USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > The great revolution; a history of the rise and progress of the People's Party in the city of Chicago and county of Cook > Part 6
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THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
that against Sunday beer selling. The administration of this city government has been a curse to us for two years, and I believe we can elect a man like our old Mayors, who will execute the laws as they should be. Be united, and we can elect anything. Let them scold us, call us bummers, tax-eaters, tax-fighters, and all the names they please. I say that no man in this house ever fought a tax in his life. You can name no German in this city that ever refused to pay a tax. It is these men who preach the gospel, and pray at their meetings, and cry 'Law and Order' at the corners of the streets, who jump their taxes, and cheat the city out of what they owe it. They are not able to pay their taxes, although they have caused them, and they never will be.
"I have worked hard in this cause, notwithstanding the ' Law and Order ' people have said it would be a fizzle, and said that the people had no confidence in Hesing or O'Hara, or Herr Von Hara and O'Hesing, as the papers put it. We have fired the first cannon to-night, and its echoes will ring throughout the campaign. We have filled two halls, and 5,000 people have stood at the door unable to get in. Does this look like a fizzle ? Does this look as if the people had no confidence in Hesing and O'Hara ? Search the poor man's heart and show him how he is oppressed, how his comforts and luxuries are stolen from him, and he will fight his oppressors. The 'Law and Order ' people are your oppressors. They give you no cheap concerts and lectures to educate you ; they will not even let you go to the Expo- sition on the day when you can dress up and appear like them, but they go there whenever they please and make you
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HOW IT WAS DONE.
and their clerks do their work. They go there and look at the machinery and furniture and fabrics you have made at wages of a dollar and a half a day. I ask Dr. Kittredge or Dr. Fowler, who preach morality and try to crowd their words down our throats, to lay their hands on their hearts and answer if it is right for them to rob the poor of their privileges. I ask them what harm there is if, after you have been working hard in a dirty, dusty shop all the week, you go to Lincoln Park on Sunday with your wives and babies to breathe a little of the fresh air the Lord they pray to has made? I ask them what harm it would be for you to hear music there as they hear it in their churches? I ask them what harm there is if, when you return, you take a glass of lager or wine to refresh you ? You are a pack of slaves if you suffer laws that prohibit this, and if I have to vote alone on the 5th of November I shall cast my vote to relieve you of this oppression they have cast upon you."
The nominating convention met at 205 East Randolph street, on October 24.
Mr. Greenebaum presided; Mr. T. M. Halpine served as Secretary ; and Mr. J. J. Crowley assisted.
Mr. Greenebaum said :-
"Gentlemen, Delegates: A narrow-minded, uncatholic religious spirit, originating with over-zealous and irresponsi- ble persons, has forced an issue of proscription and intoler- ance upon the community which unfortunately, or fortunately, perhaps, divides the sovereign voters at the approaching mu- nicipal election. An immense mass meeting of the people,
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THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
without distinction of party, religion or nationality, have delegated you gentlemen to nominate candidates for the various offices to be filled at the approaching election, solely upon their personal fitness, their honesty, and ability to serve public interest. It is necessary for me to urge upon you to discharge faithfully the high trust imposed upon you. You will enter upon the work before you as the selected repre- sentatives of the great People's Party. In a spirit of har- mony and rectitude you will make all personal preferences subservient to the general good, and nominate a ticket that will be overwhelmingly sustained at the polls, and avert the impending danger of placing the control of the city in the hands of speculative office-seekers and bankrupts."
Mr. A. C. Hesing offered the following resolutions, which were adopted :
"That this convention emphatically endorse the platform of principles adopted by the people's mass meeting at Kings- bury Hall, October 4, believing that platform to be a true expression of the fundamental doctrines underlying the structure of a free government, and a legitimate protest against all efforts to make sectarianism and class legislation prevalent in our public affairs.
