Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-12-02

shO't'u nOt Dc Scttlcu even DcfOrO tho
allcrinanic campaign of next spring.
There il nothing that the people
have demanded either in public mass
meetings or through their representa-
tivcs I'm the city government that has
not been conceded by the traction com.
panics.
Universal transfers. up.tO.,latc street
car service. comfortable cars and plen.
~ of them. rapid transit. handsome re-.
m,incrntiOn To the city. courteous and
careful treatment of the public by the
companies employees. streets along the
right Of way sprinklcd and swept in
summer. AMI the snow and slt,sli re-
moved in winter: all these anl other
advantages which have been enumcr-
ated In previous editions Of this paper
are guaranteed the people In return
for u franchise Of reasonable length.
Evcrybory who has given the mat.
Ter any study or attention knows that
IT the city could own the street rail
way companies tomorrow 1t could not
give the public any such service as
this. nor could IL do so In the course
of twenty years To- come. if ever ut all.
The enormous expense of acquiring
the property and rolling stock Of the
companies would simply swamp the
city. and then if II ever did get the
system into working order It IL ten
chances to ono that II would he In tho
hands Of n lot Of hOOdlum hangcrs.On
of political parties who would give the
people the kind of service they hive
ben used Ia for years ut the City Hall.
and who would probably steal the sys.
item. the city and public blind.
In addition to all this the people
have come to full realization Of the
strong. IN fact, impregnablc position
which the traction companies would
occupy If after all that has been said
and done the whole thing should bc
thrown into tile courts.
They have nm endless variety Of ar.
g,iincnts. almost llmitlcss grounds Of
law and equity TO stand upon In de-
fcns" Of their rights II they should bc
finally forced to do ~ In the courts.
II would mean endless litigation that
might bc carried even as far rs the
limits Of the companies nincty.ninc
year rights. which they are now will.
Ing To waive. with the almost nbso-
lutte certainty Of victory for them IN
the end.
The people do not want any such
thing rs this.
They want the traction question set
tied ut once. AMI IL II should he unset.
tied M the next spring election there
win he such an expression Of public
opinion IN the election of Aldermen us
will settle the matter very speedily
thereafter.
That Il II clearly the will and ON.
phntlc demand Of the general public
that the long drawn out controversy
between the companies and the city be-
brought speedily to II close IL evident.
iy quite apparent to the great major
lty Of tho City Council. a body the
members Of which Of late years ut any
rate manage to gauge pretty accurate.
~ the public temper. particularly the
individual Aldermen IN their respect
i've hmillwlcks.
AS for the work Of the Council Com.
mttre on transportation, that body IL
evidently working honestly to make
the best terms possible for the people
IN tho discussion Of the ordinance now
pending before Il.
This ordinance II In almost every re-
spcct II reasonable. rational measure.
AMI satisfactory to the public ut large.
or course there Il the usual talk
about n referendum In reference to II.
hut II Is the belief of many that should
the people he thoroughly educated IN
regard To It's provisions between now
and next spring. u referendum wOu'd
result IN It's adoption by tho people
Taken nll In all the outlook II good
for u speedy settlement, something that
will deprive delnag0gucs and gallery
players Of u valuable asset, for which
the great mass of the population will
he dcyoutly thankful.