, 1877-10-21
HONEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Tomorrow evening tue Republican party
in this city will select the delegates who will
compose the Convention which on Tuesday
is To nominate candidates for county officers.
The vital point at issue in this election is not
one merely of national politics, but is one Of
Governmental honesty. Three years ago
the city WAS practically bankrupt; the political
traders and their associate thieves had seized
all branches of the City Government, The
Treasury was empty floating debt Of
several millions existed; the Offices were
crowded with salaried loafers. So bold hnd
they become that they seized tho ballot
boxes aud counted in Ill candidates belong
ing to their gang. The people at last aroused
themselves They, bravely sacrificing all
minor questions. united and at the polls ex-
PEELED the r,lttians and the thieves. They
abolished one-third Of the offices, cut off all
useless expenditures, reformed the police and
ire departments, end reduced the ex-
penditures of the City Government over
million dollars annually, and have been ever
since c1tinguishing the large floating debt.
The affairs Of the County Government
cause. The County Government has be-
come q moral aud political abomination. It
is hardly denied that the public is remorse-
lessly robbed Of every cent Of which the cor
1uptionists can get control The Board of
County Commissioners has become more of
disgrace than the old Board of Super
yisors, which was abolished because of its
lni1uities. For two or three years a con-
trolling majority Of the Board Of Commits
,ioners has acted dishonesty in several ways
By the dishonest creation Of useless offices
to nuke places for IDLE dependents; by the
increase of o1pendit ures in the County
Clerks Office. which Office is now moro cost
" than the entire Executive Department OF
the Stnta Government Of Illinois; By the
dishonest increase in the expenditures for
Aims House, Insane Asylum, County Hos
pital, and Outdoor Relief; by the dishonest
allowances Of extraordinary salaries,-the
i Couutf Attorney nlone receiving great
er annual salary than was paid the
Attorney General Of the United States dur
ing eighty years Of the Government The
expenses of Cook County exceed those of
tue whole Executive, Judicial, and Legisla-
tive Departments Of the State OF Illinois,
All tile departments Of the County Govern
u,eut are III the control Of these men, except
the Office qf County Treasurer. During
the last year the County Treasurer has Off
clally resisted the illegal and dishonest action
Of the County Board, and now the attempt
is made to sc1zt that Office also.
The in1e has come when tho people Of
Chicago must give their attention to this
business, or Cook County will be as bankrupt
in money and in credit RS was the city in
1876. Unless the public give their attention
to the protection Of their own interests, the
County Government will be literally den of
thieves.
Tue delegates to be elected tomorrow
evening will have to nominate candidates for
County Treasurer, County Clerk, and County
Commissioners aud whether the persons
nominated shall be elected or not, depends
entirely on the character Of the men nomi-
mated. 1t will be useless to appeal for votes
upon party grounds, unless the candidates
shall Of themselves command personal re-
spect and confidence. It will be useless to
say to the public that the Republican candi-
date for County Treasurer, or County Clerk,
or County Commissioner. is not es bad as
the other candidate for the game Office.
That will be unworthy of the Convention
and unworthy Of public respect. Unless
the Republican Convention can nominate
full ticket, each man worthy of an election
on his own character and qualifications, the
ticket will be beaten. Thousands will refuse
to 60 to the polls for the mere purpose of
deciding which of two tickets is the less en-
titled to election.
The character of the nominations on Tues
day will be determined by the character Of
the delegates appointed tomorrow night,
and thus in fact the nominations, whether
good or bad, will be practically made at the
primary meetings. There is q large mass Of
citizens Of both parties who will vote to elect
any good and competent man who may be
nominated, without caring or asking what
his politics may be, and who, if no such
men are nominated, will not vote at all.
The average citizen wants honest local GOV