Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-05-18
thursday, May 10, I3U0.
Shall The People Rule?
By JOHN TEMPLE GRAVES.
Sunday, April iG, 1905

Well, the democracy of Chicago
has sounded q bugle note, and un-
furled an economic banner which
will ring and wave throughout the
country.
Nothing more important and
nothing NOR, significant than this
Chicago election has stirred mu-
nicipal and economic politics in
the generation in which we live.
1t officially sets in motion force
which will clamor at the American
ballot box until it has definite
and satisfactory answer.
The second city and the real me-
tropolis of the greater part of the
Republic has, by an overwhelming
majority, committed itself to trial
of the mighty principle of munich
pal ownership. The incident is
worthy of the vital interest and at
tention of every American who
thinks and votes.
There never was an Issue more
clearly made. The selfish capital
lists owning the franchises of the
Chicago street railway system have
for forty years abused the conf
dence and liberality of the people.
Graft, greed and watered stock at
enormous profits have swallowed
up all consideration of public SER
vice, and the corporations enjoy
ing the public franchise have COM
PEELED the great city of Chicago
to submit to the most execrable
street railway service in America.
The selfishness and greed of the
corporations have been the instru-
ments of their own undoing, and
the outraged sense of the people
Numbered in the ballots of the 4th
of April.
A majority of about $4,000 citi-
zens emphaticalIy declared; First,
against granting any more fran
chises to the corporation, and, sec
ond, in favor of the immediate es-
Enlistment by legal means of mu-
nicipaI ownership of the great
street railway system of Chicago.
There has been much squirming
by republican and corporation Or
gans over the result, and some
rather frenzied haste in protfering
explanations of this remarkable
vote outside of the great issue up
on which it was cast. With due
regard to these partisan protests,
and with the trivial and incon-
squental swept away, several great
central facts loom definite and
clear.
First-Chicago went republican
in the last national election by
nearly 10000 majority.
Second-Carter Harrison, per-
sonally the most popular democrat
that Chicago has known in twenty
years, carried the last municipal
election against a comparatively
weak republican competitor by
only 900 votes.
Third-That in this campaign
the republican party had in John
Maynard Harlan the most picture
sque, popular and powerful mu-
nicipal candidate that it has pre-
sented in this generation; and,
Fourth-That, in the face of
these conditions the democratic
party, after a thoroughly discussed
and deliberate campaign, has just
carried the city of Chicago dis
tinctIy and purely upon the issue
of municipal ownership by a sweep
ing majority of $4,000 votes.
There can be but one eXplana-
ton of this result under these con-
ditions, and that is that the people,
speaking in the majesty and might
of majorities, are determined to
give the great principle of public
ownership of utilities free, fair
and practical trial.
And the democracy of Chicago
have scored a great and far-reach-
ing triumph in making this issue
and in carrying it to the honest
test of experiment.
Now, if this experiment of mu-
nicipal ownership is successful in
this great city of Chicago-if, af-
ter intelligent application and
reasonable probation, it works we'll
to the betterment of the public
service, and to the comfort, con-
venience and economy of the peo-
ple-it is simply a matter of COM
mon sense to see that the move
ment inaugurated by the Chicago
democracy-and to be credited as
q democratic movement-will
sweep the country and solve the
problem that involves both cities
and states in scandal and injustice.
That this experiment will he
successful no man of reasonable