Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05
Continued From First Page.l


mayoral term.
Thompson claims credit for many
public improvements, which doubtless
would have been made under any othel
administration. Thompson is politi'
cal tradition and a present-day force
His control of votes is uncanny, but
analysis shows that in the so-callec
deliverable wards votes do not always
represent the civic consciousness of the
body polite. Big Bill is likable per-
sonality. He has not been conscientious
as regards his duty to the job. n
truth he frequently has deserted his
post, making his headquarters in the
Sherman House and letting his aSSo-
ciateS run the City Hall. While Big
Bill has been absent these associates
have taken such advantage of his alb
sence that waste, graft and inefficiency
have become synonymous with the
name of Chicago.
The reputation Of Chicago steadily
has grown worse. Any fair analyst OF
the situation recognizes, however, that
Big Bill himself could not be RESPONSE
BILE for all the existent ills Chicago
has always been a liberal town. Pro-
hibition and the growth of gang opera
tions in Illicit traffic have tended to
make it s,ill more liberal, especially for
those who know the ropes"
Let US look at the tax situation
While Big Bill has been cruising around
the country unwisely picked lieuten-
ants have misrun municipal affairs;
waste and inef1ciency have grown
without seeming bounds. A few cases
In point may well be cited.
Highest Bidder Won.
Take the last Thompson" improve
ment the Wabash Avenue Bridge over
the Chicago River. On the caiSSon ex-
cavation 10 bids were submitted. One
bid was 81 80 a cubic foot. eight other
bids ranged from 50 to S6 cubic foot.
The tenth bid was $40 a cubic foot.
Strange as 1t seems the contractor who
bid $40 a cubic foot was given the con-
tract. He. in turn, hired one of the
lower bidders to do the work This
item alone totaled a quarter of q mil
lion dollars.
In 1880 chicago spent approximately
$4,000, 600 on paving. of which one rep
utable estimator AYERS that $4,000. 900
was wasted and this excess added to
the burdens of the taxpayers.
Proof Of public graft in Chicago was
disclosed few days ago by United
States District Attorney George E. @.
johnson when he cited numerous VIC
ious contracts and stated that a State
bureau of contracts was imperative to
stop graft and shatter contractors
rings.
Big Bits campaigns have featured
Glowing tactics and sham battles
against an imaginary enemy. In his
1927 election Big Bill, on an America
nrst" platform, waged an imaginary but
colorful battle with the King of Eng
land. He told, much to the merriment
OF his campaign audiences, that he
planned to smack King George on the
tnoot." This plea. though ludicrous, was
fertile and effective.
Big Bill Takes Credit.
Bill Bill claims for his personal cred
IT. among many other accomplishments
during his administration, the settle
p1ent of Chicagos traction question
starting of Chicago's Subways, straight
ening of the Chicago River, completion
OF 1872 miles of street widening and
improvements, building of IL bridges,
"a fire stations. garbage incarceration
plant, II Fairgrounds and more than
$50, 900, 600 worth of new schools: re-
auction Of the death rate to 1O.4 per
1000. lowest of any city in the world !;
reduction of tuberculosis rate by more
than 20 per cent, reduction of baby
death rate to lowest it ever has been in
the history Of the city, and reduction OF
cent quart in the price of milk.
Against Big Bill certain definite
criticisms may be made Taxes have
increased until property owners in Chi
cago are organizing what may develop
into tax payers strike. In one repre-
sentative residential district taxes in
creased so per cent in two years OF
total Of approximately 300, 900 pieces
OF real estate in Cook County, more
than $4,000 were in default for nom
payment Of taxes following the 1928
assessment.
Because Of reasSessment which has
taken place in Chicago within the last
two years, tax bills have been DELAYED.
The 1929 and 1880 tax bills are due this
year. The 1929 bills are approximately
10 per cent higher than the tax bills
OF 1928 and the prospect is that the tax
assessments on the 1880 bills will be
still higher. Because of the reassess-
ment problem and the consequent DELAY
IN making tax collections, several
strange reactions resulted.
While Big Bill has been blamed for
higher taxes, the truth is that on the
1928 taxes 20 per cent of the tax
payers paid lower taxes than in the
previous assessment. However, what is
feared in the enormous rate of increase
the ThompSoniSm system
Why Treasury Ran Low.
Because Of the delay in tax COL
lecions, the city has faced an almost
barren treasury which on several &C.
casions necessitabed delays in paving
city employees. This collection delay
also has meant that large interest fees
nave had to be paid TO banks and an
ticipatory tax warrants sold IN order to
carry on the routine work Of the city.
In justice 10 Big Bill It might be
said that this delay in paying of school
teachers and city policemen and other
municipal employees was not altogether
his fault but was rather caused by the
reassessment situation. Property hold
eTs in many instances do not have the
cash TO liquidate their tax bills. The
speculative builder and the speculative
subdiytder have been hard hit by this
tax increase.
Recognizing the burden Of the tax
situation, Cermak has proposed TO work
Tor a plan whereby 1880 taxes can be
paid over period Of 10 years. Not to
be outdone, Big Bill Immediately came
out with similar plan except that he
proposed that the installments be dis
tributed over a period Of 20 yee--
Other criticisms and difficulties Of the
Thompson adm Illustration are the pub
lie school system and the alleged alli-
ance between crime and politics.
20 house the children, approximately
500 portable school houses are being
used, despite millions OF dollars that
are being paid for new buildings. Num-
erous school buildings have been built,
but in some instances the construction
was so faulty that comparatively new
buildings had TO be closed until repairs
kaade them safe for the children
Crime conditions under the Thomp-
son administration, VIGOROUSLY bad.
we're climaxed in the slayiEy OF Alfred
Jake" Lingle, Chicago Tribune re-
porter. admittedly a key figure in the
alleged alliance between crime and
politics