Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-12-12


million dollars annually. and every dol.
lar goes to the right quarter. that II an
other certificate that entities him TO q
high seat of honor In our midst. Here
are the public documents and the pub
lie records of the city of Chicago. Tell
us If anything Is wrong or rotten. Don't
you see they do not make that kind of
attack. because the lie could be given
to 1t direct by figures. 1t is easy to
slander by Wholesale. to stab man
In the dark. to shrug your shoulders.
and hint there Is something wrong.
Why. there isn't man in this audience
who Il safe from that kind of an at
tack. 1t is mean, II is cowarlly. It Is
un-American.
what has Martin Il. Madden done?
Never In the history of Chicago has n
chairman of the Finance Committee
of the Common Council been 80 conser.
vativc. so judicious, and 80 economi.
cally watchful over the city cxpendi
lures as Martin Madden. His worst
enemy will say yes to that.
what more! If Martin II. Madden
did nothing else. II Martin II. Madden
passed away tomorrow. the citizens of
Chicago would say. monument will be
erected to Martin II. Madden. Gap
plause.) Because, against the most vio-
lent and bitter opposition. from all
sources. myself included. he conceived.
created. and brought into existence one
of the most wonderful parks In the city
of Chicago. the Lake Front Park. (Ap-
plause) If he did nothing else for the
city of Chicago but the creation of that
park. there IL not any honor In your
gift to which he would not he entitled
at your hands. (ApplauscJ
II was opposed to the compromise
with the Illinois Central Railroad. The
Daily News interviewed me. and
made my little speech In opposition. But
Martin Il. Madden has given the mat
ter close attention: I have not; hun
drcis of others have not: and the final
outcome shows that he was right. and
the others were wrong-anOtlier tribute
to his honorable business sagncity ana
foresight.
"Why. when he has devoted much
time to the public good doubt wheth.
or there are many men In Chicago In u
quiet and transformations way who have
done more for the general citizens. ana
especially for the Fourth Ward. The
trouble with us II this. The moment
a man appears In public life. that mo-
ment We say to him too often that he
| q.
and self.rcspect. That moment We too
often say. 4 am afraid that he In the
subject of every scurrilOus villain In the
land II II the curse Of American poll.
ties that the moment q man appears In
public life every noisy. scurrilOis black.
guard thinks he IL n fair mark. Gap
plnuse) l don't apply that to this con.
test. but I apply II generally.
"Why. when Alexander Hamilton. the
greatest practical statesman this con.
tinent has ever known. was United
States Treasurer. they actually charged
him In public with thcft-with stealing
the public moneys; and one Of the chief
nccuscrs was Thomas jefferson. Time
does not permit me to give You similar
Illustrations. save two or three. Most
of you remember when General Grant
ran for the Presidency IN - with Gree
ley on the other side. They charged
him with selling the public offices IN his
gift ns President. not only the Demo
Gratis but the Independent Republicans
openly charged the same thing-tlmt
General Grant took money from the
public treasury like common thief
Where are Grants tisiduccrs ana viii.
iicrs to-day? You do not even remenl.
her their names. hut Grant IL dead
The memory of that great hero and
| statesman IL q blessed memory In tho
heart of every American citizen.
''Therc II another example In Amerl.
can politics. James \. Garfield was
chairman Of the Ways and Means Com.
mIttee at Washington during what is
known rs Boss Shepards administra.
| tiOn, and us chairman of that commit.
tee he held the purse strings Of the gov
ernInent. No money was paid out eN-
cept on his voucher signature. The
same unprincipled Republicans. the
same annual refOrmers, the same I'M
migrant politicians, the same mug
wunps. charged James \. Garfield
with receiving u fee of $1,000 for pro-
mOfing u pavement to he laid In Wash
ingtOn-charging him specifically with
taking u brlbc. And yet there II not Il
man IN this room who can remember
the name of u single vilitler."
j. +. Jordan was the next speaker
He said:
II was present ~ u small meeting In
this hall u week ago. when 1t was said
that u meeting of this kind would be
called. and we were asked to compare
the complexion Of the two meetings.
take pleasure In making the compare
son. That was u small meeting. ana
was composed, to a considerable de.
gree, OF friends of Mr.. Madden. There
were a few who were opposed to Mr.
Madden. ana u number who did not
know whether they were opposed to
him or not. 1t was said that this meet
ing would bc composed of either office
holders or office seekers. | am not eth
or an office holder or seeker. came
here as u citizen of the great city OF
Chicago. came here as citizen OF the
Fourth ward, who voted for Martin Is
Madden, ana | see no reason to regret
It, BrOad-minded men do not decry
proper ambition. They encourage abl.
men to seek broader fields of useful