USA > Illinois > Hancock County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Hancock County, Volume I > Part 58
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$150,000 for the erection of a monument at Vicks- burg, $5,000 for the relicf of the widow of former Governor Altgeld, and $5,000 for a memorial to "Mother Bickerdyke" of Civil War fame. The Forty-Third General Assembly was convened January 7, and adjourned May 7, 1903. On Sep- tember 6, 1901, President Mckinley was shot by a miscreant at Buffalo, N. Y., and died from the effects of the wound on the 14th of the same inonth, universally mourned by the people. He was succeeded by Vice President Roosevelt. Hon. Shelby M. Cullom was re-elected to the United States Senate in 1901, and Albert J. Hopkins in 1903.
CAMPAIGN OF 1904 .- The nominees of the Re- publican National convention held at Chicago, June 21-23, were Theodore Roosevelt for presi- dent, and Charles W. Fairbanks for vice president. The Democratic National convention was held at St. Louis, July 6-9, and nominated Alton B. Parker for president, and Henry G. Davis for vice president. The platform of the Republican party declared that the party had "firmly estab- lished the gold standard," had taken prompt and effective action in the relief of the legations at Peking, China, and had taken "a decisive part in preventing the partition and preserving the in- tegrity of China." It also declared that "the possession of a route for the Isthmian Canal .. is now an accomplished fact," and praised the administration of President Roosevelt. The Democratic platform declared for the independence of the Filipinos, denounced the principle of pro- tection, but made no mention of the silver coin- age issue so prominent in the previous campaign. The Republican State convention was held at Springfield in May and nominated Charles S. Deneen for the head of the ticket. The Demo- cratic State convention was held in the same city in June, and nominated Lawrence B. Stringer for governor. At the fall elections the Republican nominees on both the National and State tickets were elected.
GOVERNOR DENEEN'S ADMINISTRATION .- Charles S. Deneen was inaugurated governor in January, 1905, and Lawrence Y. Sherman, lieutenant gov- ernor. During Governor Deneen's administration much important and constructive legislation was enacted. The parties in the General Assembly were divided as follows: Senate, forty-two Re- publicans, nine Democrats; House, ninety-one Re- publicans, fifty-seven Democrats. The knowledge possessed by Governor Deneen of conditions and
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the requirements of large and populous communi- ties, especially of Chicago and Cook County, rendered his administration of peculiar import- ance and value in the shaping of laws designed for their benefit.
FORTY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY .- This as- sembly was convened on January 4, and ad- journed on May 6, 1905. The laws passed at this session included the establishing of a Municipal Court in Chicago, enactment of civil service laws for the state and Cook County, creation of em- ployees' pension funds, organization of forest pre- serve districts (when approved by popular vote), and that no state convention shall hereafter be held before the first day of May and not later than the fifteenth of May.
FORTY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY .- The general elections held in the fall of 1906 resulted in the return of forty-four Republicans and seven Dem- ocrats to the senate, and eighty-nine Republicans and sixty-two Democrats to the house. The General Assembly was convened January 9, 1907, and continued in session until May 16, at which time a recess was taken util October 8. The General Assembly finally adjourned May 23, 1908. Important laws were passed by this legislature which may be summarized, as follows: An act forbidding transportation lines to charge pas- sengers more than two cents a mile; authorizing a teachers' pension fund in large cities; creating a commission to select a site for a new peniten- tiary at or near Joliet; authorizing increased accommodations for the insane; prohibiting the use of the United States flag or any state flag of Illinois for advertising purposes; regulating the salaries of State and Cook County officers; creating a department of factory inspection; for the protection of structural workers and coal miners; amending the Sanitary District law to permit the trustees to levy a tax of one percent instead of half percent as heretofore; extending the scope and simplifying the practice of the Municipal Court; and adding to the powers of the State Board of Health. Appropriations were made for the following purposes: the sum of $6,000 to erect a monument to George Rogers Clark at Quincy; $15,000 for a monument to soldiers who died at Andersonville prison during the Civil War; $150,000 for the Seventh Regi- ment Armory at Chicago. Acts were also passed to regulate the life insurance business in this state; to authorize the enlargement of parks and prescribe the mode of issuing bonds for the pur- pose; to regulate the manufacture and sale of
food and prohibiting certain specified adultera- tions; requiring cleanliness in milk dairies and prohibiting the use of harmful substances in the preparation of butter and cheese; and regulat- ing the licensing of automobiles including many details and rules. The total appropriations made by the Forty-fifth General Assemby were far in excess of those for any previous session, amounting to $20,058,660, being $4,169,297 more than made by the Forty-fourth General Assembly which at that time was the largest in the history of the state.
FORTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY .- This Gen- eral Assembly was held in the second term of Governor Deneen's administration. The regular biennial session began January 6, and ended June 4, 1909. Its political complexion was shown (in a total membership of 204) by the presence of 127 Republican and seventy-seven Democratic members. Legislation at this session included the creation of a state art commission; a board of administration for the state charitable institu- tions; an act to provide for the health, safety and comfort of employees in factories, mercantile establishments, mills and workshops; and a primary election law, providing that at various dates in each year a primary election shall be held for the nomination of such officers as are to be voted for in the November elections. This act, however, does not apply to presidential electors, trustees of the University of Illinois, or to township and school elections.
NOTABLE OCCURRENCES OF THE PERIOD .- On Feb- ruary 12, 1909, occurred the one-hundreth anni- versary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, which event was celebrated by a banquet at Springfield attended by 800 guests, on which occasion ad- dresses were made by Hon. James W. Bryce, Hon. J. J. Jusserand, Senator J. P. Dolliver and Hon. William J. Bryan. Every year since that date a banquet has been held and notable ad- dresses made. Gifts and bequests during this period were as follows: a home for helpless chil- dren was provided for by Richard T. Crane who died in 1913; N. W. Harris made a gift of $250,000 to the Field Museum of Natural His- tory; William C. Seipp gave $55,000 to Chicago charities; John G. Shedd provided $100,000 for the Young Men's Christian Association and for a working girls' hotel; Julius Rosenwald gave the University of Chicago $250,000 and to various other objects $462,500. The population of Illi- nois according to the United States census of 1910 was 5,638,591, and of Chicago 2,185,283,
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placing the state in the third rank in this re- spect among the states of the Union, and Chicago in the second place among the cities of the Union.
FORTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY .- This As- sembly was convened January 4, 1911; and ad- journed June 1, the same year. A special session was convened June 14, 1911, called by Governor Deneen to enact legislation concerning a deep waterway from Lockport to Utica, and the de- velopment of water power incident thereto. The bill prepared for this purpose failed of passage when the vote was taken October 25 of the same year.
CAMPAIGN OF 1912 .- The National convention of the Republican party was held at Chicago, June 18-22, and resulted in the nomination of Wil- liam H. Taft for a second term of the presidential office, with James S. Sherman for vice president. The. leading feature at the convention was the struggle between President Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. The former was supported by the "conservative" and the latter by the "progressive" element of the party. There were 246 seats of the delegates contested but 233 of them were awarded to Taft and only thirteen to Roosevelt. A large number of withdrawals took place among the delegates who declined to support the con- servatives. A convention was held at Chicago with a new set of delegates which under the name of the "Progressive Party" nominated Theodore Roosevelt for president and Hiram W. Johnson for vice president. The Democratic Na- tional Convention was held at Baltimore, Md., June 25-July 3, at which Woodrow Wilson was nominated for president and Thomas R. Marshall for vice president. At the Illinois primary elec- tions Governor Charles S. Deneen was nominated for governor on the Republican ticket and Ed- ward F. Dunne on the Democratic. At the fall elections Woodrow Wilson carried the state and the nation for president, and Edward F. Dunne for governor on the Democratic ticket. The elections resulted in a remarkable reversal of the state's representation in Congress which had heretofore been mainly Republican for many years, but in this election there were twenty Democrats, two Progressives and but five Re- publicans elected.
GOVERNOR DUNNE'S ADMINISTRATION .- The in- auguration of Governor Dunne took place Feb- ruary 3, 1913. It should have taken place on January 13, but the Assembly was deadlocked on the selection of a speaker until January 29
when William McKinley, Democratic member from Cook County, was chosen. On the 30th the vote at the November election was formally can- vassed by the two- houses of the Legislature in joint session, and the result officially declared by the speaker. In his inaugural the Governor recommended that immediate steps be taken to amend the constitution to provide for the in- itiative and referendum. He also favored the creation of a state commission with plenary powers over all public service companies. Other reforms urged were the direct election of United States Senators, good roads, etc.
FORTY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY .- As the re- sult of the sweeping Democratic victories at the November elections the political complexion of the Assembly was greatly changed from that of the previous legislature. In the Senate there were twenty-four Democratic, twenty-five Re- publican, and two Progressive members. In the house, seventy-two Democratic, fifty-two Repub- lican, twenty-six Progressive, and three Socialist members. The Assembly convencd January 8, 1913, and adjourned June 30. Among the more important laws passed at this session were those providing for a public utilities commission, grant- ing right of suffrage to women, reorganizing the road building system of the state, and for the direct election of United States Senators. Other acts besides those already mentioned were the enlargement of the Chicago Drainage District, purchase of certain buildings and sites for ar- mories at various places throughout the state with appropriations therefor, and for establish- ing an epileptic colony. The total appropriations made by the Forty-eighth General Assembly amounted to $37,915,457.
LEADING EVENTS .- The year 1914 was marked by the opening of, the Great War in Europe which involved many great nations, and at length drew our own country into participation as an ally. The first effects noted among the people of our nation were the horror and detestation every- where shown towards the methods of warfare pursued both on land and sea, and especially for the sufferings of unoffending people, and great efforts were made to relieve the wide-spread desti- tution caused by the cruel atrocities committed in many lands. "The commerce and industy of the world were paralyzed," says a writer in the Chicago Daily News Almanac for 1915, "not only through the destruction or threat of destruction of merchant vessels by hostile warships and the closing of communications, but by the disarrange-
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ment of international finances. It was nothing less than a world catastrophe." But the United States as a neutral nation could only stand and witness the movements of armies and the huge destruction of life and property at this stage of events. The history of the part that Illinois was subsequently called upon to perform in this mighty war of civilization belongs to a later portion of this work.
FORTY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY .- The session of the Forty-ninth General Assembly began Jan- uary 9, 1915, and adjourned June 30. The Dem- ocratic strength in this assembly was but little changed from the preceding session, but the Re- publican strength had been largely increased by the accession of many Progressives who had re- turned to their former party allegiance. There were in fact but three Progressive members in the two houses as against twenty-eight in the Forty-eighth General Assembly, so great had been the reaction from the exciting campaign of 1912. Important enactments of the Forty-ninth General Assembly included the stamping out of contagious diseases among animals such as the footh and mouth disease and appropriating money to pay claims to owners of slaughtered herds, creating a commission to secure a site for a Centennial memorial building at Springfield, pro- visions for monuments at Vicksburg for General Grant and others, for a monument to R. J. Og- lesby, permitting corporations to own and oper- ate one building and site, providing for county tuberculosis sanitariums, authorizing the Lincoln Park commissioners to take control of Sheridan road, and amending the school act so as to per- mit schoolrooms to be used as social centers. Legislation for a deep waterway was also enacted at this session. It is provided that a waterway eight feet in depth shall be constructed from Lockport, Ill., to Utica, Ill., including dams, locks and power plants, and the cost shall be paid by the state of Illinois; the work to be under the control of a board to be known as the "Illinois Waterway Commission." An appropria- tion of $5,000,000 in the form of an issue of bonds is made for the work. It is also provided that "When the waterway shall have been com- pleted and paid for with the proceeds of bonds, and the bonds shall have been paid either out of the earnings of the waterway or by the state, or both, then the channel, or so much of it as shall have been completed, shall be tendered to the government of the United States for navigation
uses, conditioned upon the agreement of the gov- ernment to maintain the channel as a waterway free from tolls for navigation and to operate and maintain the locks free of cost to the state of Illinois." The grand total of the appropria- tions made by the Forty-ninth General Assembly was $46,349,326.
