Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-09-16

every measure introduced. He took
bills out Of their regular order on the
calendar and pressed them to passage.
Other bills he retarded by refusing to
recognize their sponsors and by pass
Ing under the gavel mot10ns to refer
them to committees whence everybody
knew they would never emerge. am
satisfied that two-thirds of the men,
bers, including many Republicans, Of
course, were opposed to the despotic
and unjust course Of the speaker, but
they dared not antagonize him. They
knew that the cost Of such antagonism
would be their overthrow for the rest
Of the session.
Let the people not imagine that the
early adjournment was effected for the
sake Of the taxpayers. 1t was effected
for the sake Of the gang The com.
bination that ruled had passed all the
bills 1t wanted to pass and was afraid
II the session were prolonged that
measures unsatisfactory to It might be
hammered through. Many Republic
ans were opposed to the early adjourn
more would be required to do decently
and in order what remained to be done.
They swore mt the early adjournment
proposition In their private talks to me.
but when the vote was called for they
all lined up with their party and It's
bosses. So It was on every other prop
ositlon, and so 1t will be so long rs the
political lives Of the members. are In the
hands Of the chair.
II do not think there ever was more
disgraceful spectacle than that which
marked the closing hours Of the late
session In the House. There was an
utter absence Of decorum and parlin-
mentary usage. The House was In an
uproar. Men rushed about shouting.
gesticulating and cursing, and through
1t all bills were passed, or declared
passed, In rapid succession, many OF
them not read. Members frequently
did not know how they voted or wheth.
er they voted at all. Twice I went to
the clerk and demanded to know how
I was recorded. I found both times
that had been made to vote otherwise
than did vote, and knew that such
cases were common. Whatever the
gang wanted passed was declared
passed, and whatever It did not want
passed was declared lost. 1t has been
suggested that some bills got through
during that wild scramble which do
not appear In the session laws as pub
'llshed. Whether this is true I do not
know. but do know that probably the
majority Of the members could not
keep track Of what was taking place.
II am In a position to know that
money is sometimes demanded by the
men who arc bosses Of the situation ut
the sessions Of the Legislature. Once
was chairman of u committee of ply
sicinns that was trying to secure the
passage Of u good bill mt u former Leg
islature. The Speaker promised to call
II up ana failed. I sent u man to him
to ask why he had not kept his prom
ise and he referred the man to go.
between. The gO-between told my
man that they would pass our bill for
x1,5OO. We refused to put up Il dollar
ana the bill was lost.
II want to speak Of the state instit,i-
tiOns-the normal schools, the peniten-
tiaries, the asylums for the insane.
deaf. dumb and blind and the resort for
feeble.minded. The people would
make money by consolidating these In
stitutiOns ut one place any place.
They are becoming a menace to all Of
us because Of their encrOachnent upon
the revenues Of the State. Their In
fiuence upon legislation IL pcrniciOus.
Representatives from the districts
where the schools, penitentiaries ana
asylums are located trade votes for up.
preparations ana get not simply what
they need, but all they want. This IL
Il wrong that the people sooner or later
will be compelled to consider II they
expect to escape being beggared Mt the
hands Of the taX.eaters Of the State.
'HOw the Legislature In to he lifted
to plane Of decency IL u knOtty prob.
lem. l will say, however. that some OF
Its worst evils would be done away
with II there were such constitutional
amendment as would properly limit the
powers OF the Speaker and provide u
fitting penalty for any misrepresenta-
tiOn Of vote on the part Of a clerk. AZ
matters stand at present we have no
government by the people; what we
take to be such Ii a delusiOn ana u
snare"
John McLauchlan, of IMSalle, IL one
of the veterans of the House. lie tells
Il story revealing the inroads that he
says life ut Springfield makes upon
the sObriety ana respectabillty Of some
men. McI.auchlan passes among those
who know him az man whose intelli-
gence and courage are not likely to be
questioned. He has this TO say about
the Illinois General Assembly:
II have served my district five terms
In the Legislature-have viewed the
performance from both behind and be-
fore the scenes--and my honest judg-
ment Is that 1t Ia humbug. We have
no representative government at
Springfeld; 1t Is government by u
Speaker, Il gang the bosses of u pO-
litical machine-all under the dOmina-
tlOn of money. Among the corpora
tons most successful missionaries are
lot of fellows who pretend that they
are not In politics Mt all and that they
are ut Springfield simply to spend II lit
tie of their superfluOus money In u good
time with the boys These men wage
a masked and merciless warfare
against manhood. 1t is their speciality
to furnish liquor for unsuspecting