md rent one-l,aff to tho city at per cont per
nnnt1,n OIL tho cost Of tho onc-hnlf which they
shall occupy. Though this resolution wss
lai1 over for one week, there is o hope that
it may bo adopted.
It il to tho advantage Of the city, and,
therefore, also TO all who pay sovon-eighths
Of tl1o cost Of tho cntiro structure. that tho
entire building shall bo paid for out of the
county funds. The city has TO authority to
borrow mora money. If it goea on with its
al,aro Of the work, 1t will lnyo 10 pny for it
cut Of taxes levied upon tllo property -owuers.
Such COURSE ncccssitates one Of two things,
-oither that tho city's part of the work
shall be dono very slowly. or That tho tax-
payers bo oppressed beyond their re-
sourcca in order to meet this cx-
trnortlinary expenditure oyor aud above
tho payment of tho regular aud enormous
oxpouscs OF the City Government. Tho
county, on the other hand, has tho authority
to borrow oil tho money necessary to the cou-
atruction Of tho entire building; mud, in ront-
ing onc-ha1f OF tho building to the city at Z
per cent on the cost Of tho construction, tho
city pays the intcseSt Oh lalf tho money bor-
rowed, aud may at some future tina pur-
chase its 1,alf Of tho building Mt its actual cost
If 1t shall prove to bo mutually desirable. Tho
advantage of such IN arrangement is perfect
ly npparent when it is remembered that both
County and City Governments represent
really the samo taxpayers. The city tax
payers pay for oil the construction Of the
city's half, aud four-ffths Of the cost Of the
county's hall, thus making ntno-tenths Of the
whole.
While this arrangement will be the proper
ono TO make, ii tho Aldermen aud Commits.
siouera are Intelligent and honest enough To
recognize it, any fai1ure to agrce upon 1t will
not excuse continuation Of the work on the
present basis Of house divided against It.
Belf. This will bo m outrage that thu pco.
pic Of Chicago will not endure. II the Com,
missionsrs and Aldermen do not quickly ogrce
upon some common design for tho building
in accordance with tho contract long since
made between tho city and county, tho Citi
zcnB' Association must stop in and demand 9
judicial enforcement Of that contract, and q
suspension Of tho work until common plan
shall bo agreed upon. We hopo that the
Aldermen and Commissioners will have
sufficient respect for public opinion and the
public interest to come to such M agreement
! without being forced to 1t by tho courts.