Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1920-03-13
HOME RULE DATE
BOOKED MARCH IS
Opponents Of Measure Are to Be
Heard on April l.
WILL REFER TO COMMITTEES
Following Arguments Before con.con
Body Proposals viii Have Further
Consideration--May slit 1.
and r. Propositions.

ponents of home rule Of utilities for
the downstate are to be given a hear
ing before the constitutional conven-
ton as committee of the whole. The
proponents will come to Springfield
March ~, ana the opponents will be
heard April 1. Plans for the two gath
erings are practically complete, and
indications are that a large number of
persons will express their views.
Announcement of the two sessions
was made the past week, when chair
men of the various committees met
with President Charles Woodward,
with view Of outlining plans of pro-
cedure, and to determine how many
hearings are to be had. Delegates w.
Fl. Wilson of Chicago, William Traut-
mann Of East st. Louis and Frank r..
Dove of Shelbyville were named rs a
subcommittee to confer with chairmen
and to submit report soon. After the
hearings before the committee Of the
whole are disposed of, proposals will
be considered before committees,
where hearings may be had.
Whether members of the initiative
and referendum are in favor Of the
peoples rule, will be determined ut a
session of the committee Thursday
night At that time, delegates will ex.
press themselves. and IL n majority
favor the plan, the task of drafting a
proposal from the five which are now
pending will be undertaken. 1t Is
probable that Chairman Frank Dove Of
Shelbyville will call meeting Of his
committee soon to hear discussion In
opposition to the !. and II. proponents
who were heard two weeks ago.
Unification of the courts Of each
county, except Cook, and nonpartisan
election of judges will be suggested to
the constitutional convention by Judge
James Il. Burns Of the Kankakee coun.
ty court, who also Is acting judge Of
the Cook county court.
He believes this would make the
courts more efficient and Mt the same
time save money for the taxpayers.
"I do not propose an entirely new
plan Of judiciary" he says in letter
to Charles +. Woodward, president Of
the cOn-con. 81 have but one point to
make and wish to emphasize that
point.
"There should be only one court In
each county Of the state; outside OF
Cook. That court should perform the
duties Of the various county, probate
and circuit courts as now organized.
'In more than half Of the counties
Of the state this would mean reduc.
ton In the number Of judges and clerks
Of courts Of perhaps 90 per cent Of the
number now In Office, but the chief
merit of the proposition is not econ.
omy SO much as efficiency.
"The most radical feature Of such a
proposition Is the reduction In the
lumber Of ofiiceholders. II for that
reason, or any other, the convention
deems II not wise to adopt It, my sub
| stitute recommendation Is that the
| Jurisdiction OF county courts he en-
| larged so as to include matters OF
trusts, construction Of wills and parti
ton OF estates, and that probate courts
be abolished, where they now exist
and their work assigned to county
courts.
"Courts should be open for business
every day of the year. Terms OF court
should he abolished. Litigation should
be tended to eXpedtlously. There
should be no excuse for delay. Judges
should be elected on n nonpartlsan
ballot for term of not less than six
years"
Delegates William II. Beckman and
| Eugene II. Dupee of Chicago will re-
| tain their seats as convention dele,
| gates. At II meeting of the committee
on elections, Robert Il. Burke, Demo
crat, Of Chicago, who filed the con,
test, did not appear.
Hundreds of public school teachers
will leave the service this spring and
superintendent of 40 per cent of the
| cities and counties In Illinois have de,
clared they do not see how they can
open the schools on an efficient basis
|
convention will be told this week by
the teachers Of the city and state
Among those to present the pleas OF
the schools will be Superintendent
Mortenson of Chicago, @. A. Dodge OF
the Principals club, and G. w. Tanner
of Chicago schools committee.
| Here are some late proposals intro
duced In the constitutional conven
ton:
| Barr-Provldlng for the issuance OF
state bonds for the construction and
repair Of the general system Of hard
roads and for the completion Of any
waterway under construction.
Mills-PrOviding for general as
sembly of 81 senator's, 10 of them from
Cook county and 172 representatives
one from each county In the state and
one from each senatorial district, ex
cept that two representatives shall be
elected from each Cook county dis
trict.
Charles Molitor. recognised leadea
In the machinery trade, 10 one Of Chi
Cages leading and most reliable bust
ness msA- His name u honorsd
wherever ~ b known.
Colonel August w. Miller, popular