" That as long as our people, discarding the sub-treasury system, expect that the temporary balances in our city and county treasuries shall draw interest, and so long as it is thereby admitted that such public moneys may be made use of by the banks with whom they are deposited, for all those purposes which they may consider as legitimate; the risk incurred thereby on behalf of the tax-payers, and the temp-
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HOW IT WAS DONE.
tation which treasurers may be led into, are so obvious that the public interests require a strict adherence to the one-term principle in regard to the office of custodian of such public moneys.
" That this convention recommend to the Mayor to be elected the appointment of S. S. Hayes as City Comptroller, since it would be difficult to find, among our citizens, one who, by his wide financial experience, his thorough business capacity, and the sterling integrity of his character, is so well fitted for an office which, in view of the present finan- cial embarrassment, is one of the most important and res- ponsible in our municipal administration."
Mr. F. H. Winston offered the following, which was adopted unanimously :
" Resolved. That the representatives of the people of the city of Chicago and of the county of Cook, here assembled, do declare as one of our cardinal principles, for the main- tenance of which we pledge ourselves and the candidates for whom we propose to cast our suffrages, that we favor and shall demand and insist upon the most rigid economy, as well as scrupulous honesty, in the expenditure of the pub- lic money of the city and county, to the end that the present oppressive and almost unbearable burden of taxation may be lightened, and not increased; and that we demand that all extravagant schemes for public buildings to be erected for the purpose of glorifying architects and enriching contrac- tors shall be at least postponed until demanded by the neces- sities of the public or to give our laborers necessary employ- ment; and that we pledge our candidates to cheerfully
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accept the accommodations now provided for the trans- action of public business of the offices to which we propose to elect them."
A. C. Hesing asked permission to introduce the following from the Democratic Central Committee :
"We the undersigned, members of the Liberal and Dem- ocratic Central and Executive Committees of Cook County, hereby certify that we have not authorized any person for us to pledge the support of the party, as a party, to what is known as the "Grand Pacific Hotel" nominations, or to any other nominations, made or to be made; and believing it inexpedient to make any nominations as a party at this time, we leave to all persons the privilege of supporting such candidates in this local election as their judgment and con- sciences may dictate.
"And we may say that we beheld with surprise the announce- ment in the papers that parts of our committee had partici- pated in, and indorsed, the said Grand Pacific Hotel nomi- nations; and we further say that neither of the three named persons who pretended to represent the party at the Grand Pacific Hotel are members of the Liberal and Democratic Central Committee of Cook county, and consequently have no authority to pledge the party to any nominations except as private individuals. " CH. KOEHLER.
" JACOB D. FELTHAUSEN,
" ROBERT KENNEY,
" EDWARD KEHOE,
" ALBERT MICHELSON,
" Democratic Central Committee of Cook County." "Chicago, Oct. 24. 1873."
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HOW IT WAS DONE.
The communication was accepted and placed on the records of the convention.
The following nominations were then made :
For Mayor, H. D. COLVIN.
For City Treasurer, DANIEL O'HARA. For City Collector, GEORGE VON HOLLEN. For City Assessor, CHARLES DENNEHY, For Superior Court Judge, S. M. MOORE. For County Court Judge, M. R. M. WALLACE.
For County Clerk, HERMANN LEIB. For Clerk Criminal Court, AUSTIN J. DOYLE. For County Treasurer, H. B. MILLER.
Then followed the nominations of George D. Plant, County Superintendent of Schools; Christian Busse, John Herting, William P. Burdick, Thomas Lonergan, and A. B. Johnson, County Commissioners.
Mr. Mark Sheridan, having been called upon, named as Commissioner, C. A. Reno, for the West Side. This gentle- man was nominated.
On Monday, October 28, Egbert Jamieson was selected for City Attorney; and Martin Scully, for Police Clerk.
The disposition of the other offices followed.
HOW THE OPPOSITION WORKED.
When it had definitely been ascertained what the People's Party was, and what policy it would pursue, the cry of the Opposition was, " Anything to beat the Hesing-O'Hara com- bination." To effect this, one of the strangest fusions was formed that has ever been recorded.