CAMPAIGN OF 1916 .- The National convention of the Republican party was held this year at Chi- cago, on June 7-10. The nominees were Charles E. Hughes for president and Charles W. Fair- banks for vice president. The National conven- tion of the Democratic party was held at St. Louis, Mo., June 14-16, resulting in the nomina- tion of Woodrow Wilson and Thomas R. Mar- shall for president and vice president respectively, both candidates standing for a second term of their respective offices. The vote for governor at the November election resulted in a total vote cast for Frank O. Lowden, Republican, of 696,- 535; and 556,654 for Edward F. Dunne, Democrat, and thus Lowden became governor elect. The war in Europe at the date of this election had been in progress more than two years, with in- creasing intensity on the part of the belligerents. The sinking of the great passenger liner "Lusi- tania" on May 7, 1915, with the loss of 1,198 lives, many of them women and children, of which there were more than 100 Americans, as the re- sult of a torpedo fired by a German submarine had been followed by assurances by the German ยท government that liners would not be fired upon
without warning provided they did not "try to escape or offer resistance." But as outrages of this character were constantly recurring the spirit and temper of the people were fast reach- ing the limit of endurance. The time was ap- proaching when President Wilson would end with excuses and explanations and enter the great conflict, which event took place early in the new administration of the re-elected president and the newly elected "war governor" of Illinois, as will be narrated on a later page.
GOVERNOR LOWDEN'S ADMINISTRATION .- The in- auguration of Governor Lowden took place Jan- uary 8, 1917. In the course of his campaign Mr. Lowden had laid stress upon the illogical or- ganization of the state government, and that the numerous and overlapping boards must be con- solidated. In his inaugural address he vigorously attacked this growing abuse in forceful language. He said, "Over one hundred officers, boards, agencies, commissions, institutions and depart-
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ments are charged with the administration of our laws. No systematic organization exists and no adequate control can be exercised. Diffusion rather than concentration and responsibility mark our system. One of the imperative needs of the state is the consolidation of its multiplied agen- cies into a few principal departments." A bill was drafted embodying the reforms thus advo- cated, but it was found necessary to limit its scope as the constitution had prescribed the meth- od of choosing certain officers and naming the duties they were to perform.
FIFTIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY .- This assembly convened January 3, 1917, and adjourned June 29. The two houses were organized the first day of the session, the Republicans being in control in both branches. David E. Shanahan was elected speaker, having filled the same office in the previous session. The most important legisla- tion was the enactment of the "Civil Administra- tive Code of Illinois" as proposed by the state Republican platform and in the campaign speeches of Mr. Lowden. There were nine departments of state government created by the act, as fol- lows: Finance, Agriculture, Labor, Mines and minerals, Public works and buildings, Public wel- fare, Public health, Trade and commerce, and Registration and education. These departments were created to take the place of those hereto- fore existing which were therefore abolished, thus radically simplifying the system of admin- istration. "While the eivil administrative code was sponsored by Governor Lowden and the Re- publican members of the General Assembly," writes Charles E. Woodward in the Blue Book for 1917-8, "it was at no time considered a par- tisan measure. In framing its provisions Dem- ocratic members co-operated with the governor and the Republican side. On its final passage it received practically the unanimous vote of both parties." Another highly important act was passed by this assembly, and approved by the Governor June 22, 1917, providing that "a state- wide system of durable hard-surfaced roads be constructed by the state of Illinois, as soon as practicable, upon public highways of the state along described routes, as near as may be, and that the state (acting through its offices) is au- thorized and empowered to issue and sell, and provide for the retirement of, bonds of the State of Illinois to the amount of $60,000,000, for the purpose of providing means for the payment of the cost of the construction of the system of roads; Provided, however, that before this law
which authorizes such debt to be contracted and levies the tax for the payment of the principal and interest of the bonds to be issued as an evidence of such debt, shall go into full force and effect it shall at the general election in Novem- ber, 1918, be submitted to the people and re- eeive a majority of the votes cast for members of the general assembly at such election." Tlie act was submitted at the election of November 5, 1918, accordingly, and was approved by the voters of the state, and is therefore a law.
