The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-07-16

that elected Speaker Shurtleff and
Senator Lorimer, applied as a SUI
preme test the formula, IS he a man
of integrity, is he instinctively and
aggressively honest?'
Honesty Is Needed.
In its address to the voters of the
state the League emphasizes the need
of honesty, which, 1t says sis not ex.
tinct in Illinois, but it must be made
+, more fashinoable in the legislative
chambers" In it's review of the sit
Iuaton it says in part:
"The last legislature was in some
prospects better, in many respects
| worse than its predecessors. The
prolonged and scandalous fight over
the election of United States SEN
ator, preceded by the formation OF
the bipartisan combine, served to
make the session notable if not noto-
rious. The bipartisan alliance began
its work by defeating the choice of
the majority party caucus for the
speakership. and this combination of
Republicans and Democrats is con-
sidered the secret Of the demoraliza-
tion and bitterness which prevailed
in the lower house throughout the
regular and special sessions.
I'm the senate the so-called newer
or younger element gained control,
partly as a result Of the efforts of
the Legislative Voters League in
the last campaign, and the record of
the upper house showed satisfactory
improvement.
Three Questions Are Put.
In estimating a member of the leg
.islature various questions have been
considered. For example: Docs he
generally favor or oppose progressive
or good legislation? Direct primaries,
civil service reform, factory legisla-
ton, improved plans of municipal
government and the like can serve as
safe tests, What were the character
of his Springfield alliances and asso-
ciatiops? Was he connected with the |
ShurtlelI Browne bipartisan combine, |
and did he join the bipartisan deal to |
elect Lormor? Above all, is he a |
man of integrity-is he instinctively |
and aggresively honest? For the i'm |
mediately and vitally important step
before the people of this state is the |
nomination and election of honest |
men to the legislature. Honesty is |
not extinct in Illinois, but it must be
made more fashionable in the legisla,
tive chambers.
Many of those members of the
lower house who made unsatisfac-
tory records are what is known as |
minority representative" and are
products of the peculiar system of
representation provided for
in the Illinois CONSTITUTIONS thing
found in no other state in the Union.
Th pslan, while once theoretically
has proven an almost ut
ter failure in practice, and is a CON /
stant invitation to the party man.
ayers to deprive the voter of any
real choice or contest at the polls, so
far as assemblymen are concerned.
Asks For An Amendment.
An opportunity to amend this sec
tion of the constitution should be
given the people by the next incom.
ng legislature. Until that is done
we cannot safely hope for any per.
nanent Improvement.
The league has already appealed
for good strong candidates at the
coming primaries.
No reference is made herein to the
'ecords Of hold-over members of the
senate, elected in 1908 from even
numbered districts,
Records of Members.
In the nineteen districts in Cook
county, out of fifty.seven representa-
ives only eight are recommended un-
OF sixteen retiring. sena-
ors, seven receive similar indorse.
nents. Twenty-seven men in the
over house and six senators are con.
emned, while six representatives
nd one senator are held entitled to
consideration" Seven lower house
members and two senators are passed
ver with no recommendation.
Five house members are judged
lot deserving reelection. while two
representatives. have no judgmentl
assed upon their records, inasmuch
S they have been elected aldermen
nd will not be candidates. Theyl
re Anton ]. Cermak and Frank J
wilson
Downstate the average of indorse-
nents runs far higher than in Cook I
ounty.
OF the members OF the lower cham.
yer from the thirty-two districts out !
Ter from the thirtytwo districts Z
'ut of total of ninety-four are rec
or about one-half. In
'ook county only one in seven rep
esentatives is indorsed without
In some districts like the first In
'hicago and the forty-first and forty.
econd downstate, all representatives I
re condemned. In Cook county not