Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1905-04-20
BY JOHN TEMPLE GRAVES


economic banner which will ring and
wave throughout The country
Nothing more important and moth
ing more significant than this Chicago
election has stirred municipal and eco
lnomic politics Ia the generation In
which We live. II Officially sets in mo
ton a force which will clamor at the
American ballot box until IL has a def
mite and satisfactory answer
The second city and the real metro
polls of the greater part Of the Repub-
lie has. by an overwhelming majority,
committed Itself 10 trial Of the
mighty principle of municipal owner
ship The incident Is worthy OF the
vital interest and attention of every
American who thinks and votes
There was never an issue more clear
by made The selfish capitalists own
ing the franchises of the Chicago street
railway system have for forty year
abused the people Graft. greed and
watered stock al enormous profits have
J swallowed up an consideration OF pub
Do service and The corporations en-
IJoyng 'hc public franchise nave com
PEELED thc great city of Chicago To sub
/ mH tu ihe most cNccr1b'e street rail
Ivay service 100 America The se'hsh
/ Ines. aut greed %. the corporations
have been che instruments OF their
Town 1ndoIue and Ihc outraged sense
Ior tho people Numbered in tho ballots
Iof thc 3th OF April
A majority of ABOUT $4,000 citizens
IemphauaUy declared. First against
Ieautine any more franchises to Tho
corporation. and. second. iu favor OF
roe immediate establishment by legal
means Of municipal ownership of the
/ eroaf street railway system of Chicago
There has been much squirming b}
| Republican and corporation organs oy-
Ier thc result. and some rather frenzicd
haste Boo proncring explanations OF
/ tLis remarkable vote outside of The
great issue upon which 10 was cast
With due regard to these partisan pro
tests. and with the trivial and iucou
| scquorta swept away. several great
central facts loom definite aud clear
First Chicago went Republican iu
the Ia-' national election by nearly
i1tuUO majority
Second Carter Harrison. personally
tho most popular Democrat that Chi
,ago has known ir twenty years. car
ried the last municipal election against
q comparatively weak Republican com
petiior %, only 1900 votes
Third THAI in This campaign the
] Republican party had In John May
gard Harlan thc most picturesque, pop
-.ar and powerful municipal candi-
arf. rha, be- haas presented iu This gen.
ration and
toHIfh-Thal boz the face of these
conditions fhc Democratic party after
/ "a fhuruurIN discussed and deliberate
campaign ll- just carried tho c't} OF
/ Chicago distinctly and purely upon The
uc of municipal ownership by "a
sWccp.u2 maJorift ol $4,000 votes
There ear De- one explanation of This
IrcsuIt under ,ho-s conditions. and that
H. Chat Che people. speaking iu the
| majesty 1nd might uf majoritie-. are
| determined to give The great principle
Ior public ownership of utilities o. free.
luIr and practiCa. tria.
And thc Democracy of Chicago have
scored great and far-reaching
triumph in making this issue and in
carrying to the honest test of expert
ment
Now. b. this experiment of municipal
oN worship be- successful In this great
IoiN of ChiCago-if. after intelligent
duplication and reasonable proba-
ton. Il works well 10 the betterment
of the Duhlie service and In The COM