Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-01
is HE THE PEOPLE?
A Case Wherein the Safes Attor :
ney Does Not Speak With
Authority.
STREET RAILWAY
RIGHTS
On Warranto Proceedings Techni-
calIy Brought and as q Mat
ter of Fact.

1
torney demanding in the name Of the
people that a quasi-public institution
as closely allied with the public as
the Tri-City Railway company, be
| stripped of the rights conferred by
the people and its property in the
cities on this side of the river
amounting to over 81 10000 rendered
valueless. the people in whose name
this proceeding is instituted, may well
pause to ask-who are the people?
| BY virtue of his office, the states at
| torney is supposed to represent the
people Of Illinois where their pence and
dignity has the appearance of having
been violated. In the matter of the
rights and property interests of the
Tri-City Railway company ii would be
difficult to discover wherein the peo-
pie or any number of them have gone
to the states attorneys office praying
for redress. 1t is very right and pro-
per that the individual citizen with
out regard to the nature of his griev-
ance should have the law to appeal to
in righting his wrongs, and in the
issue in controversy the citizen enter
ed his cause for adjudication original
ly through manGamus proceedings
before the common council. which is |
composed of the chosen representa-
tives of the people. And yet in the !
face of the fact that the hearing on the |
cause is still pending, the states at |
torney lends the influence of his high |
office to what the public generally re- |
CARDS as a persecution, by appearing /
in the name of the people against |
a public institution against which the /
people themselves have no complaint !
or grievance.
Does Not Represent the People.
Without entering into the discussion |
of the technical prerogatives of his Of |
flee. the states attorney does not as a /
matter of fact. in the face of the con-
ditions that exist, speak for the peo-
pie. or for the welfare or inter
ests of the people, in the action that
he has begun in the name of the PEG.
pie against the Tri-City Railway COM
pany. That is the situation as mat
ter of fact and truth, whether il is I
technically so or not.
The people are of course law abiding. |
and they want their acts and the acts /
of their representatives brought with
in the correct meaning and interpre-
tatiOn of law. and lawful procedure.
As an evidence of this they approved
the course of the legislature in legal
iZing such acts in relation to the vest
ed rights of the Tri-City Railway com
pany in Illinois as might be brought |
into question or controversy by an in
dividual of the community. In other
words. the people have found the Tri-
City Railway company well worthy of |
the confidence that they have reposed !
in it and fully deserving of the fran.
chises that have been accorded. The
company has given ample return for
the use Of the public streets. not alone |
in the character of the service it has |
provided as Il matter of public con-
venience and utility. but by the way |
and to the extent that it has eased |
the burden of public improvements |
in paving extensions, etc.
vast Interests Involved.
And yet beyond all this. furtF- n
than the fact thu. the company has |
acted in entire good faith in all its
relations with the public, the people |
have a high sense of honor. They |
would not have permitted the Tri-City
Railway company to have gone on
NAMING improvements year dIleT year
in Rock Island, had they expected after
the company had gone in to the extent
of over S1,OOO,O0O on this side of the
river alone, to rob that corporation of
its rights and confiscate its property.
No, the people are not built that way.
They believe in keeping faith, especi-
ally with those who keep faith Will,
them. They have no grievance what
ever with the Tri-City Railway COM
pany. a fact the most c,usual obser-
yer in the city may ascertain if he