The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-05-08
THE CITIZENS MASS MEETING

The mass meeting held on the evening OF
the 81 inst, at Nc Cormick Hall. TO ave
expression To- the feeling of honest indiyna.
tiou Of the citizens Of Chicago. at the out.
rageous manner IN which the election Of the
23d ult. was conducted was. in regard to
responsibility, If not numbers. a grand sue
cess. We do not wish to lie unders tooi A.
saying that the meeting had no numerical
! strength it large in numbers. the han
being ful without be'ng packed
The resolutions, aud the addresses in sun
port ~ them, were the expressions Of men
who felt themselves unjustly dealt with and
robbed q their rights, as citizens The Ian.
guage was stipng and fearless, aud the points
seemed We'll taken
While We cannot agree with the Napoleonic
ideas Of some Of the speakers, because We
apprehend ii they had the power they would
90 to the other extreme, yet we are constrain.
ed ~ say that the frauds committed On m A.
day deserving y the highest condem ma
ton Of al honest men Nor are those who
absented themselves from the polls and al
lowed the repeaters to have their own way.
less censurable. The municipal interests Of
great city like Chicago, ought to lie Of
some concern to her business men Her tIade
aud commerce are largely dependent upon her
ability to protect life and property. and her
material growth and prosperity depends upon
/ the efficiency aud faithful execution II her
/ laws.
Her citizens also expect protection from
the coruptiDg influences VI lobbyists and
unscrupulous Spectators.
i Is it not highly essential, then that men II
unblemished character and sterling integrity
should ill her Official positions, The expe-
riences Of other cities ought to teach a. a
lesson. Dead rabhitism. repeating and shout
erhitting carried the elections in the CITY OF
| New York and what was the consequence
Z Il became the bed Of political incest The
I killers and Moyomencing roughs under the
leadership ct the notorious McMullen, were
the plant tonl, Of the state douse Ring IN
Philadelphia. The Plug U ghes, Blood Tub,
and Rattle-snakes. held the mayor and com
D mon COUNCIL OF DAlLlnTe unueF lHelf buninh
and when they wanted to control Legislation
drew upon the eXchequer. or TO rob and muir
der a citizen upon the highway, could 10 Sc
with impunity and to such an extent hal
collision between the rpughs and the author
tiles grown, that if an honest man was foun,
on the police force who had the phi ysical am
moral courage TO arrest and convict one
the ruffaIns, his life vas the forfeit he PAID
for his temerty. Il was such COLLISION. out
lawry and rutfainism that reused the citizen
Of those cities from their lethargy The vot
ers turned out en- masse-t bankers. m
merchants and workmgmen-made commol
cause, and the reign Of lawl essncss and ruf
fainism at an end. Honest and capabl
men were elected to office. The state legisla
ture was called upon to make such modifca
tions IN, and amendments to, the city charter
a. was suggested 10y committee Of citizen
from each ward; the police force was r,mod
eled. and general order restored.
Aud So 1t must be with the Great Al.trop
Ills OF the West Her citizens must cleans
the AugeaH stables caste, party ties an,
party -isms must be discarded, and the mer
chant, the banker and the wOrkingman i,ir
in one grand independent movement t. DIES
troy the canker-w worm that is now gnaw1ng at
her vitals.