Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-09-23

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At an early stage in the Forty.tirst |
General Assembly the Hon. John T..
McGoorty. of Cook. introduced a bill
providing for municipal ownership of
public utilities in Chicago. This bill
was so framed that should it pass and
become law. its immediate effect
would be the lighting of the streets by
the city instead of by the greedy and
grasping Gas Trust.
simultaneously with the introduction
of the bill. Mr.. McGoorty gave out an
Interview for the press. in which he
pointed out that the electric plant of the
city of Chicago had been increased
fourfold since the advent of the pres
cnt Democratic city administration.
and that If the bill became law the
streets would be lighted by the city
electrical plant from one end to the
other. There would be nothing left for
private contract lighting but a few
very remote and outlying districts on
the western and southern outskirts of
the city.
The bill and the accompanying state
ment fell like bombshell in the camp
of the corporation consprators.
1t produced CONSERVATION in the
clique which had for Its paramount OBJ
ject the safeguarding of the interests
of the Gas Trust. the meat combine.
and the railroad and sleeping car COM
panles.
1t was doubly direful in its effects
| from the fact that there was just then
a red-hot municipal campaign in prog
ress in Chicago, and municipal owner
ship was one of the burning questions
in that campaign.
Mr.. McGoorty and his large Demo
cratic following In the House were the
acknowledged representatives Of the
Harrison administration In the Leglsla.
ture. The Introduction of the bill
showed that Mayor Harrison was n
practical worker In the field Of munich.
pal ownership. 1t was eminently calcu.
lated not only to take the wind out Of
the sails of the Republican stalking
Observation-Disclosures 1t was n measure
SO popular with the general public that
the Republican Legislature ut Spring
field dare not 90 on record as being OPP
posed to It.
A representative of the Gas Trust, n
man delegated by the corporation lob
byist. who worked the wires Mt the
Chicago end, promptly made his np-
pearance at the State Capitol.
He became exceedingly busy. consult.
ing hourly with the members of the
Senate syndicate.
1t was agreed on all sides that 1t
would never do for the Speaker to kill
this measure with the gavel. Neither
would II do to try to shclve 1t or choke
IL Off In committee. for McGOOrty was
not the man to stand that sort Of non.
sense.
1t was this measure and these consld
cratlons that first created the necessity
for the hiring Of the outer circle In the
Senate. The "cheap skate" Senators
as the members of the outer circle were
called. devoutly thanked their stars fol
the introduction of the McGOorty bill
as they regarded 1t as the first meas
urc that disarranged the plans OF thu
syndicate to such an extent as to rem
der outside assistance necessary. Thu
$1,000 apiece for the cheap skates
might never have been Forthcoming
were II not for this formidable meas
urc: mt least that was the belief then
and 1t continues to be so in the minds
of most of the outsiders up to date.
After much cOgtation and many con
ferences and consultations, 1t was de
cded that the eXlgencles of the Chi
cago election demanded the passage 81
the bill through the House. The plal
after that was to kill the bill In thu
Senate as soon rs the election was over
This program was adhered to almos
to the letter.
McGOorty forced the bill through tn,
House. The Republican clique In tina
chamber did not offer much opposition
They dared not: SO II was passed D..
, the lower chamber, But when 1t go
, over to the Senate 1t was relcgated 4
the Committee on Municipal Corpora
tons. In that body It was quietly ant
elfcctually smothered.
II was sent back with the recommen
dation that 1t lie on the table, and !
! was laid on the table, and It lies Their
yet.
This bill would have been, II passed
one of the most useful measures for tn
! citizens of Chicago that was ever intro
I duccd In an Illinois Legislature. !
: would have saved the taxpayers of Chi
=, cago thousands upon thousands of dol
4 lars; it would have served TO provide
5 fund whereby the streets could hav
been cleaned, the pavements kept u
: good order, and the sidewalks put u
J. decent condition.
The trouble was, however, that
would have diverted hundreds of thou
', sands cf dollars annually from the cot
: fcrs Of the greedy Chicago Gas Trust.
:, For that reason It was doomed I
death. For that reason 1t was done
death by the infamous Senatorial syl
dicatc, which got fabulous sum @
= money for protecting the trusts an
monopolics of Illinois, and the QUITE
- circle of Senators who got $1,000 eac
II for betraylng the rights of the peop
. and crawling on their bellies before til