Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-05-09
Extending Lincoln Park.


to the public.
Extending Lincoln Park.
AS land becomes more valuable. there
i n constant effort Oil the part of specu-
lators TO Rake new land In the lake
along the shore on the North Side at
Chicago. and some riparian owners In
violation of law build piers into the
waite. Tor this purpose. This shore
should be saved for the public. so far
a. pos iible. As Lincoln Park IA al
ready much too small to accommodate
the multitudes of people who seek pure
air and recreation there. and rs 1t can
only he extended by utilizing the shall
low waters of the lake for that purpose.
| recommend such legislation as will
enable the park commissioners to- ac-
uulrc the riparian rights and to extend
Lincoln Park and the drives to Evans
ton. This would protect the shore and
make the grndcst park in the world.
administration of Justice In Large
Cities.
The condition of business In the
courts of Chicago almost amounts to a
denial of Justice. 1t takes years to get
Il case finally settled by the courts.
while the expense. annoyance and loss
of time involved in watching 1t are ~
great that the poor cannot stand 1t and
business men cannot afford 1t. Lit.
giants are worn out and the subject
matter of dispute often becomes usc-
less before the courts get done with 1t.
This Is not the fault of the Judges. but;
Of the system. which. In It's practical
workings. often discOuiTgcs the honest
man and encourages the dishonest one.
for it enables him to wear the former
ont.
Urged by the bar. the number of
Judges was greatly Increased by the
last General Assembly. but the condi.
tons are almost the same. We now
have twcnty.eght Judges In Cook Coun-
ty alone. while there are only thirty
four in all England. Ireland and Wales
In England most cases are disposed of
mt once. The dishonest man does not
lind II to his interest to go into the
courts there. while we. with our sys.
offer him a premium to do 80.
We borrowed our system of jurlspru-
icncc from England more than u cen.
fury ago when 1t was loaded down with
absurd distinctions and formnlitics. We
have chung tenaclOusly to Its faults
while England long ago brushed then,
aside. Thrcc.luarters of II century ago
that country began to reform its judi
cial procedure by wiplng out all useless
distinctions and formalltics ana max
ing all procedure simple and dispOsln Z
of each case promptly on It's merits.
and their appellate courts now revise
eases only when 1t Is shown that IN
actual injustice has been done and not
simply because some rule or useless
formality has been dlsrcgardcd. As
regards the administration of justice
we are to-day three.Qumrtcrs OF u cen
fury behind that country from which
We borrowed our system. We may De
great In politics but do not yet lead the
way IN craftsmanship. The whole sys.
| ten should he revised ana slmplliled 80
that 1t will give our people more plUmp,
and speedy justice ana less fine spun
law.
| Justice Courts,
| ! must again call attention to The
conditions surrounding the police and
justice courts of Chicago. They are |,
disgrace, and we will not rise to til,
demands of the occasion II we do no,
devise some remedy for these evils.
also again call attention to the subjcc
of permitting any officer conncctr.
with the. administration of justice I,
keep fees. This Is the very foundl
zion upon which the whole structure %
fraud, cXtOrtiOns and oppression rest 4
No mans bread should depend upol
the amount Of business he cnn drum
mp" around II so.callcd court Of Justice
Both of these subjects are discussed II
length In my message to the last Gen
cml Assembly ana refer to 1t for fur
Their discussion.
Revenue Systcm.
hatevcr may he said Of the theOr!
of our revenue system In this State. |
IL. In Its practical workings, giant o
injustice. Under 1t the conccntrat' ON
of wealth contribute comparatively lii
tie. while the owners of small ana mod
crate sized properties are forced 4
bear nearly all the burdens Of the gov
crnmcnt. The personal property OF tn
very rich Is scarcely taxed at all. Their
are thousands of men In this Stat
who have great fortunes invested l
stocks. bonds. and other forms of pei
sonal property. upon which they do nO
pay dollar, yet they enjoy all OF tn
educational facilities, all of the prOte,
ton and other advantages Of the GOV
eminent just az much as their ncigl
bors do: and, curiOusly enough. thes
are very often the men who have MOI
to say about patriotism ana the dutit
q Of citizenship. The failure to asses
personal property Ia due In part to I'll
) fact that there Is no method of con
: polling every man to honestly sta,
p what he has. Again. In the asscssncl
g of real estate the greatest inequnlit
+ Is found between the assessments I
/. small ana the assessments on valuab
i pieces of property. For example.
p Chicago the store of the small me
$ chant ana the home OF the mechanic I
: man of moderate means IL assessed
/ from ~ to 40 per cent. OF It's cash ma
= ket value. while large business blocl
T. held by very wealthy men are asscss'
u Mt from II to 20 per cent. ana the lar: