Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-04-14
Exceedingly Able and
Exhaustive D0cu.
ment.
Great Public Corporations Must Pay
the City for favors
Received.
Some More Trolley vetoes-xew
Council Committees.

MuyVT HOpkIus SuuuiVtcV uis an
nual message to the City Council
Monday evening as soon as the new
Aldermen had been sworn in and
conducted to their seats TIL. mes.
sage Is as follows:
1t Is customary when new mem.
bers of the Council are about to take
their seats for the Mayor to suggest
some Of the important questions per.
tanning to city affairs which will en-.
gage their attention. No more dt-
ting or appropriate time could be
found for a plain presentation Of the
actual conditions which confront the
municipal government Of Chicago.
There are, tonight, IN this cham.
Der members Of the Council who are
on the point Of retiring from the SER
vice of the city. There are others,
new to public life, pressing forward
to take the places about to he va.
Gated. The old members are IA.
miliar with the situation and its en-.
barrassing problems; the new mem.
bers are about to engage In task
which Is beset on all sides with din.
culties. You who are about tU.be.
come members OF this Council have
an opportunity before you to render
services Of extraordinary value to this
city. In conjunction with your col.
leagues who remain In office you will
be called upon to make laws for the
government Of one Of the greatest
cities In the world. Let us recollcct
that the CITY Council Of Chicago has
a Jurisdiction which In the older
world Is only exercised by parliament
ary bodies possessed Of paramount
authority. 1t Is no mean honor.
therefore, to be . member Of such a
body and take part In deliberations
which concern the welfare and com.
fort Of almost 1000, 900 people.
| huC ImwuVsas Sstu~tsOu
Beginning the fiscal year a. we did
under conditions not the most favor.
able, the greatest care and caution
are imposed upon both Council and
Mayor.
Three great problems confront us,
and though we may not solve them,
yet hope we shall do something to.
ward their final solution which shall
be of benefit to tho public. First,
there is the financial question, then
the question OF public franchises,
and lastly, the elevation OF railroad
tracks. The two first are closely con.
nected, and embrace many minor
questions which arise from time TO
time. Since assuming ONCE three
months ago ! have made some begin.
ming In the consideration OF these
three important questions, and In
this connection I desire to thank the
members OF your honorable body and
the city 0fficials who have given
valuable assistance In the prosecution
Of this great and Oner0us undertak.
ing.
You are we'll aware Of the fnan.
cial condition Of the city. You know
that 1t will require the most strenu.
Gus efforts on our part to not only
place the city on o sound financial
basis, but to bring to q successful
end the reforms which this Council
and the administration inaugurated
at the beginning Of the fiscal year.
II will require not alone your coop.
Grafton but the cooperation OF the
citizens whose interests are identi'
fed with the successful administra.
ton Of local affairs.
The financial question Is the most
serious enc that c0nfronts the pres.
emit administration. Without sound
system OF finance no municipality
can be successfully administered.
The present condition OF affairs is
the natural result OF an attempt,
which has been made for many years
past, to carry on the city's business
under defective system. This
doubtful course should not be contin.
ued; the real facts should no longer
be concealed.
In my judgment, 1t is better far
that full and frank statement
should be made of the financial con.
dition of the city, SO that the citizens
may be induced to turn their efforts
in the direction Of such improve
ments as will result in the applica.
ton OF better business principles To
the conduct of city affairs. Such re.
form can never be brought about In
any other way.
Had Revenue Law.
1t was a great American who said
that the way to make bad law obi.
Gus was to attempt to enforce 1t. We
are working under bad revenue law
and our only hope Is In new legisla-
ton. But the people will never