, 1876-05-10
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
Opinions Concerning Its Aboli-
tion In Cook County.
Mesars, Jowett, SWEET, and Dent Hold
that II Il Feasible but Unwiae.
Mossrs. Goudy and Van nuren Adriso
tho County Board Not to Submit
tho Question.

We IOuuhy DVArU MOI 10 Gupu0k
tho Question.
Mr. Fuller Recommends Obtaining tho
Views Of tho Supreme Court.
At tho meeting Of ths County Board held
Monday, thofs wore submitted tho opinlona Of
various prominent lawyers on the question Of
the abolition Of township organization in this
cuunty.-isa feasibility aud ita adyisablilty.
Thoy are in brief 81 fulIows.
,EwErT, SWEET, AND DENT.
First oomca ono signed by John N. Jcwstt,
Leonard 8wett and Thomns Don't. The oplnlon
ravlcws tbs primary object aud puTDoaos of the
Township Organization law, and gives ita lead-
Ing provisions, and tho powers conferred
upon the officers elected under thom. Tho
government OF this county by ths old Board
OF suporydors wss cumbersome aud In othnr
respects Objectionable, and Its management Of
tho Affairs intrustcl to it Ind been st1oh AZ 10
catiso 1t 10 DO looked upon with groat suspicion.
Tho result Of this public feeling was tho present
organization Of tho Board Of Commissioners.
This change In tho organization OF tue County
Board dld not, III their judgment, affect tho
su1s.tutod lie board Of afteou Commissioner for
tbs old Uoard OF Supervisors III the management Of
eounsy snaiss aud i wa IN ths resrect ulone thst
rim thsy understood 10 ne clear loal,lat!v. reeos
Cook County, Notwithstanding the change mao in Tho
County Boar mid that It did exist hRI been reeont-
ly decided b5 or,r Bupsemo Court aud thoy had not
boen abc to find any good foundation foE xrgumen!
Starting .hen with the proposition conceded or es-
tAeslcd. tLAt township organization, gyatem Of
local Government, s.i iu force ia Cook Counsy
tho question Of law submitted WAS, eau that syatein
hoa els
the Constiutou aud statutes now III force !"
In aupport o. this vtow, various provisions Of tho
tsnsn r1ocee 10 say at Il ownsp orc oreaisaon as sS
was iu iosco IN Cook County, s now assumed, tho
ang4ge of tho Constitution aud law relating 70 i:s
Cook County: for IL tho one case It Is any county
that sha1 have sdopto1 township organtzauon." and
In both caaes suy county ID
tho atato In which townalip organization exists or
scnse wss soIsy ons Of power 10 get I'd of IN sIs
Ing BYsion OF local government, anu not At all ques
tion Of policy Many suggestions serc made readily
occurred against tho oxpcdtcney- Of disseminating
township organ!zatlon in tho county under present
circumstances, tho tuu torco Of which they recognized
constitutions lad lawn did not iorbd, and especiaily
when constitutions aud laws authorized 1t, hslA
is2sl sn % s, os9me o. 10 tnn5 sa ths
proper. Except actually restrained by coustltu-
lions aud laws, no obligation other than that which
Eood sense aud morality impose tnot alwaya very n
iuental In potcs) rested upon them 10 accept
tnlc any particular system Of local government no
u,ntter how advantageous for thenl 10 do so; and
when right expressly given, anil tho e1orc!sc oi
It intrusted to tho public discretion, tho consequence
o % s ,t easfca'o Of ,has assreon y astsnsr Tny
euro Of tho right ttnelt.
This management u Cook County atrars could not
he disturbed Dy legislative act, and Whcor the county
rtniainod under township Organization or not, It's
1iIsiss s must a,ss continue TO- be managed By
alon Of tho management Of county adarr
to three Commissioners upon tho discontlnuance Of
to Cook County. Tho manase1noni Of the AFFAIR." Il
Cook County waH made IN exceptional caeo by Tho
Constitution without prejudice to the o1sscnce Of
ment.
Upon tho dlscontlnuance Of township organization.
all l1tescsts now n tho control Of township o,ncers
would become intesesa Of the county, be tnauaged
by tue Count! Board and other. appropriate county
eta town. would 10 ronltsod 10 ths custody oi tLo
subject tho dlspositioa IT to County board under
fns lm'tAtlos aud Tor tho purposes spoehea In tho
Tho gentlemen advise tue board 10 aubrnit the
tns people. to 10 voted at to nu1t general cleo
t!on sitter the PRESENTATION Of thu Petition
to taWs .as IN 9k nonpg
nli.,atc. Tho oplnlon closed Ly making SONS sug-
gastions conca1nnY the modification Of tho Sate laEs
u conpaas tia lesirp1 ond Of correcting abuses In
county management.
Tho opluton Of Mcasrs. Goudy and Van Durtn con-
templates three sections Of the Constitution providing
ior township organization, tho httar of witch says
tue county 1airu Or Coox County shall 10 managed
by board .! Commissioners Of hftoeh perhous, ten
Or whom sha 10 eloStcd irom tho CITY Of Chicago and
Ava from toTna outside sa1d c'ty 70 such manner na
may " provided by law.' It Claims that this gives
fss to the GHratio whelhes or not the Constitution
!mnosea On cook County permanently form Of Cuu1-
to9crntaeat alue!cnt from sho oshef eoItnttes 10
Tue State and beyond ta power Or tic !cEsiafnra to
change. Entering upon ap analys!s Of tue sarioth
systems ot Io#u ahd County Government,
It s4ya TINT rho Idea that tho town
business u @ not 2 part o. the county busi-
hess W poHt!co! fragment -ot tue State, or that
character from that done BY tho le1ser corporate au-
thoFal!ch ~ atalscy nnd caims that "aero the plan
OF to"ns!iip organlzsso prevails tn business CONF
nun to tue whole counY u done by representatives.
a.cA az supetF!Hors tro tue toWEh Tua language OF
thn Consultation certainly ulpllns that tho business
oaunot 10 done " commissioners, except Ia counties
not under the towuahlp systcn aud therefore an
Fcss Provision wa' inserted allowing Commissioners