Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-29
[By special arrangement with

| ESSONS more tnan local lie pam upon
IL the face of the record of the Municipal
Voters League of Chicago, which last night
celebrated the goth anniversary of its found
ing 1t is virtually unique in it's character,
in it's fidelity to purpose and in it's achieve
ment, which is summed up in. the phrase
now current in Chicago, "The city has the
best Board of Aldermen in twenty years.
Look where you will, You will scarcely find
another city in which a small group OF pub
lc-spirited citizens, volunteers all, have done
a work of this kind without hope of personal
reward or preferment, and at the end of two
decades have so much to show for 1t. The
history of the organization is full of hope
for American municipal reform.
When the Municipal Voters League was
founded Chicago was in bad way. Its city
government, generally speaking, was in the
hands of a gang Of politicians of the worst
type, and had shuttled between one so-called
party organization and another, without OBJ
vious reason why plain citizens should care
a rap which of them might be in control
Public streets public utilities, public affairs
in general, were the sport of corrupt poll
ticians and the corrupt capitalists who
worked hand in-glove with them. Municipal
elections were a farce and public interest in
them at minimum.
Physical Violence Threatened
1t was in such a situation that a bare
half dozen of earnest men, sick of such a
plight of their community business, got to-
gether for conference, with the result that
the league was organized. Under the leader
ship of a comparatively unknown, not to
say obscure, business man., George e. Cole,
it went to work upon the job. The city of
Chicago never can be sufficiently grateful to
that little solid fighter, Cole for the work
he did, despite sneers social ostracism,
threats of business ruin, and even OF physi-
cal violence, and all the other obstacles and
menaces that beset him; or to the men who
stood behind and beside him during those
years when it meant actual personal danger
to do so.
To the outside world the result of the re-
cent city election was victory of the Re-
pubicans, a proof of this, that or the other
thing about woman suffrage, or what else
you please. To those who have known Chi
cago during the last 20 years. these things
important enough in their way, are of less
real consequence and significance than the
fact that the work of the Municipal Voters
League, which went on calmly and steadily
through all the uproar, brought again it's due
reward in "the best City Council In 20
years." Let the Mayor be who or what he
may. Chicago is really governed by its Board
of Aldermen.
Aldermen's Records Exposed
How was it done? The process was so
simple as to be almost laughable so simple
and so easy that 1t can be duplicated in any
other American community-any community
that has the right sort of brave and un-
selfish men to put 1t into operation. Just
pubIicity-that is all. Each year for 20 years
this organization has fearlessy and ruth
lessy taken stock of the candidates for the
Board of Aldermen. fine-combed the record
of each and told the people, without regard
to party affliation or other extraneous con-
siderations, what it discovered. National
issues were ignored as if they had not been,
The one question was. What sort of Alder
man will this man make for your ward and
for the city of Chicago? He might be |
a Socialist, a Democrat, a Re |
publican, white. black or brown; no matter |
that was entirely beside the point. Was he |
a reasonably clean and honest man, likely to |
devote himself with integrity and intelli-
gence to the business of the city? The facts
bearing on this question, far as they could /
be learned by diligent inquiry, were set be-
fore the people. and the people did the rest
Slowly at first, but with generally aeeelerat-
Ing force with now and then a setback, con-
itions improved. The people learned TO re-
pose great confidence in the reports of the
eague the political machines learned to fear
and to hate 1t. and to make their nomina-
ions with wholesome dread OF the leagues
Stimulus for Other Cities
The work has been absolutely a volunteer
work. spontaneous in origin and tributary
10 the interests OF no national party. no class
or clique. no politieo- business interest It
mas held strictly to its purpose, refusing all
side issues, all collateral temptations. The
sity Of Chicago as a great business enter
prise. deserving the best Of Its citizens ana
demanding a high degree Of capacity and
honesty In its aldermanie directorate
hat Euhteet the league devoted its e1fortsal