The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-12
CHICAGO SWELLING.
WANTS TO BE DETACHED FROM
THE STATE.
A Bill For a Separate Government
of Cook County Introduced at
pringfeId-AlIeged Necessity for
Such Action.

Springfield. ILL.,, April ia move
ment was set on foot by Representa-
tive Jones, of Green, in the Legislature
today which if carried out will prac-
tically sever Cook county (Chicago),
from the state of Illinois. 1t was In
the form of a joint resolution.
The resolution recites that the rapid
and unprecedented growth of Chicago
renders it necessary for special laws
to be enacted at every legislature. The
interests of Chicago are in many in
stances directly opposed to those of
the state at large, and, therefore, in
justice must be done TO one section in
order to benefit the other. 1t is, there
fore, resolved that there be submit
ted to the people for their ratification
or rejection at the next general cleo
ton for members of the general as
sembly ar amendment to take the
place of Sentiea seven of article ten,
of the constitution. This amendment
provides that on and after Jan. /,
1898, Cook county shall be governed
by general assembly, composed
of seventeen senators and fifty-one
representatives Provision is made
for division Of Cook county into dis
tricts and the general election laws
of the state shall govern the election
of such senators and representatives
This general assembly of Cook county
shall pass the laws necessary to adj
minister justice in that county. All
present judicial officers shall hold
their respective offices until the expi-
ration of the terms for which they
have been elected. In addition there
70 cst,a
provide for a supreme court of five
members to be elected for the term of
nine years. All criminals and insane
persons confined in state institutions
outside of Cook county shall, upon the
adoption of the amendment, be re-
moved to institutions in Cook county.
No tax may be levied on Cook county
for use outside of its boundary, and
Cook county cannot draw money from
the state treasury but 1T shall receive
it's proportionate share of the revenue
of the Illinois Central railroad. The
members of the Cook county general
assembly shall only sit with the gen
eral assemblysso f Illinois during the
election of a United d ates senator to
Congress and during the impeachment
of state officers but cannot vote on
other matterss. No bills passed by the
Cook county legislature shall become
a law until signed by the presiding
officers of each house and by the gov
ernor of the state unless they have
received a two-thirds vote of each
house. All state buildings in Cook
county shall be transferred to Cook
county to be used as the Cook county
assembly may direct.
In speaking of the resolution, Rep
resentadive Jones said:
The necessity for such legislation
is fully stated in the preamble, Chi
cago will soon be the greatest city in
the United States. 1t is more metro
politan now than any other city and
it's increasing needs are so vast and
various and so different from those
of other portions of the state that it
should have a legislative body with
power to meet every f1uctuation of
public sentiment, and necessity. No
citizen of Illinois will for a moment
consent to make a separate state out
of Chicago and every citizen desires
to do all in his power to aid its
growth. My proposition has been has
tily drawn, but believe it is on the
right line and when fully considered
will meet with popular approval"
The resolution was referred to the
committee on judiciary.