New-York tribune., 1906-05-06
THE PASSING OF A PHENoMEEoy.

Mayor Dunno of Chicago was phenomenon.
he was elected to Office by his desperate fellow
citizens because he was the rashest promiser
within the city limits He pledged an impOssi-
bility with a cheerfulness that astounded the
American people, accustomed as they are to the
habit Of their politicians. He was discredited
from the time Of his first utterance in the minds
Of sane observers, and now there are not want
ing signs that Chicago is waking up from its
delusiOns.
The latest suggestion Of the Mayor for the
temporary solution Of the rapid transit question
takes Chicago not hands breadth further than
st was half a dozen years ago. Not a step Of
progress has been made in the way Of ideas or
constructive pOllty. The city is merely in a
stronger tactical position by reason of the Su-
preme Courts decision invalidating the street
railway company's franchises and evidence is
heaping up that street railway company with
out franchise Is almost as terrible thing to
deal with as one with a ninety-nine years
license to Rtreat the public with cOntumeIy. It
runs its rickety, tumbledown cars through the
streets with the same disrespect of decency.
There are million people who want to ride,
and there Is the disreputable car service to carry
them, and no way Of saying Presto" and hav-
ing lovely, immediate municipality owned cars
and car lines in their place. They are obstinate
in decreplt cars. and these decrepit cars that
cannot be transmOgriied in the twinkling Of an
eye by the magic OF many votes and long and
potent words. So Chicago has got no further.
Mayor DUNES latest suggestion is merely
throwing himself on the mercy Of the companies.
Let them be good. Let them reconstruct. re-
equip, unity their system. give through trans
portatiOn and a universal transfer. In return
for the privilege of doing these things the COM
panies, the Mayor thinks, ought to be willing to
pay the city a gOodly portion OF their profits.
ultimately" Of course, the city will buy them
Out-"when it can"-paying for the improve
ments. It Is not bad plan, and il is hailed with
JOY by all the opponents of municipal ownership.
The companies may not like the plan They
may want something more substantial than a
license to go ahead. They may be grasping
about the profits. If they prove recalcitrant
there is, Of course a threatening alternative. A
new company will be licensed to get into business
and do Just tho things the other refuses to do
on the streets to which the other has no claim.
OF course the allurement Of this prospect, de.
clned by one group OF capitalists, may not at
tract any other, but It is good enough bogle for
the present at least.
All these suggestions have a very familiar
aspect Carter Harrison when Mayor would
have given the present companies short term
franchises as an inducement 70 be good and
would have bought them out IN the sweet by
and by. Mr. Harlan, who ran against Mayor
Dunno, was for short franchises on condi-
ton that the car service should be improved
ana then for the purchase OF the improved stock
and equipment by the city whenever possible.
The threatening alternative was similar What
Is the practical difference between a license and
short franchise, either TO be followed by pur.
chaser legal shadow or verbal quibble. That
measures ChicagO's real progress-not prac-
! ucally for practically there has been none
! toward solving the street railway problem in
this administration. Indeed, while we are on
/ the subject OF verbal progress, the recent vote
for city ownership without city operation meant,
! II 1t meant anything, operation under a lease.
What is the difference between municipal con.
troll over a corporation acting under limited
franchise an9 lsassf Both can ba vacated Tor
violation Undoubtedu tnsfe Is legal ditars