The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-04
But City of Chicago Can
 Not Operate Them.
QUEER RESULTS OF ELECTION
Split Up in Vote on the Three
 Propositions.
Mayor Dunne Says Issue Will Again Ge Before the People After Munich pality Has Arranged for
 Purchase.

Chicago, April 3.-Under the result of the city election held today. in which the question of municipal ownership of the street railways was the vital issue, the city of Chicago can proceed to acquire control of the railways. but cannot operate them. At the same time the voters while declaring that the city shall not proceed to operate the rail- roads, declared as a question of public policy it would be desirable for the city to do so.
 Three propositions were submitted to the voters. the first which says: Shall the city of Chicago proceed to operate the street raiIways?"
 This proposition required 60 per cent of the total vote cast, in order to be- come effective. The total vote was 231.17f. Of this number the proposi- ton to proceed to the immediate op- eration of the street railways secured but 120,911 votes. 17,792 short of the necessary three -fifths. 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 s75,000,000 for the pur- chase, ownership and maintenance of the street railways. This was carried by vote of HOODS against 106.669. The third question, which was simply a question of public policy and has no legal effect whatever. Is, Shall the City Council proceed without delay to se- cure the municipal ownership and oper- ation of the street railways, under the Mueller law, instead of granting fran chises to private companies?"
 This proposition was carried by 8 vote of 111.s62 to 10S.025.
 Mayor Dunne construed the passage of the $75.000,000 certificates and pub. lie policy propositions as victory for municipal ownership, but expressed his disappointment over the defeat of the proposition for municipal opera tion. He said:
 statement By nunne.
 "The proposition, however. at this time Is for the issuance of certificates and this has hcen carried. regret, however. very much. that we lid. not get the necessary majority to enable us to legally operate the street railway lines. But this will not prevent us from again going before the people after W have the street railway lines and ask ing for the necessary authority to operate
 The election was one of the most interesting to Chicago voters that has been held in many years. The vote was much larger than had been expected and the contest was bitterly fought. Party lines were largely Ignored.
 Of the thirty-five aldermen who were elected today, Mayor Dunne claims that nineteen are avowed cham pions of municipal owenrship and that he will have much less difficulty in passing measures relating to the doc urine through the city council than has been his fortune heretofore. |
 The faction opposed to municipal ownership declared that they still hold the control of the council and that Mayor Dunne will have no greater success in the future than he has in the past
 Besides the question of municipal ownership, the lssve was made in many of the aldermanic contests of whether the saloon license of the city shall be $500 or $1,000. The low figure was in existence up to March 5. when the city council by q close vote and after hard fight passed an ordinance raising the amount to $i,000. The num- Der of crimes which have lately been committed in this city against women has caused many people to believe that the crimes indirectly are attrib- utable to the large number Of saloons, and they favored the increase In H. censc as means If decreasing the number. The liquor interests made a strong fight against every alderman who was mp for reelection Who had voted for the license of $l,000 Of the fifteen men against whom they put their influence twelve were elected and three defeated. of the nine al- dermen up for reelection who voted for the continuance of the $500 license all were returned to their seats in the council. There is little danger. how ever. that the high license will be re- pealed.