Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-11-22


Editor Chicago Eagle:
Dear Sir--1 have been curious to find
out whether the proposition of the ref
crendum involves all legislation intro
duced In the State Legislature as well
as all ordinances introduced In the
City Council. II It does, 1t strikes me
that all public legislation Of both kinds
will be practically brought TO a stand
still. am aware that bills Involving
questions of public policy containing
perhaps fifteen or twenty pages Of
printed matter are frequently intro.
duced In the House and Senate. DC.
casionally bills much larger are intro
duced. II such measures could not he
passed until the people had an Oppor-
tunlty to vote intelligently upon them
the Legislature would have to remain
IN continuous session from one end of
the year TO the other. otherwise there
would he 10 legislation. because the
Assembly, II It existed during the or.
dlnnry life of session. would have to
adjourn before even the revenue bills
could be passed. As l understand II,
too. all bills would have to be submit
ted or referred to the voters II any
were to he. as I suppose the law can
not make fish Of one class Of leg.sla.
ton and flesh Of another. The same
may be said Of Council legislation. and
the result. so far as I can see, II the
referendum IL to be carried out In the
letter as well az the spirit, the admin.
istrntiOn Of our public affairs would
be brought to a standstill. As for the
usefulness Of such measure I fan 30
see II, rs believe not one voter In
one hundred would read, not to say
mentally digest. the bills or ordinances
which would be brought under their
judgment by the operation OF 1t.
Very respectfully yours.
COOK COUNTY VOTER.
To the Editor f:
Sir-l believe that thousands of
working men In this city are In favor
OF Alderman CullertOn's resolution In
the Council favoring change In the
hours Of voting on election day. 1t
IL all very well for editorial writer's
on daily newspapers to say that the
opening Of the polls ut q o'clock Il. III.
gives all labOrlng men an opportunity
to vote before going to work. that all
working people are allowed two hours
on on election days. etc. This looks
very nice In print. but the facts In the
case are very different from this rose.
ate picture.
In the first place, there are thousands
OF working men In Chicago who have
to be at their work ut q o'clock and
consequently have to start for their
places OF business before that hour.
In the second place. there are hundreds
~ firms, factories and other concerns
anu employers who will not permit
their employees to take the time Off to
vote provided by law. OF course, the
employees could insist upon taking the
time. hut II they do they lose their
Jobs. and nobody knows how many
hundreds or thousands Of wOrkingmen
there are In this city who prefer to lose
their votes to losing their Jobs. know
that ! have been disfrnnchised more
than once when confronted by such a
dilemma. As for the objection that
frauds would be committed II the polls
We're kept open after dark. let mo say
this, that persons who would commit
election frauds after 1 p. IN. would
commit fraud before that hour.
The Australian ballot law was not
IN existence when the old hours and
the old fraudulent methods were In
vogue years ago. 1t IL very different
now. and l believe I voice the opinions |
or hundreds Of labOring people when
] say the polls ought to be kept open ut
least until 7 o'clock In the evening.
A WORKINGMAN.
1t was announced on Thursday last
hat In behalf OF Sheriff-elect Barrett, |