On Saturday, Oct. 18th, 1873, in the Grand Pacific, the fusionists, after great confusion, met and nominated the fol- lowing gentlemen :
For Mayor, L. L. BOND.
For City Treasurer, DAVID A. GAGE.
For City Collector, A. L. MORRISON.
For City Assessor, W. H. P. GRAY.
For City Attorney, I. N. STILES. For Police Court Clerk, K. R. MATSON.
For Judge of Superior Court, WM. H. PORTER.
For Judge of County Court, M. R. M. WALLACE.
For County Clerk, J. W. BROCKWAY.
For Clerk of Criminal Court, W. K. SULLIVAN.
For County Treasurer, PHILLIP WADSWORTH.
For Superintendent of Schools, A. G. LANE.
For County Commissioners, Messrs. S. OLIN, A. J. GALLOWAY, WM. M. LAUGHLIN, W. B. BATEHAM, S. W. KINGSLEY.
For Police Commissioner, REUBEN CLEVELAND.
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HOW THE OPPOSITION WORKED.
On October 23, at Kingsbury Hall, the Committee of Seventy indorsed the Grand Pacific nominations .*
Prior to the nomination of Bond for Mayor, the following letter and reply were read :
CHICAGO, Oct. 22, 1873.
HON. L. L. BOND :
Dear Sir : You have been requested by a respectable body of citizens to become a candidate for the office of Mayor at the approaching municipal election. The repre- sentatives of Law and Order will have a convention to- morrow for the nomination of candidates to be supported by them at that election. The office of Mayor is the most important one to be filled. We wish the best man, regard- less of nationality, creed, or party, for the place-one who is in accord with our principles. They demand that there shall be honesty and strict economy in the management of our finances, to the end that all expenditures be limited to the actual needs of the people, and that taxation be light- ened as much as possible.
We demand that the laws shall be enforced for the protec- tion of life and property. We claim that the protection of every member of society, regardless of age, sex or condi- tion, in person, property and freedom, is the supreme object and duty of government.
We claim that every person has a right, so far as human law is concerned, to his own opinions, and to act upon them as he shall deem best, and to engage in any lawful traffic, and to all the guaranties which the law affords for its con- duct and management.
But upon the question of what kinds and modes of traffic
* Here it may be stated that an error heretofore ascribed the construc- tion of the Grand Pacific Ticket to the Committee.
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THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
are injurious to the citizen, as promoters of disorder, igno- rance, pauperism and crime, and consequent unnecessary taxation, the aggregate will of the people is supreme, and must be obeyed; and to be specific on this point, we insist that the saloons shall be closed on Sundays; that the licenses of those who violate the law shall be revoked; that the keepers of these establishments be required to give bonds, as required by law, with good security, for the pro- tection and indemnity of those who suffer from violation of the law; and that the law be enforced by a faithful and effi- cient police, to the end that crime may be diminished, and public order maintained.
We respectfully ask if the principles we have announced meet with your approval. If they do, we pledge to you such a support as, we believe, will secure your nomination and triumphant election, with a result which will give to our city a character and attitude she is entitled to possess and to occupy before the world. By order of Committee,
S. B. GOOKINS.
MAYOR BOND'S REPLY.
MAYOR'S OFFICE, CHICAGO, Oct. 22, 1873.
THE HON. S. B. GOOKINS.
Dear Sir : Your letter of to-day is at hand, and in reply I have to say that if the people assign to me the duties appertaining to the office of Mayor, I shall earnestly en- deavor to have all the financial interests of the city honestly and economically administered, and to that end will do all the Mayor can do.
With regard to the other points, I have to say that no executive officer can stand in any other position than that contained in the oath of office - " that he will faithfully and impartially execute all of the laws to the extent of his ability," and in the discharge of his duties protect all citi-
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HOW THE OPPOSITION WORKED.
zens in their personal and property rights, and in the prose- cution of all lawful business enterprises, regardless of the condition of such persons.
