Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-01-24
Jackson Enabling Measure Passed Over All
Opposition-Will Now Be Sent to
Springfield.
Municipal Ownership, Referendum and Other
Fads Very Properly Kicked Out Of
the Way.

As foreshadowCd In last weeks cli.
tiOn of the Eagle the force of public
opinion and sentiment has pushed the
settlement of the much-vcXed traction
question from the region of speculation
and impracticable theory into that oi
reason and common sense. and within
measurable distance Of final and salts.
factory settlement.
The City Council has ut last been
awakened to the inpcra tive demand of
the people of Chicago that II solution
he found for this problem 80 that this
city may have system of intra-m,linl
transportation that will he ut least as
good as Is To be- found In other first
class cities.
In obedience to this mandate. tho
city Council at its last meeting took
the matter out of the In nds of the lila.
tory. four-hushlng chief official ot the
city. who has delayed its settlement
for years that II might constitute u per.
1pctual campaign issue for himself. and
who. judging by his attitude ana pub.
lie utterances In the matter Is deter.
mined to keep up this course of action
as long as the political lamp holds
out to burn
The Eagle has maintained all along
that the people of Chicago were lot
Interested In any Of the fads upon
which Hnrrisonlsm has managed to de-
lny the settlement of this question and
thereby perpetuate itself In office.
That this claim was well founded Is
clearly demonstrated by the fact that
iirty members Of the City Council. con-
stituting the overwhelming ma jority
of that body. repudinted the Mayors
policy Of delay and declaring for n
course Of action that would be- certain
To bring about compliance with the
demand Of the people.
The action of the City Council has
had the effect, too. Of not only crush
Ing the opposition Of Harrison and the
following of job holders. privilege"
owners, barnnces and parasites gen.
orally which constitutes what Is known
as Harrisonism. hut also Of interesting
the leading citizens, capitalists and
tinanciers Of the East ana West and Of
thus producing n movement toward the
renovation, enlargement and general
Improvement Of chicago's ra-m'iral
transportation system. Indeed the de-
yelopments of the past week give ;s.
sIirance that II there bc no intorfer.
cnce on the part of marplOts. demn'
pogues and selfish political schemers,
the traction system Of Chicago will not
be merely IN Improvement on the old
one, but grcat new system. planned
upOn n gigantic scale ana with Il view
10 its Improvement and amplliicatiOi
and the possible efficiency In service
aud public comfort and convenience.
Two important steps were taken on
Monday last.
In the evening the city Council by Il
vote of ~ 10 10 Indicated its hostility
to the Mayors views on municipal
ownership and lndOrscd the jackson
enabling measure. which Will now 70
10 Springfield,
The vote on this question Is taken
to show the Councils frlendliness IL
street railway franchise extension and
its purpose 10 work for practical re-
suits.
In the afternoon It became known
that committee of capitalists had
been formed, including Marshall Field
Norman u. Rcam, John j. Mitchell and
Others, both Eastern and Western
men. 10 draw up II plan for the com
pletc regeneration Of III" traction sys
tens here.
This committee will accept deposits
Of the stock Of the old West and NOrtl
Side lines ana viii confer with the city
officials In an effort 10 bring order ont
of chaos, IL will not OPPOSE ultimat,
municipal ownership,