Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-09-20

ministration, have fallen into such con-
dtion as to make the application at
present Of such name to them little
better than a grim joke?
The Eagle does not believe that there
Is any such sad fate In store for them.
1t believes that "the man Of destiny"
will pursue the lines which that dcs-
tiny has laid out for him, and which
will lead him into that political oblivion
from which he climbed by means of
the ladder he has recently pushed away
from him.
The people of Chicago through six
years of bitter experience will be by
next spring prepared to deal with the
traction question and also with the
champion Of the streets" as both de-
serve to be dealt with.
The people are now thoroughly ION
to- both.
Even the organs Of "the champions
administration are unable longer to
bolster up the administration or its
traction or any other policy. Here is
an extract. very much to the point from
a daily contemporary known to be
friendly to the champions" admins.
tration:
Next Monday the City Council COM
mences what promises to be one Of the
most important semesters In the history
Of the city.
Before the Christmas adjournment
It Is likely that the Council will have
passed upon the valuable franchise of
the Illinois Telephone and Telegraph
Company, will have taken long strides
toward the solution of the subway ques.
ton, and, more important than all, will
have been called upon to settle the trac.
ton question for the next twenty years
"There is good ground for the belief
that the Chicago City Railway will
push negotiations for a speedy exten.
sion Of franchises. And there Is some
ground for the belief that the Unicr
Traction Company will follow the
South Side corporation into the Counci
and fight for an extension of franchise,
this fall.
rFOr four years there has been de
mand for a speedy settlement Of the
franchise question SO that the transpor
tation facilities could be improved--st
that the city could receive the revenu,
which 1t is entitled to. But Mayor Har
risOn hos pursued masterful policy o.
inactivity.
"He early took the position that tn
franchises should not be extended unit
the Legislature enacted a municipal
ownership law.
THE general public. more interested
In present needs than In what the mex
generation should receive, gave. tn
Mayor small encouragement. But tn
peoplc, long suffering and slow to anger
wnited-waited for the Legislature o
1900.
1.-THE Street Railway Commission
took an excellent traction bill to tn
Legislature and tried to have 1t passed
The Mayor stayed Mt home and LITE,
not one finger to aid the committee
The Mayor says that he was advised t
keep away from the Legislature, as hi
presence before the Republican bod
might make enemies for the bill. A
any rate the measure Of the Street Raj
way Commission failed Of passage.
"Again came demand for IN earl
settlement Of the traction issue. Agai
the Mayor defined his position: No e,
tensions, without a municipal owner
ship law. And the people continued
dangle from the end Of street.ca
straps. At times the pressure for a
immediate settlement Of the franehis
question became 80 great that the Ma!
or's position was seriously threatene,
He gained time by visionary schen
for downtown trolleys as means {
temporary relief"
The Eagle has said all this and moi
!. upon this subject before, but 1t consi'
!, ers It particularly appropriate ju
now.
The question now Ia, as we said In II
beginning, Is 1t to be the same old stOr
or will the City Council take the ma
. ter courageously out Of the "chan
pion's" hands, settle 1t, and put thu
!, Individual out Of business rs an eve
. lasting candidate upon piece Of eve
lasting bunc0mbe?