New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-03
CHICAGO MAYORALTY CAMPAIGN.
INTERESTING THREE-CoRNERED CONTEST
-ALTGELDs VOTE WILL DETERMINE
WHICH OTHER CANDIDATE WINS

EFFORTS AT FRAUT


Chicago. April (speciaD.-It is admitted on all
sides that Ex-Governor John p Atgeld holds the
key the situation in the present three-cornered
fight for the Mayoralty. II Altgeld gets as many
votes the size Of his meetings would indicate. the
Republican candidate. Zena r. Carter. VIII be
elected IT, the other hand. Altgeld falls TO
draw largely from the Democratic vote. Mayor
Carter II. Harrison the regular Democratic nomi-
nee will probably be reelected.
Mayor Harrison has two important elements OF
strength. one is his determined and successful
fight against the granting oil long-term franchises
railway companies His attitude on this
question has won for the Mayor a general feeling
Of respect and will doubtless bring him number
Of Republican votes He is strong also in the fact
that he has a powerful machine Of ofice-holders
behind him. backed by the efforts OF police force
which is not divorced from politics
An element at once of strength and of weakness
is the Mayors open contempt for and practical de-
hance Of the Civil Service law. This has aienated
the friends OF Civil Service Reform while 1t holds
only more closely the large contingent "out for the
Offices Mayor Harrison's opponents charge not
only that his administration has made a dead
letter Of the Civil Service law. but that It has
shamefuly neglected the streets. has farmed out
contracts for public works to favored contractors
contrary to law. has brought the School Board and
the police force into politics, and has permitted
and even fostered gambling and vice Of every kind
one Of the chief elements of weakness in Har-
rison's cause Is the unsavory odor OF many OF the
Aldermanic candidates on the Democratic ticket.
to say nothing Of some OF the leading party man.
ayers.
Altgeld. who falling to get the Democratic nom
nation. is running as an independent candidate,
and making a bitter personal fight on Mayor
Harrison. has the chief plank In his platform
the municipal ownership OF street railroad lines
and other public franchises. He also accuses Mayor
Harrison Of being false to the Chicago platform
and to Democracy.
Mayor Harrison the other hand. has charged
that Agelds campaign expenses are paid by
Charles T. Yerkes. the streetcar man. whose de-
mands for long-term franchises the Mayor OPP
posed At any rate the fight between Harrison
and Altgeld is bitter and personal. Harrison re-
fers to Altgeld a renegade and traitor who
refused to abide by the decision of his party con-
vention. Ateeld with sarcasm retorts that no man
nominated and managed by Bobby Burke and
tho City Hall gang" read him out of the
Democratic party.
REPUBLICAN, PROSPECTS.
zena r. Carter. the Republican candidate. is
taking four or five speeches day and driving for
miles the streets neglected by the Harrison
administration. Personally Mr.. Carter is unas-
sailable As president Of the Chicago Board OF
Trade and as member Of the Drainage Board he
made good record. He is pledged TO reform all
the abuses which exist under the Harrison adj
ministration and to grant no franchise for street
railroad purposes for more than twenty years ne
only possible element OF weakness in Mr.. Carter
candidacy is the fact that his nomination was die
tated by n Republican machine" which Is only
removed In degree from the corrupt and disgrace
ful body which is backing Mayor Harrison
Recent occurrences I'm connection with the regis
tration Of new voters and Of revising the lists nave
helped Mr. Carriers position materially. and, II the
Democrats keep at their present tactics, VIII lose
FOR Harrison whatever part of the decent ana law
abiding vote he may now control. over 800
names were added to the registration llsts on tne
ono dav allowed for registering II was seen az
once that the great Increases were as usual IN tne
strongly Democratic wards. like the FIRST, Wntre
the ma rrel" houses and underground logging,
houses turned ont new population or 25>H alitkeI
voters and the Eighteenth Ward, when furnlsneu
4 IA new names. Investigation easily showed tndC
many of the names In these and other WARDS WeIe
fraudulent and the Board Of Election commission
ers sent ont nearly 10000 suspect notices warning
nersons on the lists that charges had peen ha,ie
against them and that they must come nsIoIe ny
hoard and defend their right 10 vote Inc Dull ~
met on Monday. March 2, TO near me cases III
and against suspected repeaters: In orde11 10 N 20
Won't Witnesses from going before lhe bVdI w "a ~
testif,, TO what they knew about tne fISt w az ~
"aoaters" Alderman John Coughhn, KNOW" - a.
"po,hhoiIse John" and Alderman Mchenha, ~
latter Of whom is candidate for re-eiecIOn' sns
nred q crowd Of bullies. conycts ana pug ust h,
and packed the corridors Of the Clty haii 80 vi 80
f. vas as much as mans life was worm i rnes n
enter the building. As IT was. there WIS a'i'0'' :
riot.