Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-12-30

ho@ Brewing Company.
by being kept chasing after will O
the wisp held up to their gaze by
scheming politicians, Office seekers and
demagogues.
Hence II II not likely that very many
Of thlrty-flve candidates for Aiderma.
mic honors next spring will run upon
an immediate ownership platform. II
any should try 1t they will have cause
to rue Il.
1t II the opinion of every man on
both sides Of the political fence that
hardly a 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. a prominent Republican
leader had this TO say:
"Should the traction question be un.
settled by next April, the people will
turn out ut the polls and sweep from
the field every candidate who has the
tcmerlty to run upon the ridiculous i'm.
mediate ownership platform"
Another. speaking through the col.
umns Of n contemporary. said:
II believe that the Republican candi.
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.
1t would be wise for the Republi.
cans to adopt policy that has the
greatest certainty Of producing carly
and satisfactory reforms in the street
car service. It In now well understood
that the party Of municipal ownership,
no called. really cares for the owner.
ship Of the streets only no It can ma.
nlpnlnte the street car employees for 10.
lItical purposes"
This has the right ring to II; II truly
expresses the general condition Of pub.
lie sentiment today. and IL gospel
truth. every word Of It.
Whit II true Of the Republican par.
ty Ii true also Of the Democratic party.
Leaders and candidates ON both sides
will do we'll to remember next spring,
should the traction question bc then
unsolveti, that what tho people want Ia
not 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 ana
development Of this question. there
really seems to be no reason why II
should not be settled even before the
aldermanic campaign OF next spring.
There Is nothing that the people
have demanded either In public mass
meetings or through their representa-.
lives In the city government that has
not been conceded by the traction com.
panies.
Universal transfers. up.to.late street
cur service. comfortable cars and plen.
ty Of them, rapid transit. handsome re-.
Enumeration to the city. courteous and
careful treatment OF the public by the
companies employees, streets along the
right Of way sprinkled ana swept In
summer, and the snow and slush re-
moved In winter; all these and other
advantages which have been enumer.
ated In previous editions Of this paper
are guaranteed the people In return
for u franchise Of reasonable length.
Everybody who has given the mat.
ter any study or attention knows that
II the city could own the street rail.
way companies tomorrow II could not
give the public any such service as
this, nor could II do 40 In the course
OF twenty years TO come. II ever ut all.
The enormous expense Of acquiring
tho property and rolling stock Of the
companies would simply swamp the
city. and then II II ever did get the
system into working order 1t IL ten
chances to one that 1t would be In the
hands Of lot Of hoOdlum hangers. on
Of political parties who would give the
people the kind Of service they have
ben used to for years ut the City Hall,
ana who would probably steal the sys.
tenn, the city ana public blind.
In addition to all this the people
have come to a full realization of the
strong, In fact, impregnable position
which the traction companies would
occupy II after all that has been said
ana done the whole thing should be
thrown into the courts.
They have an endless variety of ar
guments, almost limitless grounds of
law and equity to stand upon In de-
Tense of their rights II they should be
finally forced to do SO In the courts.
1t would mean endless litigation that
might be carried even as far as the
limits Of the companies ninety.nine
year rights, which they are now will.
ing to waive, with the almost abso.
lutte certainty Of victory for them in
the end.
The people do not want any such
thing as this.
They want the traction question set,
tied at once, and II It should be unset
tied at the next spring election there