St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-20
ALDERMANIC ALADDlNs.

Chicago has entered upon an era of
reform which promises startling devel-
opmtnts. A majority of the city coun-
Gil is now passing through the hands of
a grand jury. While as yet no indict-
ments have been returned. the pending
investigation is grounded upon the sup
position that the members of the coun-
Gil are guilty of sundry crimes and mis-
miSdemeanors. including bribe-taking,
boodling, and general malfeasance in
office. Sensational testimony has al
ready been given. and more is promised
by States Attorney LoNGENECKER and
his expert assistants. The GLOBE uses
the term expert" advisedly. for num-
Der of these legal assistants did yeo-
man service some eight years ago in
sequestering number of Cook county
commissioners i'll the donjon keep at
Joliet.
In almost any other city than Chicago
one might naturally lock for miscar-
riage Of this arraignment of the city
council. Not that Chicago aldermen or
commissioners are Shrewdef, more agile
or influential than are corresponding
officials in other cities; but given any
particular enterprise, Chicago takes
justly meritorious pride in making
success of the undertaking. That she
now has excellent material to work upon,
no one converSant with the municipal
history of the city for decade for an
instant doubts. With her boodling
county commissioners Chicago made
short, decisive work, and they had
donned striped clothing ere they fairly
comprehended the gravity of their con-
dition. The opportunities to steal and
accept bride money afforded Chicago
aldermen have been as ten to one when
compared with the said commissioners.
Chicago is in the condition Of city
greater than its county. Gigantic mo-
nopolies have had the ear Of the coun-
Gil, and no doubt to the mu-
tual financial profit of both. In
the case of the commissioners it
was left for their own wits to
originate frauds wherewith to bleed the
county treasury. The aldermen have
existed in an atmosphere surcharged
with boodling suggestions from I'M
principled promoters of schemes to
bleed the taxpayer. These promoters
appeared in the dual role of originator
aud tempter. No intellectual activity
whatever was required of the aldermen.
The delusive genie not only furnished
the wonderful lamp for the bewitched
aldermanic Aladdins, but went to the
trouble of Furnishing it for them. The
aldermanic Aladdins had only to pocket
the gold.
Ii the prosecuting attorneys in these
impending cases are not themselves de-
celved. the most astounding revelations
may be looked for within day or two.
What is claimed 10 be an infamous out
rage. compressed air ordinance" has
been passed by the Chicago council and
received the signature Of Chicago's
mayor: Virtually, it gave away all the
principal streets and alleys in the city
without one penny of monetary consid
Grafton in favor of the city. The tax
payers of Chicago had made the city
valuable to this corporation, and when
an attempt to rob them of the fruits of
their lifelong labor and enterprise was
made they revolted. That they will press
the matter to the very doors of Joliet
prison goes without saying. That they
will be successful is the prayer of every
other boodler-ridden municipality in the
Union.