The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04

CHICAGO. April 3.--One OF the most
bitterly fought municipal elections In
Chicagos history closed tonight with
paradcs and mass meetings I'm many
auditorums and on street corners.
The Republicans took possession Of
the downtown district in the afternoon
and tonight the Democrats swooped
down on the Loop in four automobile
parading columns from the outlying sec
tons.
Scenes Of rioting and displays OF Bit
terness marked the close OF the cam
paign. Hatred engendered by the injec-
ton of the religious issue into the can
vass burst forth In scores OF places dur
ing the day and night.
Downtown theatre meetings were
broken UP in clashes between the parti-
sans. The police were powerless to quell
the riots in many places and had to call
for help. Heads were bruised In both
indoor rallies and along the line OF the
parades
All along the line OF the Thompson
parade IN the downtown streets in the
afternoon cries OF Go on. you A. T.
g" were hurled at the men and women
marching with small American flags In
their hands.
Meeting BROKEN III.
At Cohans Grand Opera House
Sveitzer partisans packed the pla yhouse
and succeeded In breaking UP the
Thompson m citing entirely.
In all the clashes in the loop district
women played an important role. II
was because the police were not in
clined To- handle the women ~ roughly
as they do men under such c ndlitons
that disturbances IN the meetings were
no; more quickly suppressed
Grave fears were entertained tonight
by party leaders as 10 probable trouble
In tho voting ON Tuesday. II the same
hatreds exhibited IN the last day OF tho
canvass are carried to the polls. they
said. there would be cause TO fear dis
graceful scenes.
Party managers in statements issued
tonight made their final claims as to
the result = the contest.
The Robert VI. SweltZer men stick to
between 10000 and $4,000 plurality
for Mr.. Sweitzer. flying the Democratic
Colors. The William Hale Thompson
men. not to be outdone by the Swtitzer
forces, put the Republican candidates
plurality at between loS. 600 and 1885,
"o". llSlrltereSted men on pOtn SIDES
put the figure much lower.
Women voters may decide who shall
be Chicago's Mayor for the next four
| years. hut their vote is a puzzle to the
most experienced politicians They will
| vote for Mayor next Tuesday for the
| first time. The Mayoralty candidates
| and their managers have made every
! effort to win the suffrage support.
No Mig Civtc Issue.
/ There has been no hiC oyershddon n :,
] civic issue in the campaign. Roth can
/ didates favor about the same things in
/ tho way Of municipal improvements. In
lection of the religious issue into the
! campaign has aroused the voters more
/ than anything else.
SwctZcr is a Roman Catholic. Thomp-
son is q Protestant. Sweitzer accuses
Thompson nf in iccting the religious is
sue ana Thompson denies the charge and
J declares that Swcitzer did 1t in an effort
TO arouse the Catholic vote. II IL esti-
/ mated that approximately so per cent.
| of the vote in Chicago is Catholic.
The religious issue has been discussed
/ by the candidates and by their campo ign
orators and among the voters IL has
been the one chief topic OF discussion.
Catholic and anti-cathonc circulars have
been scattered broadcast
Sweitzcr is backed by Roger c. Sulli-