New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-24
MAYOR DrNrE,s TLrToRY.

Mayor Dunno and municipal ownership Of
more or less Immediate" character have scored
another triumph in Chicago and the Mayor is
almost as iubilaQt as he was when he rode
into Office on the crest Of q new reform wave.
Since that time the Mayor has had many
Christening experiences and has learned that
the word immediate" Is sometimes exceed
ingIy inconvenient as applied 10 prediction
promises
The first rock upon which immediate munici-
pal ownership Of the street railways OF Chicago
came 70 grief was the Common Council, which
did not share the Mayors enthusiasm for reform
Of that particular kind and took what must have
seemed 10 Judge Dunno malicious pleasure in
making Immediate municipal ownership
phrase Of ridicuIe. Then followed a time of vary
ing proposals and counter proposals, with no
prospect, apparently, that municipal ownership,
Immediate or otherwise. would get forward far
during the Mayors term. But ne persisted,
visited Cleveland and Detroit and called in other
experts, who gave more consolation and possibly
better advice than did Mr. DRlrymple Of Glas-
gov. whose wisdom is still pigeonholed among
the Mayors archives Meantime discussion IN
Chicago was going on and, unknown to Mayor
Dunno, the opposition in the Common Council 70
municipal ownership was weakening. Finally,
when last Thursday, IN special session Of the
Council, the Mayors two ordinances, one provid-
way certificates and the other authorizing the
city 10 operate as well as own It's street
railways were passed by majorities Of SO to
% in one case and IS 70 % in the other the
flag Of municipal ownership was placed over
the City Hall and Mayor Dunno became him
self again.
It IS still necessary that the voters Of Chi
cago shall ratify this action Of the Council
at the coming April election, but Mayor Dunno,
their verdict on the question When the issue
Of municipal ownership Of the street railways
has heretofore been involved directly OF indi-
rectIy the verdict OF Chicago has always been
in its favor. The addition of an operation
clause will serve as a raIlying ground for those
who oppose that phase Of municipalization.
but the probability is that the voters Of Chi
cago, as Mayor Dunno expresses II. will hold
that Its citizens are as capable OF running it's
own affairs as are those OF 142 cities IN other
countries" Whether they are or not is a
question which Chicago, in the event Of its
acceptance Of the ordinances will have TO an
swer and upon that answer may TO some
extent depend the immediate future Of mu-
nicipalizatiOn OF public utilities in the United
States
TacucaIly, Mayor Dunno has won a decisive
victory, not only over the opponents Of munici-
pauzatiOn but also over the less radical friends
Of that policy, and, as he remarks ii is now
his turn 70 laugh II has been suggested that
the ordinance in regard TO the certificates is
not drawn in compliance with the Mueller law
which of course is a question for the courts
should its validity be questioned. Whether the
Mueller law itself will be pronounced consti-
tutional when IL comes before the Supreme
Court and whether, also, in case its consti-
tutionRlity is affirmed. buyers can be found
for such bic issue, are questions with which
Mayor Dunno naturally is not troubIing him
self in his hour Of victory. Those are bridges
that can be crossed perhaps, when the Mayor
gets 10 them At present things are coming
his way, and il looks as though municipal own
ership were at last 10 have a thorough trial in
the second city OF America. The experiment
viii be watched with great interest. especially
in New-YOrk