The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-03
CUTTING COOK
COUNTY POWER
CON CON ISSUE
Question of Chicago
Representation in
Lir1elight.

Springfield, Jan. 3.-By the
Associated Press .)-Failing to
agree on a course of proceed.
ure when 1t rec0nvened today
after n years recess, the two.
year-Old constitutional c0nven-
ti0n recessed until g p. IN,
while dOwnstate and Cook
county delegates divided and
held conferences over the stand
they will take this afternoon on
the question of another recess
until January 81.
Cook county delegates de-
clared they were ready for the
showdown on the legislative ar.
ticIe. DOwnstaters were split
over the question of a recess
until the six new delegates who
will be named In special elec-
tiOns January % are seated.
Springfield, ILL.,, Jan. 3.-The is
sue between Cook county and the
downstate on the proposal to re-
strict Chicago's representation in
the general assembly was, all dele
gates agreed, the point upon which
Illinois fourth constitutional con-
vention hinged as it went into ses-
sion today after recess of more
than a year.
Except for a brief 80 minutes or
so on Sept. 6, when a few delegates
met and Immediately adjourned,
the convention has been at a stand
session broke up suddenly in the
heat of the disagreement over the
question Of representation in the
legislature.
AS the delegates assembled today
nothing but a compromise on the
big issue between Cook county and
downstate can avert disaster for
the proposed new constitution,
practically all of the delegates as
serted Without an agreement on a
plan of representation mutually
satisfactory, Illinois will have nc
new constitution, they said. All
depends upon the legislative arti-
Gle.
For this reason many delegates
as the 1922 session approached
asked President Woodward to be-
gin the showdown Immediately. II
would be ridiculous, they argued
to spend several weeks on articles
over which there is little dispute
only to reach a deadlock on the big
issue and then throw up the whole
job.
Showdown at Once.
President Woodward has indicat-
ed that he will follow that plan
even letting the revenue and SUI
preme court articles wait until the
! legislative sections are out of the
way.
Failure to effect a constitutional
provision satisfactory to both Cool
county and downstate delegates
would only result in defeat for the
new constitution If 1t Is finally
written and submitted to the peo-
pie, delegates argued. Sentiment
| in the convention will be reflected
| in the votes of the populace, they
said.
The plan of representation now
| before the convention is that o.
| county representation in the lower
house, with Cook county limited tt
10, or one-third Of the senate of 81
| members. Under this system eacf
| county would have one representa-
| tive and an additional member IL
| the lower house for every $4,000 ol
| major fraction thereof in popula
! ton.
Six new delegates will take thei
seats in the convention after thu
! special election Jan. % to fill va
| cancies. Sponsors of the count,
4 - n1an nvnnHt IN U1II
| four of the six new votes, the re
naming two coming from Cool
county. These two are expected t.
retain the Chicago unit against re
| striction.
| Drys in Fight.
| Aligned with the downState sup
porters of the plan is the Anti Sa
loon league. The wet and dry is
sue is apparently subordinated
however, by Cook county drys VIII
are expected to stick in a com
pact group for what they character
ize as Cook county's right on tn
| question of representation.
All articles of the proposed ney
constitution are on second reading
Two legislative articles seemed pos
sible as the basic law makers re
convened. One would be embodie
in the constitution and the othe
submitted to the people separately
So intense is the feeling over rep
resentation, however, that neithe
side takes we'll to such a settlemen
of the problem. realizing that tn
article embodied in the constitution
would have the advantage at tn
polls.