The Irish standard., 1903-07-04
Almost Alone, Against Mighty Adversaries,
She Won the Fight in Behalf of
Chicago Teachers.
AS President of the National Federation of
Teachers, She Will Be Visitor to
Boston Next Week.

carry the day by sentiment. They
sought the weak spots in their enemies
fences and made a counter move up
on them. Miss Haley discovered
that the sad condition of affairs in the
city treasury was caused by the fact
that the public franchise corporations
had been escaping taxation Oh property
valued at $235,O00,OtO.
She declared war on every street
railway in Chicago on the electric
light companies, on the telephone COM
pany the gigantic Pullman and Arm
our corporations. Immediately she had
opposed against her all these Goliaths
Of her municipality, the county officials
who had conspired with them, and the
state officials who were also implicat-
ed. She and her determined band saw
before them trial after trial in the
courts with the best legal talent of the
country arrayed against them; with
all the wealth of some of the greatest
millionaires of America to assist the
ticians and the press taking up the
cause of those who were fighting them.
But all these difficulties only spurred
them on and made them the more
eager for the fray.
The school teachers of Chicago were
already pretty well organized. Their
federation, which had been in exist
ence since their fight in 1897 for a
raise in salary, had at least one teach
er i'll every school, who could reach the
other teachers. and thus their small
machine was at once put in motion.
Miss COggin, as president of this Or
ganization. called a meeting of the
teachers. and Miss Haley told them
her scheme. President Harris of the
school board sent a communication to
the assembly, endorsing the action Of
the teachers, granting leave Of absence
to Misses Haley and Coygin. and
promising that their salaries would be
paid by the school board during the
fight.
The teachers raised $40 0 to assist
them in their contest.
Their plan was simple-they would
reach the voters. They arranged for
meetings in the prominent halls. Miss
Haley busted herself hunting in every
conceivable Locations for facts to be
used in her speeches. She proceeded
to make news for the newspapers.
The teachers and pupils and their
friends co-operated to make these meet
ings a success. Before each, thou
sands Of flyers were prepared, and the
district in which the meeting was to
be held was flooded. In most of the
churches they were given out to the
congregations, newsdealers put them
in their papers, the shopkeepers tied
them up in their parcels; they were
tackled up in the barber shops, on tele-
graph poles and in saloons. Prominent
speakers were invited to address the
meetings, among them being Bishop
Spalding, the Rev. DR.. Thomas Of the
Peoples church, the Rev. Thomas E.
Cox. Kate Starr Kellogg, DR.. Francis
NJ. Dickinson, the Rev. DR.. Leach and
the Rev. DR.. R. A. White and Miss
Jane Adams, of Hull House.
The local politicians were soon clam
boring for places on the program, and
before long all were actively working
for the cause.
The enormous amount of detail neces-
sary to prepare information and facts
for these gatherings fell to the lot of
Miss Haley, VINO soon found herself
almost swamped. She had to master
the revenue laws Of Illinois, especially
their application to Cook county, and
to study their almost endless compli-
cations arising from the annexation of
villages and townships. 1t is said of
her that no lawyer could question the
accuracy or the extent Of her knowl-
edge of these matters after she start
ed. Next she took up the old reports
of the state board of equalization.
covering a period Of % years, and
made comparative statements until she
had command of facts and figures