Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-06-22
HAZEN s. PINGREE.

During his seven years as Mayor Of
Detroit and his four years as Governor
of Michigan. Mr.. pingrce. whose death
In London IL announced in another col
tnn. became one of the most conspicu-
oils. original and dynamic figures In
contemporary American public life.
His principal achievements were
those which he realized as Mayor. Tn
der his administration Detroit passed
from The age of toll roads. dilapidatcd
pa,vcments. Insufficient sewers. opprcs
sive telephone rates. and incxcusablp
car service to become one of the best
paved. cleaned, severed. and lighted
cities In the country. to possess its own
lighting plant--the chief example of
the sort among American citcs--tO
have Il telephone service peculiarly OK.
,cnsive and low-priccd. to enjoy the
highest per capita street railway mile.
age ana the lowest fares of any stable
American town. to he dotted with
small. wcll-kcpt parks in its central
areas. and tn win justly the reputation
of being a beautiful city.
As Governor. Mr.. ringrce undertook,
to secure reforms in the taxation of
railway property: and. although hos.
tile Legislature thwarted these efforts
at first. important reforms on this sub
icct were enacted during his second
term. the main purport of which was to
require the taxation of railway prop
crty on the same basis ns other prop.
erty Is taxed. He also secured the law
authorizing Detroit to acquire and
operate It's street railways. The Su.
preme Court declared this law uncon.
s'iiutional. and. when he urged the
City Council 10 adopt an Indirect meth.
Cd of accomplishing the cherished
| project. public sentiment baked ~ the
idea of paying six or seven million dol.
lars for the outstanding franchises oi
the companies. Rut although the plan
| had finally to he abandoned. its agitn.
| ton served NJ least Ia familiarize pub.
lie thought generally with the idea of
| municipalizing rapid transit.
Perhaps the most important reason
Cor Mr.. Pingree's administrative sue.
ccsscs was his choice of capable aids
| Although n man of strong individuality
himself. lie was too wise to rely upon
lncapacity ana too lurge-mindrd "a
fear eclipse by subordIutcs. His adj.
ADMINISTRATION therefore always mani
Tested Independence. vigor and ability
In It's different departments.
Another peculiar element of strength
was his reliance upon publicity. Not
only was he always accessible tO news
| paper men. but on one occasion when
In the course of his con,iic, with cor
pornticns. the local papers refused hin
| space. he simply set up well IN
scrlbcd bulletin board of his own n
front of the City Hall. His MESA gcs
too. AMI other statements of publ,
interest We're always circulated wide
| ly. People were aware thus of wha
he was driving ~. llis election ~
Mayor four times IN succession will
ever increasing majorilics and final,
hy II vote of four To one in his favor
was testimony not only To his program
but also 10 his success In giving It eur
r2ncy.
Personally. lie was no, only simple II
his lnhits ana easily approachnblc, bu
he was peculiarly hospitnblc townr,
new ideas ana valiant In their ndvO
cncy when they appealed to him. Year
In advance of the .Iohnsons. he was.-
and alone among public men-lnsistini
upon the practlcability of thrcc-cen
fares. Later he advocated the nbate
mcnt of water rates with equal conf
dence. In maintaining his positions
too. he was II determined. tenacious
aud resourcclul fighter. For him {,
cspOuse one side of u controversial
question was notice of IN irrepresslbl
conflict unless his opponents shOul,
choose To yield. His tonacity. however
was that of IN aggressive rather thai
an obstinate nature, and his main mo
lives were II Zcsi In achievement an,
Il genuine sympathy for social better
ment. He was distinciiycly "progreS
siv"." Indeed, his leanings towar,
silver and his insistence that trust
should he destroyed are attributable
moi 10 drmagOguery hut rather 10 gen
"rous motives which had not beer
based in sound thought.
II Is easy To forget the faults of
man Of such positive and creative char
a"ter as Mr.. Pingree eyhiblted-to for
get his domlncering proclivitlcs. his in
tolerance of opposition, his too read!
resort to abuse, his sometimes ill-con
sidercd opinions. Viewed as u whole
his public career stands out above thes
incidents rs that of II man of that rcs0
lutc attitude toward corporate aggres
sion. that constructive capacity In mn
nicipal administration. AMI those den
ocratic sympathles OF which the grea
social centers of to-day stand in con
spicuous need.-Chicago Tribune.
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EA0LETS.