THE GREAT WAR IN EUROPE .- Meantime the gathering war clouds were constantly becoming more threatening as the thinly disguised defiance of American rights by Germany and her allics becaine more pronounced. War was formally de- clared by Congress against Germany April 6. 1917, accompanied by the pledge "to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on the war." Various acts were passed by the Fiftieth General Assembly in support of the military and naval requirements of the general government. During the remaining period of the war, which was terminated by the Armistice signed November 11, 1918, Illinois furnished 308,240 men for the United States army and navy. The record is a glorious one and our state can justly pride itself upon its share in the World War.
A RETROSPECT AND A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE .- The history of Illinois has been traced concisely and in outline from the earliest period to the present time. Previous to the visit of Joliet and Marquette, in 1673, as unknown as Central Africa, for a century it continued the hunting ground of savages and the home of wild animals common to the plains and forests of the Mississippi Valley. The region brought under the influence of civili- zation, such as then existed, comprised a small area, scarcely larger than two ordinarily sized counties of the present day. Thirteen years of nominal British control (1765-78) saw little change, except the exodus of a part of the old French population, who preferred Spanish to Brit- ish rule.
The period of development began with the occu- pation of Illinois by Clark in 1778. That saw the "Illinois County," created for the government of the settlements northwest of the Ohio, expanded into five States, with an area of 250,000 square miles and a population, in 1890, of 13,500,000. In 1880 the population of the State equaled that of the Thirteen Colonies at the close of the Revolu-
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Important Events in Illinois History.
1673 .- Joliet and Marquette reach Illinois from Green Bay by way of the Upper Mississippi and Illinols rivers.
1674-5 .- Marquette makes a second visit to Illinois and spends tile winter on the present site of Chicago.
1680 .- La Salle and Tonty descend the Illinois to Peoria Lake. 1681 .- Tonty begins the erection of Fort St. Louis on "Starved Rock" in La Salle County.
1682 .- La Salle and Tonty descend the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers to the mouth of the latter, and take possession (April 9, 1682) in the name of the King of France.
1700 .- First permanent French settiement in Illinois and Mis- sion of St. Sulpice established at Cahokia.
1700 .- Kaskaskia Indians remove from the Upper Illinois and iocate near the mouth of the Kaskaskia Kiver. French set- tiement established here the same year beomes the town of Kaskaskia and future capital of Illinois.
1718 .- The first Fort Chartres, erected near Kaskaskia.
1718 .- Fort St. Louis, on the Upper Iliinois, burned by Indians.
1754 .- Fort Chartres rebuilt and strengthened.
1765 .- The Illinois country surrendered by the French to the British under the treaty of 1763.
1778 .- (July 4) Col. George Rogers Clark, at the head of an ex- pedition organized under authority of Gov. Patrick Henry of Virginia, arrives at Kaskaskia. The occupation of Iili- nois by the American troops follows.
1778 .- Iilinois County created by Act of tile Virginia House of Delegates, for the government of the settlement northwest of the Ohio River.
1787 .- Congress adopts the Ordinance of 1787, organizing the Northwest Territory, embracing the present States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.
1788 .- General Arthur St. Clair appointed Governor of North- west Territory.
1790 .- St. Clair County organized.
1795 .- Randolph County organized.
1800 .- Northwest Territory divided into Ohio and Indiana Ter- ritories, Illinois being embraced in the latter.
1809 .- Illinois Territory set off from Indiana, and Ninian Edwards appointed Governor.
1818 .- (Dec. 3) Iliinois admitted as a State.
1820 .- State capital removed from Kaskaskia to Vandalia.
1822-24 .- Unsuccessful attempt to make Illinois a slave State.
1825 .- (April 30) General LaFayette visits Kaskaskia. 1832 .- Black Hawk War.
1839 .- (July 4) Springfield becomes the third capital of the State under an Act of the Legislature passed in 1837.
1848 .- The second Constitution adopted.
1860 .- Abraham Lincoln is elected President.
1861 .- War of the Rebellion begins.
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