New-York tribune., 1900-04-16
REFORM N CHICAGO.
pEPr-BLrcAN MAJORITY IN THE CITY
coUNCTL-MAYoR HARRIsoNs FIGHT
AGAINST THE STREET RAILWAYS.

ror-NCfI-MAYOR HARRIsON's FIGHT
.cATysr THE STREET RAILWAYS
chicago. April 15 (SpeciaD.-In the last year
. L4s second term as Mayor OF Chicago Carter
: xEe--tson finds himself confronted for the
e, time with fully organized Republican ma
...v in the City Council. While this condi-
-, ts decidedly distasteful TO Mr.. Harrison.
- vas achieved in direct violation Of written
-,ospss given by most ot the newly elected Al
sa--oen 70 the Municipal Voters League. it is
5,stinct step forward in the campaign Of re-
-, and purity in local politics
= he interest Of reform the last Council was
.--,nized upon a non-p partisan basis. the better
.,e-oer,s Of all parties working together TO
--,e -ne gang vote. With this body back
: b,-7 MAYOR Harrison was able to wage
.,,1 war upon franchise grabs and other
s,,,,,,tes TO which the city had been subjected.
- Municipal Voters League. an independent
s,,ze-ion Of citizens that certi1es TO the
.n.-screr of Alde-rranic candidates and other
:. takes q healthful interest in local affairs.
- g, this plan a means OF furthering the cause
!. -efor-n AS a preliminary TO lending their
"a sns Endorsement to Aldermauic candidates
.,iz sp-trg they required all such sign
,l.6rss the first paragraph Of which was
.-,,,sse 70 organize the Council on a non-par
has
--o5e his Impossible, and the new Aldermen
:. nov being accused OF breach Of faith TO the
public.
Nevertheless. a careful canvass Of the situa-
-, shows thar the present Aldermanic body is
:. -,,,ch higher order than the last Council
h,,h vas considered q model of reform in
.,--nartson 10 experiences Chicago had had pre-
,onsIr. while il is true the Republicans used
re support Of the gang element on the Demo-
-.-.c SIDE of the chamber 10 carry through
.+si- slate that step Of itself was a move in the
-,o5 direction because II aIienated from the
Tsrna.rats men who nave been regarded as the
leaders in most Of the ,nefarious dealings
,,sreed against the body N the past. These
men did not hesitate 10 desert their fellow
T7s-nocrats when they saw the weight Of the
situation was against them. and felt that they
night gain something with the powers that be
bv lending helping hand From this time for
rars they win be regarded as the freebooters
NJ the Council. and another election or two
auzht 70 -id the city Of them.
ne nfoue that Mayor Harrison feels at the
rrassrt time n being called upon TO preside
aver e body that is openly Republican, instead
n being known as non-pa-tisan, as he had been
ed 10 expect viii undoubtedly disappear when
be gets into the midst Of the franchise fights
again and finds that mis- course is supported by
2 larger vote than he ever had in the Council
before. While the Republicans have not the
necessary two-thirds' majority TO pass meas
Tres over the Mayors veto this gives them no
distress as they openly announce that for the
most part they support the platform and pro-
g-au7-e of AIr. Harrison, and will stand by him
wiki their votes unless he should deviate in
some manner from the plans he has marked
out.
4 QUIET VICTORY.
Although reform movements in Chicago are
Oh rhe boom and there were many fears ex-
pressed thar The gang would again get back
mo tie Council the election that brought the
new Council inro life was probably the quietest
ever known in Chicago. In fact. IN three wards
the candidates had a waIkOver. no rival can
didates that could qualify appearing. Notwith-
standing this lethaTgE-, however, the better ele-
raent carried The day almost entirely. Thirty
six Aldermen were elected. and Of these twenty
-u0 had received the Endorsement OF the Munic-
iral Voters League. TwenIy-one Of the can
5idares on the tickets had been condemned ir-
respective 0f party. and nine Of these went down
n defeat Twenty-Five OF the holdovers in the
Council had previously received the indorse-
rrert Of the league. and during their careers
had done nothing 10 forfeit the confidence re-