Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-02-22
Their Bill Was Put on Its Passage and
the People Went Wild
with Fury.
But When the Bribe Takers Went to Get
Their Bonds They We're
Fooled.

Inc IoilOWlng eultoriul, WHICH ap-
peared In the Inter Ocean Of Feb. IA,
caused considerable comment in polti.
cal circles during the past week:
LAY on, MACDUFF!
'In answering the call made upon
him to lead one wing of the Rcpub-
lican party In this state the Hon. Law
renee Y. Sherman we are told. will
strike from the shoulder Further.
more. he IL expected to give Il 'clear.cut
issue for the approaching political bat
ties In Illinois,
Evidently, then. Mr.. Sherman Is pre-.
pairing an exhaustive document on the
men and measures that he will give the
great state of Illinois in case he can
lead the forces, now gathering under
his guidance. to general victory. Just
what the scope of this document will
Inc can be only surmised. but 1t ought
to be wide and free.
ITO satisfy the Intelligent and loyal
citizens of Illinois that he has adopted
real reform as the watchword Of his
faction. the Hon. Lawrence Y. Shcr-
man ought to state In his letter spec-
hcally and In detail:
'Whcthcr or not he approves of let.
ting the agents of corporations name
House committees In the Springfield
Legislature.
whether or not he believes that men
Of authority In the General Assembly
should allow that body tn organize as
u collection agency.
whether or not he believes that men
should he tolerated In public life who
make the barter ana sale of laws an
open occupation.
whether or not he believes in letting
$4,000 combine stand like n stone wall
between the people and the right. be-
tween legitimate business interests and
plain justice.
"Whcthcr or not he believes In keep
ing In public life men who do not know
the difference between an empty box
and n bushel OF negotiable securities.
"Whcthcr or not he believes In expos
ing the facts. strike where they may. a'
TO the men and measures that vital!
interest the people Of Illinois today
and then allowing tho voters OF this
state tn draw the wide. black line be
tween the clean and the unclean. nov
and forevermorc. beyond appeal ol
shadow OF change.
by explaining the political situation
along these lines the Hon. Lawrence
Y. Sherman would not exhaust the sub
ject In hand-far from II. However
he would be able thus to strike from
the shoulder as he would be able I,
strike In no other way.
"Will he do it? Dare he do It! II
so. well and good. II not, why not
why not. why not:"
>6
One of the most extraordinary stor!c'
in the line of commercial activity" IL
the Illinois State Legislature that has
ever come to the knowledge of Th'
Eagle, and 1t has heard a good man,
interesting anecdotes of the kind. In,
Just leaked out and Is going the round,
in political inner circles these days.
has furnished entertainment for sclec
circles Of the managers on both side
source Of much amusement at the eX
pensc of two wcll.known party men
who have posed before now rs real %
would.bc leaders in the politics Of ihi
State.
The story i too good to he allowed {
rest in the oblivion Of political innc
circles, and is now published for tn
tif.sf sinnn OIL dot tun. hn
ing omitted for obvious reasons.
During session Of the Legislature
held not hundred years ago, n meas
ure came before the Assembly In whc
the entire State in general, but the cit
Of Chicago in particular, were intense
ly interested.
II was a measure that affected nC
only the welfare Of the city as n who!'
hut came home 10 every individual
the community as personal matter.
Never were the people Of the Wes
ern metropolis 50 thoroughly workc
I'p over piece Of proposed leglslatio
as they were over this one. The pc
l'le had well-lcined policy on Il
subject; mass meetings were held n
over the ity for the purpose of emu
clatng and emphasizing that polio
ana the members of the Lcglslatul
heard from their constituents regar'
ing IL. in way that the members {
that or any other general assembly I
this state had never heard before.
II was alleged and insisted upo
however, that cOrruptlng influence