The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-04-03
CHICAGO'S
VERDICT
F. A. Busse Elected Mayor
Over E. F. Dunno
CIVIC OWNERSHIP LOSES
Result Showed decided Reversal
Of Public Opinion on Trolley
Line Control

CHICAGO, April 3.-The most IN
tense campaign In municipal politics
that Chicago has experienced IN many
years closed with the election OF Fred
erick A. Busse. the Republican candl-
date for mayor. over kdward n.
Dunno. his Democratic rival and a can
didate for reelection. Buses plural
lily was between 1900 and 1900
votes.
The issues In the campaign have
been largely based upon the improve
mcnt OF the local traction systems.
Both parties agreed that present condl.
lions are lntolerable. but differed as to
the best methods OF revising them. The
Democratic party. headed by Mayor
Dunno. stood for Immediate municipal
ownership through condemnation OF
the street car property II the result
could not be obtained IA any other
way, The Republican party favored
ordinances which were recently passed
by Democrntic city council over the
veto Of Mayor Dunno.
These ordinances provided for twep.
~ year franchises for the street car
companies. the city retaining the right
90 purchase the systems for SjO.OOOOOo
plus the amount "a H. spent for imme-
date rehabilitation Of the lines. six
months notice being necessary OF the
city's intention % acquire the property
The ordinances also provide for uni
vcnsal transfers throughout the city. a
nve cent fare and - per cent Of the
net profit Of the companies 10 b. paid
TO the city. These ordinances are APP
proved now by n majority vote OF
about 1000 .
The vote generally showed a decided
reversal of public opinion on municipal
ownership compared with the mayorai-
~ campaign two years ago. AZ that
time Dunno received iG3.iSg votes
against 1861 for John N. Harlan.
the Republican leader. The Prohibit
tIon ticket received 3.2a4 votes and
the Socialist 2aWll. This year the re
publican vote was close 90 10000 and
that OF the Democrats close 10 $4,000.
The Prohibition vote ran slightly above
that 81 two years ago. while the so
ciallst vote fell OF heavily. u being
more than i2cco less
The dlsaerecablc features OF the cam.
palgn which became 20 pronounced In
its latter part commenced when Mayor
Dunno circulated n petition for n ref.
ercndum vote ON the traction propo-i-
ton. lie and his followers announced
that they had secured i5i.Oc0 slgners-
10 this petition. $1,000 being necessary
TO place the matter before the voters.
Charges were made by the Republic.
nm party that thousands of these names
had been forged and that the list hal
been padded In every conceivable fash.
ion. These assertions we're vehement.
~ denied by the Democrats and the
followers of Mayor Dunno who were In
favor Of Immediate municipal owner.
ship.
Prom this time until the end Of tho
campaign the feeling became more bit
ter.
william Randolph Hearst came per.
sonally from New York 10 take part In
the campaign and brought with him
cartoonlsts and editorial writers. His
papers were the only publications IN
the city supporting Mayor Dunno. IN
other newspapers being for Bussc and
the ordinances. The papers favoring
Busse made much Of the cry that chi.
cago wis able to manage H. own In.
tcrcsts without receiving Instructions
from New York.
The Hearst papers claimed that May.
or Dunno was acting for the best In
forests Of Chicago aud that Il was.
therefore their duty TO support him.
A Washington dispatch says that
when Informed o. the election ~ Mr..
liusse as' mayor ~ Chicago President
Roosevelt made this statement:
II am exceedingly pleased at Mr..
Busscs victory. During his service NJ
postmaster MIR Cortclyou aud I grew
90 feel that he possessed 10 very
marked degree administrative abilities.
I believe he will make nm excellent
mayor OF Chicago. and heartily con
trrafulufe the city 4"