New-York tribune., 1901-02-11
TOPICS IN CHICAGO.
ILLINOIS LEADS IN FREAK LEGISLA'
TIoN-THE MAYOR WANTS MOUNT
ED POLICE SQUADRoN-"HINkf
DTNK'S" DANCE-A SALIVA
TION ARMY PLAY.

Chicago Feb 10 (SpeciaD.-Ilinois legislators
are evidently determined not 10 he outdone by
their contemporaries in the West in freak
legislation. Judging by the record Of the last
week. Illinois il easily in the lead of all com
petItors Prominent among these bills so fear
fully and wonderfully made are measures intro
duced by Representatives Crafts and Farnum
IN relation 20 public utilities" The Crafts bin
provides for public service commission 10
regulate the control OF corporations of a quasi
public character. BY It's terms the control Of all
railroads telegraph companies telephone. cleo
trio light. power heat. express and water COM
panies would pass into the hands Of seven men
10 be named by the Governor. This commission
:. 10 hx the rates the corporate shall charge.
the wages they shall pay the number and kind
of people they shall employ. II would also have
mower 20 prescribe the amount OF stocks and
bonds 10 he issued and Of its duties would
he 70 see that no corporation paid higher
dividend than x per cent. II has been wisely
and modestly suggested by the author of the
hill that when the commission falls so 10 con-
duct the affairs of the numerous corporations
that the earnings fall below per cent the
deficiency in the dividend shall he made up "a
the stockholders out Of the State Treasury!
The Farnum bin provides for the taking over
of the same class Of corporations by municipal-
ties, hut couples the privilege with the estab-
lishment OF a state board 10 supervise. direct
and regulate the management OF the properties
20 he acquired by local governments. Coming
at a time when the Chicago Council is preparing
10 consider seriously the subject Of municipal
ownership. the introduction of statutory frivoh-
ties is considered by sound minded persons as
q public misfortune.
In the course OF the debate on the anti-pass
bill introduced by Representative Nohe. mem
ber OF the Legislature read a letter from the
attorney Of of the large railway corpora
tions Of the State. which conveyed the inforna-
tion that. since the legislator has seen ht 10
vote against a bill in which the railroad was
interested the railroad officials did not consider
him a n subject for the annual pass which
had been requested The legislator who received
the letter apparently had no compunctons about
making the facts public. did his colleagues
think that "a beneath the dignity OF
n maker of laws TO seek favors from corpora
tion. The anti-pass legislation has been gen.
orally looked upon as affair between the
members Of the Legislature and the corpora
tions and no radical change in the methods Of
dealing with railroads in Illinois is looked for.
Freak legislation has not been confined 10 cor
porste affairs Senator Davidson has a meas
ure which declares that the practice of oe-
horning cattle shall not constitute any person
doctor of veterinary surgery" An amendment
10 the Weights and Measures act provides that
'twenty-four pounds of dried apples shall con-
condition of the sppes and no allowance is
made for water.
Mayor Harrison and Chief OF Police Kipley
have decided that what Chicago needs TO rid
itself of objectionable characters and make its
dark and lonely places perfectly safe is a force
az mounted police Following the Mayors recon-
mendation, the City Council last Monday night
passed an order calling for the appointment of
a committee of five TO investigate the system OF
mounted patrols I'm other cities. Chicago already
has mounted patrols in the boulevards and
s.rlrs la.nga al,a# Ian
would prove serviceable in covering the mag
nificent distances which the terror Of tn.
pedestrian in the outlying districts. If the in
vestgation shows that mounted police would be
a benefit 10 Chicago, would be in favor OF add
ing a squadron 10 the police force" said Mayor
Harrison in an interview.
Alderman Michael Kernas dance. given 20
the First Ward Democrats on Thursday night
pronounced by Jacob Riis the New-York
reformer. 10 be a unique sociological affair. Ac-
cording 10 Mr. Riis, who close observer
~ the unusual political function nothing like II
could possibly happen in the East. II
remarkably and typically Western that the
NeW-Dork authority on tenement houses was
BILE 10 compare in with the French ball or
with any other politico-socal event known
the East, What Mr.. Riis First Ward
society" several thousand strong. dancing 10
che strains Of Dear Midnight Of Love" and ap-
parently enjoying II. The function was mask
bsu, and those who were not afraid Of the pO-
lice wore masks which covered only the upper
part or the face. IN tacitly understood.
however. that all the guests were protected
dance n
tended 10 make certain the return Of ''HinlIy
nink" 70 the Chicago Council ana on the p-o-
gramme was printed the following bit Of sent-
ment; Hail 10 the Nominee, Stick. Stick
Stick" II was not necessary 70 explain 10 the
guests that the nominee" meant Alderman
kenna. The arrival Of Alderman "Bathhouse"
couehiin was the signal for the orchestra 10
strike up the strains Of Dear Midnight Of
Love" and twice the guests called loudly for
the author In summing up the affair the New
Yorker was forced 10 admit that the guests sex
hiolted the qualities Of human companionship'
ana were real mixers That the constituency
~ Alderman Kenna is altogether human and a
zeal live factor in Chicago politics no student OF
chicago affairs would dare 10 deny.
Chicago theatrical managers are apparently
not much perturbed by the announcement that
the salvation Army viii soon undertake the
work ~ eleyating the stage. Major W w
WinchelL of Illinois. rs the daring knight who
1ntends 10 attack the fortress of the drama
The Major has written a play which ne calls
The New Homestead and il the consent of
Commander Booth Tucker can be secured the
play viii be staged under the auspices OF the
salvation Army. The versatile Major. who is
seld TO possess some talent as an actor has
modestly slated himself for the leading mart
The Major believes that the stage is bound Ia
Thrive, IN spite of the continued Onposition or
the churches. and his idea is TO crowd out the
bad shows by hlling the world with good ones
The piece which Major Minchell proposes 10
stage deals with the Salvation Army life yrorl,
and ways, ano is built about the fortunes Of :,
printer, who is forced out OF employment by the
introduction OF the linotype machines The nm
fortunate printer is rescued by two Salvation
Army angels and in the last act ne is shown
tn responsible position in the army's CalIsor
mia Farm Colony.
The absorbing topic among Chicago saloon
Keepers ano frequenters is the proposed VISIT n,
Mrs. Carrie Nation. the Kansas saloon smashar
IL The intrepid reformer could hear a small nor,
or the things Chicago saloonkeepers saw thew
will do when she makes her apDearancs as
Chicago he o,,la