Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-12-02
Public Sentiment in Favor Of Speedy
Solution Of Traction Problem Has
Pa|pab|e Effect.
If Still Undecided by Spring Elec-
ton Voters Will Quickly
Settle II.

That the overwhelming sentiment OF
the general public Is In favor of an
immediate settlement Of the traction
question and opposed to any further
pnrlcying. humbug and buncombc over
the impossible fad, immediate mu-
nicipnl ownership" Is now plain to
all who have eyes TO SEQ and ears to
hear.
That prospective candidates for the
Council In next springs election, as
we'll as the party leaders on both sides
who are possessed of wisdom. discrc.
ton ana the ability to get In touch will,
the public pulse. are aware of this is
evident from the preparations already
being made for that election.
IT the traction question should by
any policy Of delay and dilly dnllying
he still unsettled by the time the next
.\ldcrmanic election Is held. that clcc.
ton will show conclusivcly what q tire.
mcndous rcvulslon In public sentiment
IN regard to this question has taken
place since the last Mayoralty cam.
paign.
The people have had their eyes open
cd since last April.
They have witnessed the pitiful Of.
forts of nm honest but misdircctcd and
lily Informed man whom they elected
on the platform of immediate munici.
pal ownership of the street railways
10 keep pledges which he made In good
faith. hut which he found himself Alb
solntcly unable TO carry out.
The people have found that the trac.
tion question has been played with
simply to make campaign buncombc.
that they have been hoodwinked. that
they have been made 10 suffer physi.
cal discomfort AMI untold financial loss
by being kept chasing after u will q
the wlsp held up To their gaze by
schcnling politicians, Office seekers and
dema gogucs.
Hence II Is not likely that very many
OF thirty-ilve candidates for .\ldcrmn-
mic hOnors next spring will run upon
an immediate ownership platform. IT
any should try II they will have cause
To rue IL.
II Is the opinion Of every man ~,
both sides of the political fence thar
hardly n single candidate of the thirty
to he elected Aldermen will he an i'm
mediate municipal ownership man.
These views are shared by scores
of others. \ prominent Republican
leader had this to say:
SHOULD the traction question be- I'M
settled by next April. the people viii
turn out nj tho polls and sweep from
the Held every candidate who has the
tcmcrlty to run upon the ridiculous I'M
mediate ownership platform"
Another, speaking through the col.
,,mns Of II contemporary. said;
Il believe that the Republican camdl-
dates for Aldermen next spring will all
stand upon the same platform In rcla.
ton to the most important question
now confronting the city voters.
II would DO wise for the Rcpubli.
'"bS '" "'ol' " 'u"s hN" wv
greatest certainty Of producing early
and satisfactory reforms In tho street
ear service. II IL now well understood
that the party Of municipal ownership
so called. really cares for the owner
ship of the streets only as II can ma.
nlpulnte the street car employees for 30
lltical purposes"
This has the right ring to IT. II truly
expresses the general condition of pub
lie sentiment to-day. and Is gospel
truth. every word of It.
What IL true OF the Republican par
ty IL true also of the Democratic party
Leaders and candidates on both sides
will do well To remember next spring
should the traction question he then
mnsolved. that what the people want Is
not n lot of nonsense about immediate
municipal ownership. but immediate
settlement of this question.
To all thinking persons. all ut least
who have followed the progress and
development of this question, there
really seems Ia be no reason why II