Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-04
MIXED RESULT IN CHICAGO
Proposition for Purchase Of Street Railways
Carries by Small Majority,
POWER TO OPERATE THEM NOT SECURED
This Proposal Required Three
Fifths Vote and Failed by
About Eighteen Thou
sand.

CHICAGO, April 3.-Under the result OF
| the city election held today, in which the
question Of the municipal ownership of the
| street railways was the vital issue, the city
1 Of Chicago can proceed to acquire and con-
troll the railways, but cannot operate them.
At the same time the voters, while declar-
ing that the city shall not proceed to oper-
ate the railroads, declared that, as a ques-
tion of public policy, it would be desirable
for the city to do so.
Three propositions were submitted to the
voters, the first OF which was:
Shall the city of Chicago proceed to op-
crate street railways?"
| This proposition required 90 per cent of
the total vote cast in order 20 become ef-
| fective. The total vote was III. OF this
number the proposition to proceed to the
immediate operation of the street railways
secured 12O,911 votes, 1872 short OF the nee
essary three-hfths.
! The second proposition involved the ap-
proval Of an ordinance, previously passed
! by the city council, providing for the issue
Of street railway certificates In amount
not to exceed s75OOO.OOO and for the pur-
chase, ownership and maintainence of the
street railways. This was carried by 3.Se
votes.
The third question, which was simply on
the question of public policy and has no
legal effect whatever, is "Shall the city
council proceed without delay to secure the
municipal ownership and operation OF the
street railways under the Mueller law in
stead Of granting franchises to private
companies?''
This proposition was carried by about
1900 votes
Mayor Dunno construed the passage of
the $75,0OOOOO certificate and public policy
propositions as victory for municipal
ownership but expressed his disappoint
ment over the defeat OF the propositions for
municipal operation. He said:
I admit that I am disappointed because
the victory is not complete. The important
! proposition, however, at the present time
ls for the issuance OF the certificates, and
this has been carried: I regret, however,
very much that we did not get the neces-
| sary majority to enable us legally to op-
will not prevent us from again going be-
fore the people after we have the street
railway lines and asking for the necessary
| authority to operate them. The people will
vote for operation with big majority at
the proper, time
The election was one of the most interest
ing TO Chicago voters that has been held in
many years. The vote was much larger
than had been expected and all day the con-
test for and against municipal ownership
was bitterly fought. Party lines were
largely ignored and the eligibility of cam
didates depended more upon their attitude
toward municipal operation OF street cars
and high license for saloons than upon their
party records
OF the thirty-fve aldermen who were
elected today Mayor Dunno claims that
nineteen are avowed champions OF munic-
ipal ownership and that he will have much
less difhculty In passing measures relating
to that doctrine through the city council
than has been his fortune heretofore
The faction opposed to municipal owner
ship declares that II still holds the con-
troll OF the council and that Mayor Dunno
will have no greater success in the future
than he has had in the past.
High License Men Reelected.
j Besides the question of municipal owner
ship the issue was made In many of the
aldermanic contests of whether the saloon
licenses OF the city shall be $500 or $1,000,
The low figure was in existence up to
March 5, when the city council by a close
vote and after a hard fight passed an
ordinance raising the amount to $1,000 The
number OF crimes which nave lately been
committed in this city against women has
caused many people to believe that the
| crimes indirectly are attflDutaDle 10 the
large number of saloons. and they favored
the increase in license means of de-
creasing the number. The liquor interests
made a strong fight against every alder
man who was up for reelection who had
voted for 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 re-
election who voted for the continuance of
the $500 license all were returned TO their
seats i'm the council. There is little danger.
however that the high license will be re-
pealed.
The vote in several of the wards was
so close that it probably will require the
official canvass to determine the result,
but the PROBABILITIES are that the republicans
will have a majority OF three OF four
votes. The old council consisted OF thirty
seven republicans, thirty-two democrats
and one independent.
Following are the corrected figures on
the election:
The total vote cast on the question of
municipal ownership was 231.11. OF this
| number 120,9i1 were cast in favor OF mu-
and 10, ,26O against IL. In order to become
binding the proposition to operate the rail-
ways should have received 13s, ,703 votes. II
therefore fell short OF the required number
by 1872 votes.
The proposition to issue $4,000 900 in street
railway certificates carried by a vote
OF llOOOS against 1O6,66e The question OF
public policy was carried by a vote Of III