The broad ax., 1923-03-24
HON. ARTHUR C.. LUEDER,
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE
FOR MAYOR OF CHICAGO,
DELIVERED THE FOLLOW
ING SPLENDID SPEECH, OR
GRAFTON, BEFORE THE
MEMBERS OF THE Apo
M ATTOX CLUB, 1882
GRAND BOULEVARD,
LAST FRIDAY EVENING.
HIS SPEECH REPORTED IN FULL BY
CARL l.. COTTON

Mr.. Lueder was introduced by Mr..
Dave Hawley, Vice President Of the
Appomattox Club.
The following is his address:
Mr.. Chairman, members of the APP
pomattox Club, and Friends:
Il am very glad to find myself in
the presence Of the members Of the
Appomattox Club-one of the great
institutions Of Chicago, / am not a
politician nor am public speaker.
| have just gone along all of my life
doing things without talking much
about them. l am just a plain Amer
lean citizen, who knows the needs of
the common people, because ! come
from that stock, and / am a part Of
them. (Applause). I am just bust
ness man with thirty-two years in the
real estate business in Chicago, dur
ing which time I have come in close
contact with every department Of the
city and county. am just one who
has served his country in time of war
as well as in time of peace and who
has no greater ambition, even now,
than to serve his countrymen when
ever and wherever they call him.
And that is the reason l am your
candidate for mayor. Not because /
sought the position, or had at any
time any personal ambition to occupy
that high and important Office, but
rather because / felt it to be my civic
duty to respond to the call that came
from the citizens of this great and
splendid city.
Resignation From Federal Position as
Postmaster
"a year and a half ago / was ap-
pointed as your postmaster, / tried
to perform the duties Of that Office
faithfully and consc;entiously. / re-
signed from that position on January
10Th Of this year when became a
candidate for mayor. That is more
than my political opponent can say,
because he is still holding his Office as
Judge of the Appellate Court. Some
one made reference to me as being the
best postmaster Chicago has ever had.
l do not lay claim to any such distinc-
ton, but ! want to say to you men,
including Alderman Jackson who has
just come in here (Much applause and
greetings as Alderman Jackson en-
tered the room at this time)-THAT
IF YOU MEN WILL ELECT NE,
AND / KNOW YOU CAN DO IT,
to the highest Office that is within the
gift of the people of the City Of Chi
cago, that / will use every effort and
energy to be the best mayor that
Chicago has ever had. (Applause)
and to that end ] will appoint as the
heads Of the various departments the
very best men available in order to
assure you men-you citizens-an
honest efficient and economical adj
ministration of the affairs Of this city.
The Public School System
"a little while ago mention was
made of the public schools of Chicago.
have some definite ideas along those
lines. The Constitution Of Illinois
provides for a thorough and efficient
system Of free schools whereby all
children within the State may receive
a good common school education. It
seems to me that there have been in
Chicago some gross violations of the
statutes which relate to the public
school. One Of my own children goes
to school a half a day because there
is not enough room for her to attend
all day. Another one of my children
is housed in one Of these portable
buildings, so that in my own family.
there is suffering for lack of school
facilities. Now, it is not my idea to
be too harsh upon the management
Of our schools, but do believe that
the management is not what it should
be. That does not mean that the
Board is always at fault. Sometimes
the laws are faulty. but / do believe
that if Mayor is to be held respon-
sible for the conduct Of the members
or the Board Of Education, HE
SHOULD NOT ONLY HAVE THE
POWER TO APPOINT, BUT HE
SHOULD ALSO HAVE THE
POWER TO REMOVE WHEN
NECESSARY (Applause) and for
that reason am asking the Iegisla-
ture not only to reduce the number
Of the Board Of Trustees for the
Board Of Education from eleven to
seven, which / think IS sufficient. but