As this is the effect of the oath, and the position of an executive officer, it is apparent that I cannot make an exception of the Sunday law, and this necessarily includes the exercise of all lawful means for its enforcement.
It is my purpose to devote my whole energies, if elected, to secure such a government as will promote the safety, honor and welfare of the whole people, and to maintain the good name and credit of our city. No man can do more than this, and no honorable man can do less.
LESTER L. BOND.
The reading occasioned loud and prolonged applause.
On October 29 Mr. Joseph P. Clarkson was nominated for Judge of the Superior Court, vice Judge Porter, who died a short time subsequent to his nomination.
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THE OFFICIAL RETURNS.
The People's ticket made a clean sweep. In the County it elected a Judge of the Superior Court ; a Judge of the County Court; a Clerk of the County Court; a Clerk of the Criminal Court; a County Treasurer ; a Superintend- ent of Schools; five County Commissioners ; a member of the Board of Equalization, and a Police Commissioner.
The following are the official returns in totals of votes given in the County of Cook and State of Illinois, at an election held in said County on Tuesday, the 4th day of November, A.D. 1873. The candidates in italics were elected :
JUDGE OF SUPERIOR COURT .- S. M. Moore. 32,019 votes. Joseph P. Clarkson, 21,167.
JUDGE OF COUNTY COURT. - M. R. M. Wallace, 53,417. Placed on both tickets.
CLERK OF COUNTY COURT .- Hermann Lieb, 31,156. James W. Brockway, 22,046.
CLERK OF CRIMINAL COURT .- Austin Doyle, 33,031. W. K. Sullivan, 20,163.
COUNTY TREASURER .- H. B. Miller, 31,941. Philip Wads- worth, 21, 106.
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THE OFFICIAL RETURNS.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. - George D. Plant, 31,248. A. G. Lane, 21,839.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. - Christian Busse, 30,837 ; A. B. Johnson, 31,846 ; Thomas Lonergan, 31,976; WVm. B. Burdick, 31,629; John Herting, 31,784 E. A. Lynn, 20,999 ; S. W. Kingsley, 21,782 ; W. B. Bateham, 21,340 ; Wm. M. Laughlin, 21,557 ; A. J. Galloway, 21,626.
MEMBERS OF STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION. - S. S. Gardner, 10,673. R. P. Derrickson, 9,173.
POLICE COMMISSIONERS .- Chas. A. Reno, 27,148. R. Cleve- land, 18,729.
Messrs. Thomas Cannon and Max Eberhardt were elected as County Justices ; but the Governor refused to commission on the ground of the non-existence of any such office.
IN THE CITY .- The ticket carried the Mayor, the City Treasurer, the City Attorney, the City Collector, the City Assessor, the Clerk of the Police Court, and the great ma- jority among the Aldermen.
The following are the official returns :
MAYOR .- H. D. Colvin, 28,791. L. L. Bond, 18,540.
CITY TREASURER .- Daniel O' Hara, 28,761. D. A. Gage, 18,629.
CITY ATTORNEY .- Egbert Jamieson, 28,586. Thomas J. Turner, 18,636.
CITY COLLECTOR .- George Von Hollen, 28,590. A. L. Mor- rison, 18,560.
CITY ASSESSOR .- Chas. Dennehy, 28,570. Wm. B. H. Gray, 18,705.
CLERK OF POLICE COURT, - Martin Scully, 27,544. K. R. Matson, 19,240.
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THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
As to the Aldermen, the following are the official returns :
FIRST WARD .- Foley, 501. Lyons, 478.
SECOND WARD .- Dixon, 666. Reid, 285.
THIRD WARD .- Fitzgerald, 1,700. McGenniss, 984; Thomas, 348.
FOURTH WARD .- Spalding, 1,735. McArthur, 688.
