The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-21
CIVIC FEDERATION WORK.
What it Has Done for Chicago in a
Few Years.

Few Years.
Chicago, May 21.-AdoIph Nathan,
president of the Chicago Civic FEEDER
alton, in reply to criticism, says of
the federation:
ITO the Civic Federation of Chicago
belongs the credit of having placed up
on the statute books the civil service
law of Chicago That would hardly be
called destructive work. The fedora
ton in 1894 caused the holding of the
national conference on arbitration be-
tween employer and employee. Out of
that conference grew the law now up
on the statute books of Illinois.
Eighteen months ago, desiring to
give the citizens an object lesson as to
how the downtown streets of Chicago
could be kept clean, the federation
raised 5000 and expended it in sweep
ing the streets much on the same plan
that Colonel Warning now pursues in
New York The community idea of
municipal cleanliness was tremendous
ly advanced by the work done.
In 1894 the Civic Federation took to
the legislature a new revenue bill for
Chicago which failed of passage. The
same measure somewhat changed is
ture by the federation.
In election frauds the fedora ton has
sent to the penitentiary a number of
men, expended $50. 900 in prosecuting
them and brought about a healthier
and higher understanding of the cleo
ton laws. Thuggery at the polls is
almost unheard OF now.
THE federation found 500 bakeries
in this city preparing the daily food of
thousands of people in quarters SO filthy
that it was sickening to approach them
The federation caused the law to be
enforced against these bakeries and
had them put in sanitary condition.
THE primary election act, now be-
fore the legislature, which has good
promise of passage, is the work of this
bOdy-cOnStructiVe work, and not de-
structive-and if Judge Goodrich will
join US in getting that bill through,
great good will have been done to all
of the people. The pawnbrol1ing bill,
devised for the aid of the poor, which
has passed the senate, was drafted by
this body.
For three years the federation has
fought with the health department for
pure ice and pure milk. The fedora
tons reports on this subject have been
of great value to the health depart
ment, as has been acknowledged by the
officials of that body.
In the winter of 1893-94 the feder
alton raised and distributed the sum of
$135. 900 for the aid of the poor and needy
of Chicago. No such sum was ever got
together here at one time by one body
for the relief of the suffering.
THE Bureau of Associated Charities,
now in successful working order, owes
its origin to the backing and aid of the
federation. The idea and institution of
such an organization started with the
federation and has been well carried
out. The vacation schools, first tried
with success last year, started in the
federation and were pushed forward
by it.
The Municipal Voters league, which
has purified the council and is to do
still greater work, was started by the
federation nursed through it's infancy
by the federation, and started on the
highway to being a useful body by the
federation.
I'VE took off of the pay rolls of the
CITY of Chicago men Illegally drawing
wages to the amount of over $4,000
We purged the pay rolls of these men
For the selling of obscene literature
we have sent three men to the peni-
tertiary and we have practically made
public gambling in Chicago an impos-
sibihty.''