The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-08-26
Danger of One House Limitation Proposed as Compromise
Is Explained
CENTRALIZED LEGISLATIVE POWER WOULD
PREVENT GOOD GOVERNMENT In ILLINOIS
The Future Welfare Of Chicago and Downsae Depends Much on the
Conventions Action
PROHIBITION ENFORCEMENT INVOLVED IN APPORlIONMEkT

INVOLVED IN APP0RIl0NMEkT
1ois depends TO great extent on the
III coming years. The greatest danger
Is that the centralized forces favorable
ate lawmaking body in the near future.
lie Legislature will be given considera-
con to resume its sessions. The many
arding good government IN the future
uses are set forth in a recent statement
lie OF Illinois This statement in full
power Even as late as the last con-
gressioual reapportionment there were
iour states without population equal
ing a congressional ratio. In like
manner every county should have at
least one representative but IT the
above compromise" is effected there
would be thirty-four counties without
county representation as such. (Note:
Twenty-three states have adopted
county representation among them
the wealthiest and most populous
states-New York and Pennsylvania
and representative states like Ohio and
Iowa. Sec Papers for Thinking
People" No. | and No y
i - BECAUSE it would not ONLY
make possible but ii would make
probable the gerrymanderine OF MANY
districts.
to) BECAUSE ii Cook county IS
permitted to control the Lower House
! II is clear it will give the Cook county
fa'aehiae eto power over -aii--iegisia-
ton and the majority OF such ma
chine is OF the character that viii not
hesitate TO frequently use such veto
power to gam its own selfish ends.
1t thereby could force compromises
from the Senate to the harm OF the
state. tSec Legislative Voters League
report OF individual record, OF Cook
county and down state legislators.)
% BECAUSE at its theoretical
best it only could produce frequent
deadloebS. But the dcadocks would
breed bitterness and hatred between
Chicago and down state. Many times
these deadlocks would be broken
through wrong political trading and
a betrayal of the states honest and
wholesome interests.
(S) BECAUSE it would make a field
for the activities OF the "jackpotter."
the "sandbagger,' and other crooked
political manipuators.
t9) BECAUSE seyenty-fvc per
cent or more OF the Cook county
members OF the Legislature take in
struetions from the Cook county ma
chine. (Not twenty-five per cent of
the Cook county members are free
from machine control.)
G0) BECAUSE some OF tie river
districts and other districts III differ
ent sections OF the state elect mem
bers of the Legislature who naturally
affiliate with the Cook county ma
chine
QD BECAUSE the Cook county
machine often does not represent nor
care anything about the substantial
interests of even Cook county to say
nothing OF down state. Ii often op-
crates upon the principle OF exploita-
ton OF the government and its re-
sources for its own ggrandizement.
Therefore honest and substantial in
terests OF Cook county have a mutual
concern with down state in checking
its power
12) BECAUSE of the increasing
population OF Cook county future gov
ernors are more than likely 10 be
named through the influence OF that
county.
Q5) BECAUSE ii future governors
should be under the influence If not
altogether under control of the Cook
county machine and there should be
limitation i'll one House only it would
often break down the safeguards
which the state might think it had in
the Senate.
14 BECAUSE the governor in his
own right has veto power over legis-
lation. If there is limitation OF Cook
county in both Houses of the Ieeis-
lature and an unlikely occasion should
arse when down state conspired
against Cook county it could not pass
legislation detrimental to Chicago be-
cause OF the required two-thirds ma
jority of each House to override a
governors veto. But in all the years
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