FIFTH WARD .- Stone, 1,805. James, 938.
SIXTH WARD .- Reidy, 2,212. Tracy, 984; Conley, 149.
SEVENTH WARD .- Cullerton, 2,204. Millard, 299.
EIGHTH WARD .- Hildreth, 1,687. Fleming, 848; McDon- ald, 695.
NINTH WARD .- Bailey, 1,547. Powell, 1,422; Clark, 510; Ryan, 338.
TENTH WARD .- Woodman, 1,384. Greenebaum, 672 ; Eaton, 206.
ELEVENTH WARD .- White, 1, 136. Walsh, 809; Ferguson, 89.
TWELFTH WARD .- Heath, 1,543. Courtney, 585.
THIRTEENTH WARD. - Campbell, 1,233. Sherwood, 853 ; White, 292.
FOURTEENTH WARD .- Cleveland, 1,127. Turtle, 877.
FIFTEENTH WARD .-- McGrath, 2,874. Casselman, 454; Brown, 235.
SIXTEENTH WARD .- Stout, 2,162. Hawkinson, 460.
SEVENTEENTH WARD .- Lengacher, 2,454. Pfolstrom, 2II. EIGHTEENTH WARD .- Murphy, 1,007. Handly, 606; Bean, 455 ; Barrett, 96.
NINETEENTH WARD .- Lynch, 540. Greeley, 198.
TWENTIETH WARD .- Jonas, 837. Harvey, 494 ; Kehoe, 283.
THE SUNDAY QUESTION.
Notwithstanding the fact that the platform adopted at Kingsbury Hall clearly foreshadowed the attitude of the Mayor and Aldermen elected on the People's ticket, the Great Defeated yet awaited, in suspense, any opportunity that might arise to cause the total suppression of the sale of liquor on the Sabbath.
Accordingly, when the temperance fever that had sud- denly visited the "praying women " of Ohio reached Chi- cago, the advocates of the idea that principally caused their discomfiture and total rout at the polls in November, 1873, favored an organization of "praying women " in Chicago.
Throughout Ohio and other states the bands of "praying women," among other resorts adopted, visited places where liquor was sold, and besought the proprietors to close their institutions. To attempt any such thing in Chicago was utter folly ; a few venturesome ladies demonstrated the fact in a very brief time.
A strong organization was, nevertheless, subsequently formed, with the object of causing the closing of saloons on Sunday. To attain this end, it was deemed best to present a petition to the Council, as numerously signed as possible. Armed with this, it was quite absurdly hoped that the
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THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
" praying women " might move to accede to their request a Council in which the People's Party was represented by a majority of about twenty-five to fifteen.
On Friday, March 13, the first movement of importance was inaugurated, in the Methodist Church block. On this occasion it was resolved, by the votes of about six hundred ladies, to approach the Common Council, assembled in ses- sion, and entreat them to pass an ordinance in conformity with their wishes. Several clergymen santioned the proceed- ings with their presence. On the Sunday following, and preceding the day upon which the visit was to be made, sev- eral meetings were held in sympathy with the Sunday saloon closing idea ; among others, a meeting in the First Baptist church. Several ministers' meetings followed.
The ladies, thus strengthened in their crusade, met in the Methodist Church block, and appointed a committee to pre- sent their petition to the Council. At the session, Rev. Arthur Mitchell presented a resolution, adopted at the min- isters' meeting, in earnest support of the ladies.
The resolution was received with enthusiasm.
The ladies forming the delegation to the Council now set out upon their mission. Reaching the Council Chamber, they found a miscellaneous gathering of men and boys attracted by the novel demonstration. There was certainly a rough element in the crowd - partaking considerably of the nature of such assemblages as have been noted wherever in the country the "praying women " have been at work. Whatever of insult that element was guilty of can hardly reflect discredit upon the Board of Aldermen.
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THE SUNDAY QUESTION.
After the transaction of some routine business, the peti- tion of the ladies was presented to the Council.
