SAYS STEADY CAINS ARE MADE
AGAINST PRIVATE CONTROL
OF PUBLIC UTILITIES
Louis Warns, member Fels fund
commission, lecturer University of
Chicago, wants what he calls "the
public ownership crowd" to know
that sure and steady gains are being
made against private control of pub
lic utilities.
'"Believe me, a fight against taxa
tion without representation is being
made at Springfield now. Petitions
are being circulated this week for a
referendum of the voters of Spring
field on whether the city shall sell
electric light to citizens in competi
tion with the Hodenpyl-Hardy syndi
cate. "This question sooner or later will
come up in Chicago. As the sanitary
district plant is developed the time
will come when it will have more sur
plus light and power to sell. The
monopoly electric interests of Chi
cago will try to stop the city from
selling its own citizens electric light
at a lower price or any price.
"Willis J. Spaulding, commission
er of public property, some time ago
began selling Springfield people elec
tric light at a lower price than the
private monopoly. Several injunc
tion suits are now pending. It is con
tended the city has no right to make
or sell electric light, even though its
selling price is lower than the mo
nopoly. "The Hodenpyl-Hardy 'syndicate
owns plants in 60 other American cit
ies. It looks like a subsidiary" or an
ally of the Westinghouse interests.
When Springfield tried to buy a turbo-generator
from the Westinghouse
Co. that company fooled along with
promises and equivocations for long
time. The longer it was able to keep
Springfield believing It would get the
machinery the longer it was delaying
progress of public ownership and
, helping the local monopoly profits.
o aged with Westinghouse tricks and 1
went to a Kentucky city for a turbo
generator. Springfield newspapers are full of
ads telling how the local monopoly
is good to Springfield and is selling
electric light below cost
"And, as in Chicago, the newspa
pers taking these ads are not making
any fight for the consumers who pay
monthly light bills."
o o
SECY OF STATE STEVENSON
WANTS STEVENSON PROBED
Sec'y of State Lewis G. Stevenson,
who is a candidate for re-election.
has asked State's Att'y. Hoyne to in
vestigate the epidemic of Stevensbns
yearning to be secretary of state and
who are running as Democrats.
Stevenson has a suspicion somebody
is slipping somethiHg over on him.
On the ticket near his name appear
Lewis J. Stevenson, Louie Stevenson
and Sim Stevenson. The latter has
withdrawn and explained to the sec
retary of state that he had entered
the race at the instance of Tim
Crowe, a member of the Sullivan
faction, which doesn't like the pres
ent secretary. The petitions of the
three strange Stevensons are said to
have been circulated by employes of
the election board. Bart Collins of
the election board is the Sullivan
candidate against Lewis G. Steven
son. MAN SHOOTS GIRL JEALOUSY?
Chicago police searching for Guy
O'Brien, a wealthy young farmer of
Hemar, 111., who escaped in a high
powered auto after shooting and
seriously wounding his sweetheart,
Ida Torkelson.. The shooting occur
red on a highway near Newark, 111.
The gitl was buggy riding with her
mother when O'Brien rode up and in
sisted the girl get into his machine.
As she arose from the buggy he fired
three shots, two of which took ef
fect Then he sped away. Jealousy
is blamed. O'Brien wanted to marry
the girL