The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-01-25
BIG ALDERMAN|C
JACKPOT OPENED
ONCE IN CAIRO
Alderman Spent 500 in Obtaining
70 Imported Negro
Votes.
HE BEAT THE ADMINISTRATIONS
Demanded Clamp.ng Of Lid Down
on Saloonkeeper as the
Price Of Peace.


the commission form of municipal
government in Cairo are now claim
ing that 1t will be impossib to find
four representative men who will
give their time TO the affairs of the
city for 5000 per year.
These opponents claim that no
representative man can afford to
give daily six hours of his time to
city matters.
These opponents assert that the
law demands that they shall daily
give six hours o. their time to the
city. II it adopts the commission
form.
This statement is either based on
ignorance. or knavery.
1t is more probable that ii is due
to ignorance.
Under the provisions Of the law
amended April II. 1911 in city the
size of Cairo OF not over $4,000 in
habitants neither the mayor nor the
commissioners are required to de,
vote any particular amount OF time
but in "citics Of 10000 population
and over the mayor and the com
missioners shall devote, at east six
hours daily TO the performance OF
their OFFICIAL duties"
One opponent in particular, was
asked If it Is not possible to
obtain four good men to attend te
the city affairs for $500 per year
how was it that men were annually
found scrambling to be aldermen
under the present percentage sys
TEN" for $500 per month.
1t is said that an alderman, who
has served seven terms, (fourteen
years) In the council has been
known to have spent 500 for just
10 votes imported from Kentucky
and certain gentleman high up"
spent $500 in the interest of a
friend" in an endeavor to defeat
him--and lost
An account Of the interview fol-
lowing the election of that alderman
he winning by just "a votes, with
this gentleman high up" in city af
fairs. relative to clamping the lid
down on a saloonkeeper who opposed
him, would prove interesting read
Ing.
There Is another story. the statute
of limitation barring the way tc
prosecution, wherein graft--now
ca led Kicking in the kindling"
would make Chicago auto bandit
ask for a foot warmer SO cold would
his feet become when about to put
over such daring scheme, and yet
that scheme got by. simply on the
strength of its boldness
1t was legislative Jackpot" said
to have contained anywhere from
$4,000 to $4,000.
Under the commission form OF
government no such deal could have
been put through, since the law pro-
vides that every grant OF any fran
chlse, right or license to occupy or
use the streets, alleys. highways,
bridges. subways. viaducts. public
property or public places for aeria
way. interurban, suburban, subway,
elevated or street railway. gas, water
works. electric light. power plants,
telegraphs, telephone systems OF
other public service utilities within
said city or village, must be author.
lied or approved by majority of the
electors voting thereon at general
or special e,ection.',
Under the above section it is the
voter who will cut into the "rich
me'ons."
The "Glue Gang as 1t is termed
In some quarters, since the mem
bers stick SO close together, are
mole-like In that they work best un
der cover. in the darkness comins
to the surface when their work i,
done, to boast-"We do as ",
please
g - Is.