Considerable discussion followed. Finally, Ald. Culler- ton moved the passage of the engrossed ordinance, as fol- lows :
AN ORDINANCE amending section one (1), chapter fifty (50), and section three (3), chapter twenty-eight (28), of the revised ordinances.
Be it ordained by the Common Council of the City of Chicago :
SECTION I. The Mayor is hereby authorized to grant li- censes for the sale of spirituous, vinous, and fermented liquors to any person who shall apply to him in writing, upon said person furnishing sufficient evidence to satisfy him that he or she is a person of good character, and upon such person executing to the city of Chicago a bond, with at least two sureties, to be approved by the Mayor, in the penal sum of five hundred dollars ($500), conditioned that the licensed party shall faithfully observe and keep all ordi- nances now in force, or hereafter to be passed, during the period of such license, and that he will keep closed all doors opening out upon any street from the bar, or room where such liquors are sold, on Sunday, and that all windows opening upon any street from such bar, or room where such liquors are sold, shall be provided with blinds, shutters, or curtains, on Sundays, so as to obstruct the view from such streets into such rooms, and paying for the use of the city fifty-two dollars ($52) and no other fees. On compliance with these requirements a license shall be issued to the ap- plicant, under the corporate seal, signed by the Mayor, and countersigned by the Clerk, which shall authorize the per- son or persons therein named to sell, barter, give away, or deliver wines and other liquors, whether vinous, or ardent, or fermented, in quantities less than one gallon, in the place
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THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
designated in the application ; provided, all licenses issued in pursuance hereof shall expire on the Ist day of July in each year.
SEC. 2. If any person shall keep a common, ill-governed, or disorderly house, or suffer any person to play any game of chance on his or her premises for money, or any other valuable things, any such person, on conviction, shall be fined in a sum of not less than five dollars ($5) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100).
SEC. 3. Section three (3), chapter twenty-eight (28), and section one (1), of chapter fifty (50), of the revised ordi- nances of the city of Chicago, are hereby repealed.
SEC. 4. This ordinance shall be in force from and after its passage.
The motion of Ald. Cullerton prevailed by the following vote :
Ayes- Richardson, Foley, Fitzgerald, Schmitz, Reidy, McClowry, Cullerton, M. B. Bailey, Hildreth, O'Brien, T. F. Bailey, White, Eckhardt, Mahr, Stout, Schaffner, Lengacher, Cannon, Murphy, Brand, Lynch, and Corcoran .- 22.
Noes - Warren, Dixon, Coey, Sidwell, Pickering, Stone, Clark, Woodman, Miner, Heath, Moore, Campbell, Quirk, and Cleveland .- 14.
The absent Aldermen were Spalding, Kehoe, McGrath, and Jonas.
The attitude of the Council on this question may be stated as 25 to 15, recording Spalding in the negative, and Mc- Grath, Kehoe, and Jonas in the affirmative.
The ladies now besought Mayor Colvin to exercise his veto privilege. This his Honor refused to do, pledged as he was to execute the wishes of The People who elected him.
Ald. Dixon was elected President of the Council on the same evening.
GAGE NOT GUILTY OF PERJURY.
The last indictment for false swearing against David A. Gage, Ex- City Treasurer, which appears in full under the head " Counting the Money," was quashed by Judge Moore March 26, 1874. But one indictment remains at the present writing, being that for failing to pay over. In reference to this indictment, Mr. Gage obtained a change of venue to Lake County. That he will ever be tried thereunder is quite doubtful, however, as the prospects that the city will, in a short time, recover every cent due it, are very promis- ing. In the event of full satisfaction of the debt, a quite general impression exists that to further prosecute would be to persecute. While anticipating so early a settlement of the whole matter, Mr. Gage's counsel yet believe they have a sufficient defense under the indictment for failing to pay over. The main points in said defense are published here- tofore, having been elicited in an interview with Hon. Leonard Swett, Mr. Gage's counsel.
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