Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-06-05
LEGISLATIVE BUREAU,
CHICAGO EAeLE,

amended to-day. and II Il generally bp-
licvcd. will pass the House with the
Senate amendments Friday. A ma.
iOrity " the members Of the House who
know their own minds. and who have
grown tired of the tactics of so.calIed
Civic Federation reforncrs (wiO 10 NOT
rcfcrnD AMI IO,i,i.moutllcd cranks. who
are constantly harping about every.
body's business except their own. pro.
| pose to tez,ch these fellows how to mind
| their own business. The members who
believe that fair play II u Jewel will
| give Mr.. Ycrkes a show for his Write
| alley. by passing the Allen bill. II IL
| u just measure. and while It does not
| afford tllr street ear companies oil the
| protection of their vested rights they
had right to demand Of the Illinois
! sOIOns. such rs the Allen bin gives
tErm they win surely yet. - nothing
now can stop this measure from prss-
Ing the House and becoming law.
When the Allen bill passed the House
Inst week Representatives Sherman.
Allen and Seiby masie nbIe arguments
In favor Of the measure. Mr.. Selby
spoke a. fellows:
Mr. Speaker: I am gird this bin has
come to q point where 1t Gun he Discuss.
cd I'm the House. suppose I am some.
what responsible for THAT. nnh T arm
willing to take the responsibility.
nm glad OF the further fuct that these
gentlemen have gone sO fur ia their M.
sumptlOns that gentlemen like myself.
who hord a different opinion. will have
at least right to make some reply.
These gentlemen irsay have u differ.
ent conception OF the Senate than I
have. upprellend. Mr.. Speaker. from
| listening to the present discussion on
this biI1. that the vote when t,rlhaM will
| probably be conclusion formed from
wlInt may happen when the bill reaches
| the Senate.
No far ns adn concerned. every gem
tleman In this house knows that this
hill lid not meet my approval In the
first Instance. In my humble cstiniu.
tion. Il In a hill that does not give to the
gentlemen who are seeking lcgislatiO
their Just rights. think It II u bll that
IL very weak In that respect. l held
To the opinion before the committee
that the other bill was the proper
measure. 7 still hold to that opinion.
Hut when these gentlemen Intimate
that this bin Ii to he amended In the
Senate. IL passed by this House. by In.
sorting what were known IN the Hum.
plrey bills. I want to ten you now nild
here that II TINT IL done my vote will
not Inc recorded for tllnt measure.
The gentleman from Kane tMr. Al.
solnIlcr) assumed that promises will In.
made to secure the lnlssnge Of this bsa.
want to say to the gentleman from
Kane tlIat there ds u gentleman on the
floor Of this House hhls morning (nl.
ludtSg to Mayor HarrlsOn) who hns
lccn making prO,nlses to some gentle
men on that sLle Of the House (intll-
eating the Democratic sltls.) that II they
wGulA vote against this measure they
might receive fat offices In Il certain
municipality. Gentlemen are making
trades to-day on hills to secure votes
against tlhs measure. but care moth.
Ing. Mr.. Speaker. for that. This II u
lMttle bsdwecn two cOntending forces.
We are told that these corporations
should not have thirty.hve-year finn.
chises. WhyY They say Ii ID too long.
We have twenty.year franchises nOw.
We have worked under the old horse
ana dunlmy railroad act siuce 1874.
There has been great change In thu
United States ln industry. In Invention,
In everything. hut the Old horse and
dummy railway net Of 1874 has never
been changed In a sdAxle line. When
II r. proposed to amend this act by
changing one word. you say that the
proposition shah not even be discussed.
The sO-cailed Allen I'LL simply makes
II discretionary with the City Council,
II they see ut In 1908 or thereafter. tn
extend these franchises for u longer
period than tweAty years. THIS bill
does not compel them to do No. They
may extend the franchises for as short
u time rs they choose.
In addition to that the gentleman
from VermlliOn offers to put In the ref.
ercndum clause. ! say here openly
would not add THAT referendum clause.
I would rather THE Board of Aldermen
have exclusive control Of II.
These gentlemen say this bill will
come back here In the hydra -headctl
form OF the old Humphrey bills. Why
IL this statement made! Simply to al'.
peal to prejudice. II you want to vote
On this assumption cannot help It,
What the Senate might do with the
Allen hill don't know, hut do believe
that tile geaietlemen who are interested
In these enterprises have right ia
come TO this House and receive some
consideration.
| Here In Springfield we have the most
gigantic monopoly OF any little munich
, pality In this State. The entire system
has been controlled by one corporation
since 1887, and since that time we have
had u bedAer system and more extend
I'll lines and longer rides for cents
. than ever before. They are not making
cent ON the money which they have
. invested
No city In the country has such a
magnificent street railway system ~
the city Of Chicago. No street railway
gives 30 much for cents az do the
street railways OF Chicago. The OIs,o.
nents OF street railway legislation ap.
pear to have reached a point where
they could actually squeeze the Ameri.
lean shield of Of u nickel. U.aughter.)
Mr.. Selby then quoted ut length sta.