Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1920-06-19
CON-CON CRISIS
Weeks PROGRAM
Basic Law Makers Hope to Beat
Apportionment Plan.
COOK COUNTY FIGHT BEGINS
Chicago Delegates Prepared to Battle
to Hold Desired Representation
In Observation-Disclosures
Are Opposed.

Springfied.-The fight between Cook
county and the downstatc over Iegis.
lative apportionment will probably he
staged this week in the constitutional
convention.
Delegates arriving following the
weeks recess because of the national
Republican convention in Chicago fa.
vor putting the question of Cook coun-
tvs limitation in the general assembly
on the calendar for this week.
The rules committee will report
when this matter comes before the
convention sitting as committee of
whole. II will be brought forward as
part of the report of the committee
on legislation, Chairman David T..
Sh0nnhan Of Cook county presiding.
The dOwnState delegates are among
the early arrivals but are uniformed
whether any changes have been con.
siderod In the majority report of the
committee so unfair to Cook County's
representation In the house. Whether
the threats Of Cook county's dele.
gates to holt the convention rather
than to submit to such Il limitation
has had any effect IN modification
Of the report Is H. yet unknown.
Downstate leaders claimed they
had fifty-twO delegates pledged to
stand together on the majority re-
port when the convention adjourned.
This would enable them To put over
the plan unless break has occurred
In the downslate ranks. II Is known
that while the plan does not appeal
In some of the dOnwnstate delegates
as fair one To the people Of Cook
county and in fact penalties them.
yet they have felt that they must
stand with their other downstate col
leagues Us against Cook cOunty'S
power.
Delegate Frank Quinn of Peoria Is
opposed to the limitation plan and
filed minority report along with Ed
ward Morris Of Cook county. IL Is
known that Delegate Warren of De-
kalb county Is not In sympathy with
the majority report, although II down.
state man. He could not be coaXcd
into the downslate camp on the earlier
limitation conference. although favor.
ing certain limitation Of Cook county
In ut least one house.
Cook county delegates are hoping
that DOWNSTAIRS from some of the
large counties will break away from
the combine and become independent
when this question comes up for vote.
IN. lao. %, a, iAr
every county In the state will get one
member of the house, regardless Of
population of that county. An addi-
tlOnal member for each 10000 populu.
ton would be given.
Such plan Is not popular with
some Of the delegates of the large
counties of the state, for II puts the
smallest counties on the same basis
with the larger NJ the start. There
are at least twenty-five of the small.
est counties In the state which have
decreased In population In the last
ten years, II Is claimed, and yet any
one Of these starts off equal with Poo
rln. st. Clair or WinnebagO county,
Whether delegates from these COun.
ties will see the effect such scheme
will have on them and will stand for
such discrimination, II the question
puzzllng the Cook county delegates,
Both sides are ready to open the
battle this week and settle the QurS-
ton. Cook county delegates are Scr-
Gus when they say they want this
question disposed Of first for they re-
fuse to consider other questions be-
fore that Of apporli0nment Is agreed
upon.
Should the majority report prevail
further efforts to write n new C0nSii-
tuition are futile, in the views of Cook
county delegates The delegates
themselves claim they viii not puriIc-
ipate further In the deliberations, rs
II will he hut waste of time To pro.
coed when the constitution would be
doomed by the action the voters Of
Cook county wuud take when II Is
submitted to them.
II II compromise Is effected on the
nppOrilonmenr plan, Efforts are to be
made Ia hurry forward the work of
the convention. Drlrgute Tracgcr is
urging plan tO work through every
day from now until at least July J.
If necessary, To complete the first
deliberations of the reports, which
will all he IN by that time. He prom
Uses to offer IL motion TO that effect
| to test out the views Of the delegates.
Anti.saioon League Meeting.
Preparations have about been COM
pletcd by local representatives of the
| Illinois Anti-Saloon league for the ~
| ceptlon here June - of William
Eugene Johnson, known ms "PusSyfOOt'
| johnson, the noted dry advocate. On
his arrival Johnson will deliver an adj
dress on the prohibition question ut
the state arsenal. lie will tell of some
of his experiences in England In at
tempting to induce that nation to take
up prohibition. Johnson will he re-
| membered as having had an eye put
| out in demonstration in London.