The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-01-08
LETTER
FROM
CHICAGO
Evil Effect of the CCal
Famine
A City Not AS Well Managed
as its Railroads

Chicago ILL.,. Jan. 4-Our train lay
nearly a day at North Platte Neb.,
and we got into Chicago about SO
hours late. The Union Pacific has suf-
fered a great deal from it's car shops
strike, and many of its locomotives
are still disabled. The track has been
rebuilt at some places, and new
bridges and cut.offs are still being
constructed In Eastern Nebraska l
saw a great many piles of corn husked
and lying out of doors, many herds of
fat hogs and many stacks of hay. |
saw many fields of some kinds of grain
that were cut but never gathered up.
There must have been long periods of
wet weather that made It impossible
to save It after It was cut We crossed
Iowa at night, and went through the
beautiful Illinois prairies in the clear
est kind of a winter day. II was cold,
but cattle and horses were rustling in
the corn fields. and all seemed in good
the richest farming region ever
passed through. Every quarter section
has big farm house two and some
times three big stock and grain barns
a windmill and a fine big grove around
the house. Some have two windmills
and many have a fine grove Of large
evergreen trees But there seems TO
be but very few people moving about
the towns or on the roads. Corn fields
predominate and in all the little
towns creameries are prominent. The
small towns have not nearly the ap-
pearance Of thrift that the farms have.
The Coal Famine.
Coming into the city on any Of the
railroads you notice in the yards and
along the tracks people with baskets
and bags picking up every little scrap
of coal that has fallen off the cars, or
has gone out OF the ash-box of the en-.
gnes. Quite welldressed people are
among the coal cleaners, as well as
ragged. poor people. and boys who are
turning an honest penny learning the
junk and scavenger business Nearly
every day we read of some poor wo-
man or man. or child being run over
by fast train, while out gathering
coal The encouragement Of Illinois
is taking testimony to prove that there
is a combination TO screw exhorbtant
prices out of the consumers, and itl
almost looks that way. There are vast
stores Of coal in the big coal bunkers,
and, Of course, there are many people |
roaring in the city, and always will
be. II is easy for a "h--ll roaring" |
yellow newspaper to put these things
so that you would think the greatest |
injustice and oppression prevailed on
earth. Many families are without coal
because dealers contracted 10 supply
them when they did not have the coal,
but were only expecting it from the
mines. Prudent dealers refused 10
sell coal they did not have in stock,
and such did not disappoint any Gus
toners. Out OF the whole situation
will come better conditions. and less
suffering in future.
Chicago Politics.
We must have more revenues so
let us take over the street railroads
That's the cry
Chicago is still in the same hopeless
muddle as when was here two years
ago Carter Harrison is still mayor
but not one problem has been solved
and property is loaded down heavier
than ever with taxeating processes.
Like the chief demagogs everywhere
and at all times. from the days of the .
Greeks and Romans, he every once =
N a while throws a sop 10 the people
and a nostrum TO the reformers. but
no actual cleaning up Of single sum
here is 10 do on the municipal slate,
10 rectihcation OF any abuse At
present Harrison is harping on public
ownership of street railroads. When y
lothing else will cary an election the
machine gets In and promises that !,
lot Of new things shall be under =
AIKEN by the city, Ike free school a. d
looks, free telephones, anything 10 =,
tin the clamor for reform. The pres -
mt popular nostrum Is that the people 80
hall decide everything by the refer -
ndum. The people shall have the a.
light to vote on every matter Great -
re the people and who shall deny
hem the privilege. especially when II
dll keep them quiet and allow the = =
cohorts OF oficialism to fur - :"
her batten on the sweating and yield 4"
lg producer. So the air rings with
ew cries and back OF IL all one hears
le slogan from the Roman forum 6s
Panem et Circenses" Bread and a III
rcus provided free BY the conquer IL