Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-05-17
Preliminary Action Is Taken at Convention
of Federation Of German Societies
Of Illinois
Action on School Board Appointments in View
of Textbook Discussion Arouses
German Ire.
Call Sent Through the State to Oppose
Garter for All Offices in the
Future.

The Gcrman..\ american citizens Of
Chicago have decricd Mayor YIarri-
son as Il public official and have or.
yanzed to accomplish his political
downfall at the very first opportunity
that may offer.
This IN the worst news. politically.
that Mr.. Harrison has heard since the
Democratic party picked him up and
made him Mayor of the second great
est city In the United States.
For many moons The Eagle has been
of the opinion that Mr.. liarrlsOn's
goose. politically. was cooked. II saw
IN the new movement In the County
Democracy the growing unrest of the
great mass of the Democratic party
under the dictation of his City Hall
"Oiiicc Holders Union" In his per-
sistcnt antagonism of the police and
lire departments it has long been eyl.
dent that the Mayor has been cutting
the ground from under his feet. In the
mut,crings of discomfort over the aw.
ful conditions produced by I'M incom.
pct.nt city administration. there could
be read the signs Of revolt among
the people against Harrisonlan rule,
and indeed upon all sides the signs Of
stormy weather ahead of the Mayor III
the political sea were OminOusly In
evidence.
But beyond any question the action
Of the Federation of German Catholic
Societies OF Illinois Cbackcd up rs II
will bc by the German I.utherans
points more strongly than anything
that has come tO the surface so far
to the elimination of Carter II. Harrl
son as an office holder and factor II
politics in this city, county and state
ON last Monday the great German
Catholic organization met ut Aurora
ILL.,, and according to all the dispatches
in the Chicago dailies of the fOllowin.
date. "came out with n Hat condcmna
ton Of the Mayor Of Chicago and urge'
all Catholic societies To use every If
fort 10 defeat him should he seek re
election. The church throughout tn
state IL warned to oppose him shoul'
he seek a higher position. The deslr
on the part of the German CathOli
Federation to consign Mayor Harrison
TO political oblivion Is the OutgrOwtl
Of his disregard of Its protest when h
appointed TO the school board mem
bers known 10 favor free textbooks
The resolutions declared that free text
books and taxation Of school propert.
We're only efforts To render difficult tn
parochIal education of children and dc
mandai that the issue he settled Il
the polls"
There are many thousands of Ger
man Catholic voters in this city. AM
IL ls Il conservative estimate that seven
elghths of these are Democrats. i
view of the pronunclamento Of tn
federation on Monday, Mayor IialT
son, should he ever run for office !
this city again, will not get n Gcrma
Catholic vote in Chicago.
one Of the most serious consider!
tions Involving Mr.. Hanison's futul
political ambitions is the fact that II
same cause which called for action {
the part of the Germans appeals 10 OF
~r uatiOnalltlcs ana crceds as well.
APPEALS TO the Poles, the Bohemian
III" Italians and the German Lutheran
with equal force. 70 one acquaint'
with the history Of Democratic politi
Ia Chicago for q quarter Of n ccntu
u seems almost incOmpr"hcnslblc III
the present Mayor Of Chicago shou
have brought such political avalancI
down uBOn his own shoulders. Al
from such a source, too Eyerybo'
knows that the present Mayor Harris
and his father before him always J
-riy,-l in their campaigns in the pa
the fun aud unstintcd support of n
decentralization element. The vote
~ thi, great nationality always liock'
10 rh. support Of the elder llarrlso
aud were in fact looked upon as u
hulwark of his strength before the pc
pie. II" was duly grateful c0nslucra
uI their claims, and careful never
hnur raou either In their demands I
representation in the civic gOyernnr
ur for respect for and protection IN tli'
lnohcnsiy" national customs.
How different the attitude Of I
present Garter H. Harrison. In half
dozen different ways hc has shown ho
very slight au appreciation 60 put
mlldlyJ he cutortains for the Germs
element as political factor His poll
has been antag0nistic to the Germi
concert and beer gardens; having
late as the visit of Prince Henry 10 II
city cau-ed, through the machinery