Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-06-05
The ALLEN BILL Is JUST!
That Is the Reason Why the Legis.
lature Has Passed L IN
Good Shape.

NusS VAHVVt w ne OVpUHtU I'D TIE httnl-
phrey ldlls. but because I have oppos-
ed f,erniciOus measure do not feel
myself bound TO oppose good meas
ure. The gentleman from Kane al
sclruIer) has brought before ms the
mythical Trojan horse and says TO this
general assembly: The gobIlns will
get you II you don't watch our.' (faugl.
teri I want to say that I live in n
realistic age and I am not afraid of
ghosts. nS,ughtcr) I will vote for
this BILL
Mr.. Allen then closed the debate.
speaking at considerable length. He
said:
/ simply wnnt to say that the only
ambition I have had at any time hns
been to ascertain whnt was fair to the
city and what was fair to the corpor,,-
ton. have endeavored 10 look Mt this
matter purely from business stund.
point ! thfnR. gentlemen. thnt II we
would examine these bills with refer.
ence to business and with less attcn.
tiOn to This cInmor. with less attention
to the men who arc better capable Of
MEETING a riot or lending a mob. we
wOuld be better of nnd could approach
this question with great ds.il more
Intelligence. (Applnuse.)
Inc gentleman ffvm Kanp-( .Nlschu.
Ier)-hns suited that my measure that
was named street Cnrs would meet
with favor ON the floor OF this House
from certain gentlemen. Tn reply I
wish to say that any measure which IL
dubbed street car win meet with the
same opposition that confronted the
other bills. ! want to say-(here Mr..
Allen turned to Alderman Harlan. who
was sitting near hlm)-l wnnt 10 say
to the young saint from Sotlom-(grent
lnhghtcr'--thnt there IRE as honest men
supporting this measure rs there are
opposed TO 1t. (ApplauscJ would
ihtl'er he dog and bay the mOon-I
would rather be u toad and feast on
the vapois Of a dungeon bc n
coward at public expense. (Applause.)
My candid Judgment IL to-day-lnd
l proclaim II from the house tops and
from the hills-that the enemies of
Chicago are the enemies Of street car
legislation. ! want TO say that I am
advised thut the man who most wishes
to promote street eur legislation stu n.ls
ready to put 1000 poor men at work II
he can receive decent treatment at the
hands OF this Legislature.
why should not these corporations be
enabled to sell their bonds AMI sell
them under favorable circumstances?
They wish to issue longtime bonds.
nni they cannot To this ~ times now
are. suppose a company whose fran
chlse expires In 1908 wants to Issue n
twenty-yenr bond. Where do you lind
purchaser? WIN any s,sne man Invest
his money In bonds that extend beyond
the limit OF the frlnchisc Of the CON-
pany! In New York City franchises
are perpetual. They run for hundred
years In Philadelphia AMI other cities.
I want to say to you that have not
heard u single business proposition
against this street cur legislation. I
prOp0unded this question to a gentle.
mnn from Chicago who h giving most
Of his time to mOldlng sentiment
against right said to the gentleman:
what per cent. do yOu think they
ought to payy'
Twenty per cent. Of their gross NJ.
ceipts." he answered.
us there IN institution on the face
OF the earth" ! asked, "that can pay
20 per cent. Of lts gross receipts? Can
You tell me what per cent. 20 per cent.
OF the gross receipts would be OF the
net reccipts?" asked him II It would
not exceed 30 per cent. The gentleman
could mot answer. That man, whose
mission. II to excite prejudice. would
not know business proposition should
he meet 1t In tho public highway.
u.auRhterJ
Some gentlemen have said the people
OF Chicago do not want this legislation.
The business people Of Chicago do
want II. The men who do not want It
arr the lawyers without business. the
men that are talking to the galleries
and to tho excited nbble In the street.
can 70 down upon this street any
time and climb into u wagon upon any
public thOrOughfare and talk ut ran
dom ana rail against corporations, and
In few minutes ! can have u crowd
around me shouting and applauding
without knowing what they are doing.
| (Applause)
want to say openly ana frankly that
II had my way about 1t l would not
drive any corporation into the City
Council Of Chicago II ! could avoid Il.
But ] have yielded my Judgment to
what they term local self.govprnment
home rule or home robbery. as you
choose to call II. (I.aughter)
Mr.. Allen then read an editorial from
the Chicago Inter Ocean abiding TO
several members Of the City Council
who were engaged In all manner OF
disreputable business. He read a sim.
liar article from the Times. Herald,
and continued:
simply call your attention to the
character Of the people that these great,
honest. pure men, whose souls are too
pure for this earth almost. are asking
great business corporations to 90 to for
the transaction OF business. I say that
II these men were driven into the City
Council they would not be driven with
my vote, had not consented to yield
my judgment to this public clamOr.
Mr.. Allen then read an editorial from
the Inter Ocean Endorsing his bill. He
| then reverted To the character Of the