Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-02-11
REPEAL THE FRONTAGE ACT!
How about this. Senator Scion

How about this. Senator Scion IL.
Case?
The people are interested.
Mr.. Harry l.. Jones. the bright and
kecn-sighted Springfield correspondent
" the Journal, writes as follows to his
paper:
some OF the reform AMI anti.gang
members of the Legislature. ana partic.
ularly those from Cook County, are on
the point of raising serious row over
the action Of the Senate Committee on
Municipalities with relation to pending
gus legislation. The claim Is made by
these members that they have been
tricked into supporting a bill for the
purpose Of coming the people of Chi.
cagO, and which In reality means abso-
luteiy nothing. The men who are max.
ing this claim are those who voted In
the committee in favor Of repeating the
gas consolidation act passed AZ the last
Legislature.
"When they voted on this matter In
the committee they We're led to believe
they were voting to repeal the gas
frontage act rs well, but within the
past twenty.fOur hours they have found
they We're mistaken. and that the
frontage repeater IL still slumbering Sc.
curely In the committee aud Is likely to
stay there for some time. probably til
the end of the session. Inasmuch rs
the gas companies In Chicago have al.
ready formed and made certain their
trust. with the exception of only two
companies. which they don't really care
much about. the repeal Of the consOll,la.
ton act will count for nothing. as II
cannot be made retroactive. AS Pres-
dent Warder Of the Senate said In the
committee. 1T seems good deal like
locking the barn door after the animal
has been stolen
'With the frontage act II l. u differ
cnt story. so long as that law remains
On the statute books the existing trust
has an absolute monopoly on the bust
ness Of manufacturing and distributing
gas in Chicago and that Is the law that
50 many Chlcagoans demand repealed.
Whenever IL j. removed competition
will be opened up again and Il Is claim.
ed several new companies are already
waiting for this action on the part of
the Legislature 10 jump into the field
and fight the trust.
But the story here II that the repeal
Of the frontage act will bc smothercd
In committee. by virtue of the usual
'pcrsuadcr' from the trust: aud this
is the thing that ranklcs in the breasts
of the reform members who voted To
report out the repeal OF the consOlida-
lion act under the impression that II
included the frontage act. Last night
II was currently reported that the 90.
cent gas bill presented in the House
yesterday by Representative Trautman
is on the square and will he passed as
an administration measure Trautmau
comes from Speaker Shcrman's district, |
aud II l. understood the bill was hand. |
r'i 10 him by the speaker for lntroduc.
ton, Where the Speaker got II Il the
question that j. worrying the Chicago
combination Interested in gas legisia-
lion. The bill was carefully prepared |
and II Is claimed the preparing was
done 10y some one AZ the direction of |
Gov. Tanner, and that the bin will be-
backed by the administration cOmbina- |
lion and passed 10 add another laurel
TO the brow Of the Governor, for the
purpose of assisting him In continuing |
his political career with another term
~ chief executive Of the State of iii
nOls.
with the frontage act In danger Of |
repeal, or in the hands Of an exactlng |
committee, and the GD-cent measure on |
the calendar for passage. the session + !
likely to b" exceedingly lively for the |
gas trust, It's representatives were the |