Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-02-06


ion that il will be for the best interest
of all that no new franchise be granted
at this time"
Minority Favors Franchise.
The minority report, signed by Aids.
g. w. Aster and H. ID. Elwell, is as
follows: That after thorough inves-
tigation and diligent inquiry into the
merits and claims for the establish
ment of an independent telephone
exchange in our city, it appears to US
that it is for the interest of our bust
ness men and citizens that we give an
independent franchise"
Cheers from the audience followed
the reading of the minority report.
Adoption of the majority report
was moved by Aid. Pender and Aid.
Aster moved adoption of the minor
ity report, receiving a second from
Aid. Gall. The vote on the adoption
of the minority report was: Ayes
Aster, Willis, Elwell, Gall. Lawhead,
Soderstrom-6. Navs-Beck, Con-
cannon, johnson, Heidemann, Win
ter, Freed Wheelan, Pender-S. 1t
was declared lost BY the mayor, who
then put the majority report on it's
passage, and it carried by the follow
ing vote: Ayes-Beck, Concannon,
johnson. Heidemann, Winter, Freed,
Wheelan, Pender-S. Nays-Aster
Willis, Elwell, Gall, Lawhead. Sober
strom-6. There was silencs for
a moment. The mayor then expressed
the opinion that the adoption of the
majority report virtually disposed Of
the telephone question.
Guess not" answered Aid. Gail,
jumping to his feet.
Well, We'll give you all the chance
you want replied the mayor.
Whereupon the ordinance of the
Union Electric Telegraph & Telephone
company was read by Aid. Aster, who
said it was a petition that EN- bodied
nothing but what was fair-it provid-
ed Just what the people wanted, and
he could not see how any alderman
could vote against it. He moved its
adoption, receiving a second from Aid.
Gall.
Aid. Johnson believed it only just
that before a vote was taken on an in
dependent franchise the application OF
the Tri-City Mutual be considered.
He asked that the Mutual's petition
be read. Aid. Aster said the COM
pany had no ordinance before the
council He had notified the com
pany's representatives to prepare an
ordinance, but they had so far failed
to comply with his request. But
reference to the records developed
the fact that the Mutual company
presented a petition in January, and
it was referred to the ordinance COM
mittee. The ordinance was resur-
rected and read by the clerk. Aid.
Elwell moved that the petition be re-
ferred to the ordinance committee.
Aid. johnson moved that the ordi-
nance be considered. The motion
was seconded by Aid. Wheelan. The
vote: Ayes-Beck, Concannon. Heide-
mann, Winter. Freed, Wheelan, Pen
der. Nays-Aster, Willis, ElwelI,
Gail, Lawhead, Soderstrom, johnson
-. The mayor cast the decisive
vote, voting affirmatively.
Aid. Elwell moved an adj ournment,
but 1t did not get to vote.
Labor Clause Discussed.
There was a desire among some
of the aldermen that the council go
into committee of the whole, but this
" us lOSl III VI III lIlC SAullC.
Aid. Aster next moved the adop-
tion of the Union Electric ordinance.
Aid. Beck said the union labor
clause in the Union Electric petition
did not amount to anything. 1t was
not binding.
Aid. Elwell called upon E. S. Berry.
president of the Tri-City Labor con-
gress, which has endorsed the Union
Electric petition. He said the Union
Electric proposition was satisfactory
to the congress. The congress be-
lieved the promises of the promoters
and the provisions of the ordi-
nance would be carried out to the
letter. Mr.. Berry stood upon a chair
and made stirring speech, in which
he condemned the trusts, and APP
pealed in behalf of organized labor,
that the council pass the Union Elec-
trio ordinance. He said if the indie
pendent movement failed, the alder
men could point to the Central
Unions new building as their politi-
cal toni stone.
Aid. Concannon said Mr. Berry was
not speaking for the Labor congress.
The congress as a BODY knew nothing
VI lAC tCAS AbdlAOA" L liz CLl-
dorsement was made by the executive
committee. Mr.. Concanuon took the
congress to task for some of its al
legged recent indiscreet acts. He had
been a member of labor organizations
fer y years, and his record was as
white as snow. He defied any man
to prove that he had ever been paid
to agitate an enterprise either as
alderman or union labor man.
Aid. johnson said it appeared
strange 10 him that the Tri-City La
Dor congress, after few months ago
opposing 25-year street car franchise,
should now be supporting a perpetual
telephone franchise.
MT. Bills Heard.
F. l.. Bills was permitted to ex-
plain changes in the clauses of the