Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1909-11-13
TWO MILLION STRIKE
Continued from First Page.)

4
incidentally true to an infinitesimal
extent compared with the vast bene4
fits and blessings that are bestowed
upon Chicago by the growth and
magnitude Of our manufacturing and
general business interests dependent
upon the use Of our cheap Illinois
coal.
This city Is to-day the cleanest city
In the country using bituminous coal
for Its principal fuel. Milwaukee,
Cincinnati. Cleveland, st. Louis and
fittsburg are far smoker cities, con-
sidering comparative population and
comparative extent and magnitude OF
manufacturing interests.
There is no city in the world where
the users Of soft coal are so tormented,
tortured and prosecuted as they are
In this very city Of Chicago. Let us
not be overbalanced as to the alleged
polluted and poisonous air along the
line Of the Illinois Central. In case a
sample Of the air were analyzed it
would be found to be purer than the
air we breathe in our workshops, in
our offices. in our public schools. in
our public halls and even in the rooms
In which we sleep.
But certain Of our rich dilletantes
and connoisseurs In art tell us that
Chicago must be second Paris and
should become the abode of the en-
nobling fine arts. Chicago Is already
emulating too much Paris. the great
whited sepulchre of the cities of the
world. Already too much luxury and
avarice are spreading among us on
every side and slowly but surely sap.
ping the very foundations Of society.
We cannot get along without our
mills and factories and the manifold
industries dependent upon the use of
cheap Illinois coal as prominent fea.
ture in the cost OF production. But
we can do without our museums and
picture galleries containing nude Gre.
clan statuary representing the Cupids,
Psyches and venuses. and adorned
with the pictures Of painted damsels
with not a single stitch upon them.
All these toys and playthings have
their proper places. but certainly must
not be placed paramount to the inter.
ests OF the useful and Industrial arts.
The art OF making living interests
more seriously the great mass of the
people Of Chicago than any considera.
tion for the fine and luxurious arts.
Any little damage done to either pub
lie or private pictures and statuary
Is Of little consequence with the mass
OF the people compared with the art
Of making living.
In any case. one Of the highest au.
thorities In the criticism Of art, Rus.
kin. declared that all paintings Of the
early masters had for q background
smoky atmosphere. Chicago nils
this bill. A little more smoke gives
our pictures tone and the appearance
OF age and adds to their value.
II the railroad companies will use
coke for switching within the limits Of
Chicago they viii effectively get rid Of
smoke. and Of cinders. too. In the
process Of coking the cinders are
thrown OF In few hours in the es.
Gaping volatile matter. while the coal
Is disintegrating In Its hrst stages Of
combustion. Coke throws of practi.
cally no cinders. The noise that the
aldermen are inveighing against is too
nonsensical a claim to merit any at.
tention.
In a test made with coke few days
ago on the Illinois Central Railroad It
was demonstrated that this fuel does
the required work In quite q satisfac.
tory way. except on the express trains
running at high rate Of speed. This
dihiculty can be easily overcome by
manufacturing q stronger and more
dense quality Of coke. The coke test.
ed was made from southern Illinois
coal. OF course. certain aldermen will
oppose the use Of this smokeless fuel,
40 It will interfere with their pet
scheme Of general electrifica&ion.
The Commonwealth Edison Com.
pany. through its president. publicly
announces that It Is ready and willing
to supply electric power to at least
two railroads. First the plot is to
force the railroads to electrify. and
then compel the owners Of down town
buildings to get their power from this
identical electric company.
Pretty much the entire industries
OF the city Of Chicago will then be at
the mercy of this monopoly. Then
there will be one great power company
to dictate terms to manifold interests
OF Chicago We are not quite ready
yet to accept this vassalage and pay
tribute to one Of the most dangerous
trusts ever formed In this country.
WILLIAM p. REND.
The death strip" must 60.
Who owns the Weighing machines