The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1920-11-19
Honorable Robert McMurdy
Discusses Chicago Rep
reSentatlOn
LIMITING One HOUSE
CALLED INEFFECTIVE
New York Expert Speaks on Taxes
and Limitation
LIMITATION IS VERY IMPORTANT

The Honorable Robert Nc
Murdy, former president of the
Chicago Bar Association and also
former president OF the Illinois
Bar Association and one OF the
founders as well as the first pres
ident of the Hamilton Club, has
issued the following statement on
the question OF limiting Chicago
in both branches OF the Legisla-
ture:
ut is now many years since | have
been convinced and have publicly ex-
. pressed the opinion that the repre-
sentation of Cook county in the Cen
eral Assembly should be limited.
There is no magic in any particn-
lar fraction but TO my mind if We had
one-third OF the Senate and one-third
of the lower house we would have all
that we need to procure for Cook
county all that she should have.
III a delegation from this county
OF one-third in each house should de.
sire any particular legislation il
would be necessary on this basis tc
secure from down-state members on
" nine more votes in the senate and
twcnty-sx in the house
"These are easily procured for any
measure OF real merit. and what is al
20 Ia point, they might be difficult tc
procure for an unworthy measure
"As All ideal, every community and
a. iar-as mar be- erq-s d:atiHes elss:
OF citizens should have some repre-
sentation by which its voicc can be
heard directly in the halls OF legisla
ton.
"It may be expected that on,
growth will reach point where VIC
will be entitled under the present
Constitution, to enough senators ant
house members TO form a majority
vote in each house OF the Genera
Assembly.
Such a condition must strike the
ir-mnded as unjust. That the rest
, OF the state should be at the mercy
of band of legislators from Cook
county would mean in the ordinary
course of human nature that it would
have to trade for everything it OBJ
tanned, no matter what its merits
With each trade the down-state sec
ton would become weaker, and il
the final situation under such d
scheme it would lose its independ-
ence entirely.
"On the other hand, the fact OF
Cook county would be the same as
that of all who get uniustly, and oul
community would become the prey
of the Inscriptions and the cunning
lured to attempt the control of our
politics by the prizes to be had iron,
our dominating delegation. and this
nesr-certainty that Cook count,
would have the powerful Office which
has been the most serviceable from
time to time in the past-tho speaker
ship.
at must be borne in mind that VIC
have in this county most of the infu-
ences which have corrupted our Gen
eral Assembly in the past, The Hi
'nois Central grant, the Allen Bill. the
: gas consolidation bill. the Lorimer
scaldal, the old railroad lobby, ali
and many more had their habitat in
Cook county.
IF we had majority of the votes
i the General Assembly the tempta-
ton y the predatory interests might
be more than they could stand
would not want to overtempt them.
"We must take into account, also
that the counties near to Cook county
are largely the same in interest, Sc
that they may. fairly be counted as
part,of Our representation, at least on
most matters Of import to us.
"If we are given fair grant oi
home rule in proper matters we will
not need much.help from the. rest oi
the state; 'ths1 being so, VS. should
certainly not hamper the rest of the
state BY an unduly nunsdfons band Of
representative who have Neither in
formation as to its wants nor SYM
pathy with its wishes.
The Proposition OF IAN alleged
compromise by limiting the represen-
tation of Cook county in one house
only is specious. The difference is
? merely this; that instead of having