The herald., 1895-04-12
Illinois Is Not Big Enough for
Its Metropolis
NEW AND GREATER CHICAGO
Movement to Separate the Windy City
From the State
Assemblyman Jones, Backed by Business
Men, Wants Chicago to Do Its Own
Governng-The Proposition

SPRINGFIELD. H., April IL. = A
movement was set on foot by Representa-
tive Jones in the Legislature today
which. if carried out will practically sew
er Cook county (Chicago) from the state
OF Illinois. 1t was in the form of a
joint resolution, and provides that the
question of giving Cook county a sep
arate government shall be submitted to a
vote of the people.
The resolution recites that the rapid
and unprecedented growth of Chicago rem
ders it necessary for special laws to be
enacted at every legislature. The inter-
ests of Chicago are in many instances
directly opposed to those of the state at
large, and therefore injustice must be
done to one section in order to benett the
other. 1t is therefore resolved that there
be submitted to the people Tor their ratl.
fication or rejection at the next general
election for members OF the general as
sembly an amendment to take the place
of section of article OF the constitu-
ton. This amendment provides that on
and after January |, 1898, Cook county
shall be governed by general assembly
composed of seventeen senators and nifty
one representatives. Provision is maze
for division of Cook county into districts
and the general election laws of the state
shall govern the election of such senators
and representatives. This general assem-
bly, of Cook county shall pass the laws
necessary to administer the laws i'll that
county. All present judicial officers shall
hold their respective offices until the ex-
piration of the terms for which they
were elected. In addition thereto the said
general assembly shall provide for a
supreme court of five memb bers, to be
elected for term of nine years. All
criminals and insane persons in the state
institutions, outside of Cook county,
shall, upon the adoption of the amend q.
ment be removed to institutions in Cook
county. No tax may be levied on Cook
county for use outside of its boundaries,
and Cook county cannot draw money
from the state treasury but it shall re-
ceive its proportionate share of the reve-
nue. of the Illinois Central railroad.
The mem pers of the Cook county gen.
eral assembly shall only sit with the gem
eral assembly of Illinois during the cleo
ton OF United States senator to congress
and during the impeach of state
officers, but can vote on other matters.
No bills passed by the Cook county legis
lature shall become law, until signed by
the presiding officers of each house and
by the governor of the state unless they
have received two-thirds majority vote
of each house. All state buildings in
Cook county shall be transferred to Cook
county to be used as the Cook county as
sembly may direct.
In speaking of the resolution Represen-
tative Jones said:
The necessity for such legislation is
fully stated in the preamble. Chicago
will soon be the greatest city in the
United States. 1t is more metropolitan
now than any other city, and its increas-
ing needs are SO vast and various and so
different from thosre of other portions of
the state that it should have legislative
body with power to meet every fiuctuation
of public sentiment and necessity. No
citizen of Illinois will for moment con-
sent to make separate state out of Chi
cago, and every citizen desires to do all in
his power to addeto its growth. My pro-
position has been hastily drawn, but L
believe it is on the right line, and when
fully considered will meet with popular
approval. >.
The resoluti on was feferred to the COM
mttee on jud icfary.