The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-07-01
Not a New Question

Not a New Question
For many years down state has re
fused 10 permit reapportonmcnt OF
the districts because it saw that it
would mean Chicago domination.
II down state had net taken This stand
! it would have lost fifteen state rep
rescntati1es, thirty-iour counties
would have no Representatives Of their
own and Cook county would have
gained fifteen. At the present time
down state has % Representatives.
i Cook county las 81 representatives.
\ iaet rot fully appreciated by many
/ people and faet which accounts Tor
the difficulty in securing good leei>-
lation at Springfield. If dowu state
] had not refused to permit redistrict-
/ ing the division would be as follows
Down State ......Sl State Rep.
Cool, County ....72 State Rep.
and by 1880 Cook county would have
J majority
j faial TO Anu. Saloon Legislation
3, 0a lie present basis twelve OF the
ooA e2paty member. would bo
vets ana eleven or the ioSt do@fi
state members would be drys, max
ing change OF twenty-three votes.
! As the Leagues bills have never had
more than seven majority in the
House ii is clear that the Legisla-
ture under all unlimited arrangement
/ for Cook county would be hopeessy
/ wet.
In the session OF the Legislature
] just closed 092D TIE Leagues prjn-
i cipal measure was the law enforce
ment bill. The measure merely
j brought Illinois in line with national
legislation upholding the Federal
! Constitution Opposition to it was
not only wet but un-American and
Constitutional -deiying in the interest OF
bootleggers and yet when an amend
ment was offered which would have
killed the bill the vote stood.
For the Amendment (weD;
Cook county 40 (84 per cent of
the Cook county membcrs)
j Down state p (25 per cent OF
the down state members)
Against the Amendment dry:
Cook county DO per cent OF
the Cook county members
Down state o5 (6z per cent OF
j the down state members)
1t is plain as a pike staff that ii this
plan to increase Chicago's represen
tatiyes by fifteen and take away fifteen
from down state had prevailed that
even now after two years of Prohibi-
ton the Illinois Legislature under the
wet influence of Cook county would
have overwhelmingly defeated law
| enforcement.
Down State and Chicago Legislators
A great many loose statements have
| been made about the down state leg
islators being just as indispensable as
! those from Cook county, but the rec
ord of roll calls at Springfield prove
differently. SO when the statement is
heard it is we'll to ask, "What are the
facts?"
The foundation for progress in any
line lies in answering the question,
"What arc the facts?" And so what
are the facts upon this important
question
In 1909.-All but ten OF the fifty
four representatives from Chicago
were for the repeal Of the local option
law and repeal was saved by the down
state men.
In 1o1l.-There were eleven OF the
| ffty-four against repeal and only FIVE
for county option.
In 1ol3.-There was an effort to
have residence district bill giving
people in Chicago in purely residence
district chance to drive out the sa-
loon. Only eleven from Chicago
voted for it but there were enough
| down state votes TO pass it. 1t was
killed finally by the perhdy OF the
Chicago Speaker VIM. Mckinley.