The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-04
Chicago People Vote for Owner
ship of Street Railways.
But Not for Their Operation by
the City.
OTHER ELECTIONS.
Milwaukee Turns Down Man
Who Had Served Four Terms.
Kansas City Elects a Republican
Mayor by Good Margin.

Chicago. April 4.-Under the result
of the city election, in which the ques-
ton of municipal ownership of the
street railways was the vital issue. the
city Of Chicago can proceed to acquire
and control the railways, but can not
operate them At the same time. the
voters. while declaring that the city
shall not proceed to operate the rail- |
roads, declared that as a question OF
policy. it would be desirable for the |
city to 90 so.
Three propositions we're submitted to /
the voters, the first Of which was:
"shall the city Of Chicago proceed to /
operate street railways ?"
This proposition required SO per cent
,of the total vote cast in order to be-
come effective. The total vote was ap-
proximately 233.0OO OF this number
the proposition to proceed to the i'm
mediate operation of the street railway
secured but $4,000 votes. about 5000
short of the necessary three-dfths.
The second proposition involved the
approval of an ordinance previously
passed by the city council providing for
the issue of street railway certificates, |
in amount not to exceed SIS, 100000. !
for the purchase, ownership and main /
tenance Of the street railways. This
was carried by about $500 votes.
The third question, which was sim
ply on the question of public policy and
has no legal effect whatever, is: Shall
the city council proceed, without delay, /
20 secure the municipal ownership and
operation of the street railways under |
the Mueller law, instead of granting
franchises to private companies
This proposition was carried by /
about $500.
Mayor Dunno considered the passage /
of the ST5,000,000 certificate and pub Z
lie policy propositions as a victory for 4
municipal ownership, but expressed his I
disappointment over the defeat Of the /
proposition Cor municipal operation
He said:
isI admit that 7 am disappointed be- /
cause the victory is not complete. The I
important proposition, however, at the
present time. is for the issuance Of the +
certificates, and this has been carried I
regret however very much that we i
did not get the necessary majority to /
legally to operate the street railway +
lines. But this will not prevent US
from again going before the people 1
after we have the street railway lines
and asking for the necessary authority I
TO operate. The people viii vote for I
operation with a big majority at the
proper time"
The election was one of the most in
teresting to Chicago voters that has
been held in many years The vote I
was much larger than had been eX-
pected and all day the contest for and +
against municipal ownership was Bit
terly fought. Party lines were largely
ignored and the eligibility of candi- /
dates depended more upon their atti-
tude toward municipal operation of
street cars and high license for saloons /
than upon their party records.
OF the 35 aldermen who were elect /
ed. Mayor Dunno claims that nineteen /
are avOWed champions of municipal (
ownership and that he viii have much
less difficulty in passing measures re- I
lating to that doctrine through the
city council than has been his for +
tune heretofore.
The faction opposed to municipal /
ownership declares that they still hold
the control of the council and that
success in the future than he has had
IN the past
Besides the question of municipal
ownership the issue was made in many
of the a1dermanic contests of whether
the saloon licenses Of the city shall be
$500 or $1,000. The low figure was in
existence upon March when the city
council by a close vote and after
hard fight passed an ordinance raising
the amount to 81 600. The number of
crimes which have lately been COM
mitted in this city against women has
caused many people to believe that the
crimes indirectly are attributable
the large number OF saloons, and they
favored the increase in license as a
means of decreasing the number. The
LIQUOR interests made a strong fight
against every alderman who was up
for reelection who had voted Ior the
license of $1,000 OF the fifteen men
against whom they put their influence
twelve were elected and three de-
feated Of the nine aldermen up for
reelection who voted for the continu-
ance Of the $500 license, all were re-
turned to their seats IN the council.
There is little danger. however. that
the high license viii be repealed
The vote in several Of the wards
was so close that it probably will re-
ouire the official canvass to determine
the result. but the probabilities are
that the Republicans viii have ma
ioritv Of three or four votes.
The old council consisted Of thirty
seven Republicans. thirty-two Demo-
crats and one Independent.