Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-01-07
And the Men Who Handled the Money
to Pass the Infamous Gas
Legislation
Will Be Shown Up Properly at Springfield
During the Session About
to Open.
Many Leading Lights Will Be Brought to
Book in a Most Unenviable
Way.

The Sangamon County Grand Jury
will probably assist the Legislature
materially this winter.
The agents who handled the Ware.
house Doodle at Springfield are well
known.
1t will not be hard to find out the
names Of the big game behind them.
The agents who arranged for the Gas
deal are also we'll known.
The investigation viii drag their co.
partners and bosses to the front
~A
An investigation into the passage of
the notorious warehouse and gas meas
ures by the last General Assembly Is
now looked upon rs certainty.
When the books Of 4 number of Chi.
cago corporations are opened IL will he
discovered that the warehouse bill ma.
terially increased their expense ac-
count.
Some Of the witnesses who will Ike
called will be somewhat out of the or
binary, but their connection with the
corruption of the law-making power of
the state will make their attendance
imperative.
~eSA
One Of the bright young members
from Cook County, who Is going to In
troduce the resolution In the House,
calling for an investigation. has kindly
furnished a copy of 1t to The Eagle,
with the sole request that his name he
not given out ut present, for obvious
reasons.
Following Is the resolution which
the gentleman will introduce. and
which will pass the House, or the peo-
pie will know the reason why:
Whereas, Public rumor attaches to
the passage OF the Warehouse Bill and
also Of the Gas Frontage ana CONSOLE
dalton Bill by the last General Assem-.
bly, the stigma Of bribery; and,
Whereas, The names of several men,
bers of the present General Assembly
are repeatedly mentioned with having
received brides In connection with the
passage of these measures; and,
Whereas. Certain public officials, cor
poratlon lawyers and other citizens are
implicated as having been engaged In
the nefarlous work of bribing the men,
bers of the General Assembly to pass
these laws; and,
Whereas, All respect for government
will disappear from the minds and
hearts of the people II the law-maklng
power OF the State Is suffered to lose
prestige In their eyes; and.
Whereas, The charges relating to the
passage of the Warehouse and Gas
Bills are so notorious ana so freely
talked Of that this General Assembly
cannot retain It's self-respect without
paying attention 10 the matter, there
fore be 1t
Resolved, BY the House OF Represen-
tatives, that n committee Of nine men,
bers be appointed to investigate fully
all charges made with reference to the
passage of the Warehouse and Gas
Bills, the names of all members of the
present General Assembly In any way
implicated, and the names of the per-
son or persons who brlbed the members
or who directly or indirectly took part
in procuring said bribery; and,
Resolved, That this committee when
appointed shall have full power TO send
for all persons and papers necessary in
the conduct Of the Investigation.
~GfSA
Let the intrOducer of the resolution
for an investigation Of gas and ware.
house legislation NJ Springfield next
month remember these remarkable
words: There Is no man whose posi-
ton l. so great or whose wealth Is so
extensive that he Is above the law. II
guilty Of crime he should be punished
rs quickly and as severely as the com
mon thief or burglar"
Judge Waterman made use Of these
words In his instructions to the grand
Jury Monday morning. He had been
talking about bribery ana attempted
bribery of public officials. II Is prob
able that stories of bride giving and
brlbe-taliing, conspiracy and other mat.
ters which have enyelOpel the state
House and burdened the political at
mosphere Of Illinois since the adjourn
ment of the last Legislature In cOnnec-
tiOn with gas consolidation, railroad
consolidation ana elevator and ware
house bills passed AT Springfield M the
last session Of the Legislature were on
the able Judges mind, as well as GER
tain franchises now pending In the
City Council II Is apparent that the