By PAUL M. GREEN

The late and great Martin J. Dooley, Chicago's turn-of-the-century fictional saloon keeper, philosopher and one of my few remaining personal heroes, would annually put together his observations on the passing scene. In that spirit I once again try to emulate Mr. Dooley with my own second annual "What I observed on my summer vacation."

On moral indignation. In early August the Better Government Association (EGA) and WMAQ-Channel 5 television station in Chicago jointly announced that proponents of casino gambling in the Windy City had hired lobbyists who were making lists of how prospective state legislators might vote on the issue. In the name of decency and democracy these twin guardians of morality stole, bought or were given a secret and private 28-page memo containing capsule comments on Senate and House members.

Dripping with indignation, BGA and Channel 5 spokesmen called into question the legislative process and the character of the General Assembly. Nonsense! In every legislative body — local, state and federal — this is the process involved in passing major legislation. And everybody knows it. The only moral question involved in this entire silly episode was probably the manner by which the hard-hitting investigators obtained the memo. By the way, I wonder how the deal involving NBC's new River North Towers building was put together. An act of God, perhaps.

On mysterious one-punch knockouts. In the mid-1960s Cassius Clay (soon to be Muhammed Ali) retained his world heavyweight boxing crown by knocking out former champ Sonny Listen in the first round with a phantom punch that was not seen or heard. People claimed Listen took a dive or, in boxing parlance, rolled over. Well, Rollover II took place in Chicago's City Hall following the Illinois Senate defeat of Chicago's proposed third airport at Lake Calumet. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Lake Calumet's leading advocate and the pol who has made the airport a cornerstone of his economic development plans, shocked almost everyone by announcing, "No mas" (no more). Daley claimed he was through with the multibillion dollar project because of the Senate defeat. Questions went unanswered about why he was willing to throw in the towel so quickly, especially when the governor believed it would pass in the fall veto session. Like Listen, Daley took his licking without ever explaining how being hit with one mysterious punch could be so fatal.

On budget fairy tales. Once upon a time governments could talk about new programs to help people that would not cost any new tax dollars. Gain with no pain! Unfortunately, this is not one of those times. Today's working motto for federal, state and local budgeting is simple: "Keep the buck and pass the responsibility." Yes, public budgeting has turned into a giant game of "hot potato," but unlike the children's game, there is no eventual winner. Instead, everybody ends up getting burned.

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On Chicago politics or "requiescat in pace." If former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington danced on the grave of patronage, current Mayor Daley is waltzing around the coffin of Chicago politics. Like a bunch of vampires sentenced to serve in a chamber of eternal light, Chicago aldermen seldom stir, speak or even shout. Only Daley promotes new ideas or plans. His foes are often reduced to being "racial responders." That is, these folks do not talk content, but count how many of their particular ethnic or racial group are being employed. Only the mayor is showing any citywide vision, which gives him an incredible advantage over his narrowly based ward lord foes.

On competition. Over a decade ago a group of political "reformers" convinced Illinois voters to eliminate cumulative voting for electing members to the Illinois House (three were elected from each of 59 districts, and only two of the three could be from the same party). The change came via the "Cutback Amendment," which established a system of electing 118 House members, each from a separate district. Proponents of the amendment claimed their idea would create more competition by giving the voters more understandable one-on-one battles. Unfortunately, the opposite has happened. Even this year with all new districts, most House seats are noncompetitive. Reform strikes again.

On North Halsted Street restaurants in Chicago. Overpriced, over cute and over yuppied. Avoid them.

On the Chicago Historical Society. A must visit.

On golf outings. Do Japanese and German businessnmen substitute them for work as much as American corporate wizards?

On H. Ross Perot. Has the credibility of a three-dollar bill.

On Chicago neighborhood saloons. Thank goodness Martin J. Dooley is not around to see the decline of one of Chicago's great cultural institutions.

Paul M. Green is director of the Institute for Public Policy and Administration, Governors State University, University Park

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