Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-01
Tom Johnson,s Triumph.


Tom Johnson, mayor of Cleveland.
Ohio has won one of The most remark
able municipal struggles in the history
of our American cities. After a long
drawn battle with the traction inter
ests Of that city, in which millions of
dollars We're involved, he has succeed
ed in winning not only victory for
himself, but a victory for municipal
ownership and victory for the peo-
pie of Cleveland. This will mean Il
renewal of public confidence in Tom
JohnsOn's ability Ns a fighter in de
Tense of the peoples interests. He
has accomplished what he said he
would accomplish if reelected mayor.
lie had shown his fighting qualities
in several campaigns and the people
of Cleveland believed i'm him and
trusted him. The proof of this is the
fact that he was reelected ir his last
campaign over Congressman Burton,
who was nominated for mayor on the
republican ticket at the direction, so
it is understood, of President Roose-
welt himself But Tom Johnson had
been accustomed to fighting powerful
foes. and he swept aside the opposl-
ton of the national administration
with the same remarkable display OF
generalship as he has swept aside the
corporation interests of Cleveland with
millions of dollars back of them. 1t
was an appropriate celebration OF
traction peace in Cleveland when all
the people were given free rides
all day last Tuesday: and when ar
rangements were made to have trac-
lion holidays at certain intervals
henceforth under the municipal sys
TEN, with Scent fares and universal
transfers
Tom .Iohnson's vistOry is the termi
nation of a fight extending over a
period of six years. Six years ago he
told the people of Cleveland that they
should have a 3-cent car fare. He
then began the fight. and every re-
source known to special privilege was
arrayed against Tom Johnson. All
that the corporations and shrewd law
yers could do 10 interfere with his
plans they did Johnson was attacked
from every conceivable quarter and
in every imaginable way. He was
abused, maiigned. vilifed called a
demagOgue, agitator and crank. But
this opposition only made him fight
the harder, and gradually the clouds
of defeat began to leave and he saw
the light of victory. On the first day
Iof November. 1906, Mayor Johnson
in person took the controller OF a new
trolley car and ran it out of the car
barns and started it on its first trip
The car was filled with city officials
of the Municipal Traction company
and others: and on that day the con
Guctor collected the first Scent fares
ever paid i'll Cleveland. Johnson him
self acting as mOtOrman ran the c;n
over the entire II miles of track, and
as it passed along. received the
cheers of the people. The victory
was made complete when the su
preme court of the United States, il
January. 1907. sustained Mayor John
sons contentious and opened the way
for Cleveland's control over its owl
traction lines. The court held tina
the extensions for grants for connect
| ing lines did not extend the life o
the original franchises of constituent
lines, and this holding opened III
many new streets of the city. In
functions by the scores have followed
and more obstacles met. but linall.
the traction interests We're forced Il
surrender, and Johnson's plan tri
umphs.
! Brand Whitlock, mayor of Toledo
Ohio, in writing recently of Mayo
JohnsOn's Scent fare propaganda
said:
NO. Mayor Johnson's ambition i
not 3-cent fare; it is democracy
fundamental democracy: his ambition
is the city, free city; all that he ha
lever done has been to bring about tn,
free, democratic, American city, tn
city with home rule, and his persona
Iambition does not go beyond beini
mayor of such city"
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