LETTERS
DuPage 7 trial a reflection of history
In the May issue, Steve
Warmbir's article, "Trying
Justice" (page 24), reminded
me of a recent discovery.
Hidden in the trees at the
north end of Lincoln Park in
Chicago is a monument to
John P. Altgeld. The trees form a
peaceful bower, but at the same time
obscure a tribute to a great Illinois
governor. In the 1890s Gov. Altgeld
supported prison reform and the
abolition of child labor, but he is best
known for pardoning three men
unfairly convicted in the Haymarket
trial of 1886. The date of the pardon
was June 26, 1893, a little more than a
hundred years ago. Warmbir observes
that "the trial of the DuPage 7 is
the latest instance in which Illinois'
criminal justice system has fallen
apart in front of the nation."
C.J. Herhold
Chicago
Women in government:
So far, so good
Bravo to Illinois Issues. I was pleased to see the interview of Pam McDonough, new head of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs and its first female director (see June, page 39). What a pleasure to see innovative and creative thinking in a director who can make it happen and get it done. Her goals and the goals of Gov. Ryan for promoting small business and economic development will have a major impact on business growth.
But what I and the women of Illinois are particularly pleased about are the large number of superb appointments to major state departments and ones that were traditionally held by men. Not only did we re-elect Judy Baar Topinka as state treasurer, but also we finally have a qualified and accomplished woman as our lieutenant governor. Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood established her reputation in the legislature and continues her commitment to women's issues and women's health in her new role. In alphabetical order by department, Margo Schreiber is a highly respected director of the Department on Aging. Kim Robinson, executive director of the Capital Development Board, brings experience and a heightened awareness and sensitivity to the issues of minority, women and small business development in her state projects. We are pleased to see Gertrude Jordan return as assistant director of Central Management Services. Linda Renee Baker brings her high level of experience and expertise as director of the Department of Employment Security, and Shirley Madigan has returned as chairperson of the Illinois Arts Council, as well as the return of Lori Montana as director of the Lottery. A challenging department in this time of successful conversion from welfare to work sees Ann Patla as the experienced director of the Department of Public Aid.
There is still much to be done in
appointing qualified women to state
boards and commissions, and the
women of Illinois are ready to serve.
Hedy M. Ratner
Women's Business Development
Center
Chicago
Toll roads create funds to build more roads
I must take exception to a statement
made by Harold Henderson in his
June article, "Good sprawl" (see
Illinois Issues, page 34). He criticized
a recent Citizen Advocacy Center
newsletter for opposing both sprawl
and toll roads, as though charging
tolls in the Chicago suburbs might
discourage highway use and centralize
traffic flow. On the contrary, charging
tolls creates a slush fund for the
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
and allows it to build more roads.
Theresa Amato
Citizen Advocacy Center
Elmhurst
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Commuter train not just for the cities anymore
Concerning your article on "Good sprawl," I agree there are numerous facets of the subject. I'd like to address the tenet "Mass transit is (or isn't) the answer." Anti-sprawl "smart-growth" advocates contend that compact high density development is necessary to encourage mass transit. Free-market types say people don't like to live in such close quarters, so there is no point in making it available. However, if the definition of mass transit is expanded to include commuter rail, they are both wrong. For proof, look at Metra's 3-year-old North Central Service. Its territory has a density of well under 4,000 [persons] per square mile, but it has proven quite popular. Why? Obviously, it is faster than driving, even though many must, of course, drive to the stations. It isn't just for getting downtown, either. On the inbound trip, it's tough to find a seat past Buffalo Grove, the busiest stop. It would be even tougher if not for many riders who get off there. Add to that fliers, flight attendants and pilots who get off at O'Hare, students getting off at Mundelein, etc., and you can see how versatile it has become.
Nobody can predict whether the "smart growth" idea will be popular with homeowners, but three conclusions can be drawn about transport in present and future suburbs. First, new expressways may not be possible, even
Illinois Issues September 1999 43
LETTERS
in the areas where they might help.
Second, buses, the blue-collar term
for mass transit, attract largely fringe
riders — pennypinchers, hard-core
environmentalists and those with no
other choice. Finally, commuter rail
is an attractive transportation alternative, not just for travel to the central
city, but between suburban regions.
Peter VandeMotter
Mundelein
Schaumburg more than the media myth created about it
I don't know what purpose your quoting [Jane Hamilton's novel] The Short History of a Prince ("Prairie Views," July/August, page 26) served except to take another cheap media shot at the Village of Schaumburg.
Schaumburg may be suburban, but it's certainly not bland, with more than 80 miles of bike paths (on-street and off), a 135-acre nature sanctuary with a historic farm site, a spanking new airport, a heliport, a 7,000-plus seat brand new baseball stadium, a beautiful new town square with a 65-foot clock tower, in-ground amphitheater, fountains, public plazas, a new 140,000-square-foot township library, a branch of the Chicago Athenaeum's museum of architecture and design, an international sculpture garden, a Prairie Center for the Arts with a 442-seat theater with a full season of cultural activities, an outdoor stage with summer breeze concerts in July and August, a spring fine arts fair, a Labor Day celebration called Septemberfest, that over three days hosts over 200,000 people, a youth orchestra, a young people's ballet, a summer musical featuring young people acting, singing and dancing to some of Broadway's new and old classics, and on and on and on. Bland? Hardly.
A place with no history? Sloppy scholarship. Schaumburg has a proud history that goes back to 1850. (Prior to that it was known as Sarah's Grove.) Want to know about Schaumburg's history? Don't take [protagonist Walter] McCloud's word for it; he obviously couldn't spare the time to find out. Come out. I'll be happy to sit down with you and narrate it. Or better yet, stay tuned to our local cable channel. We will be featuring an oral history of Schaumburg as just one of our community's millennium projects.
Meanwhile, how about Illinois Issues
practicing responsible journalism. It's
really not that hard. All it takes is a
little work. And a willingness to not
accept the sub"urban myth" that the
media has created about the Village of
Schaumburg.
Al Larson
President
Village of Schaumburg
44 September 1999 Illinois Issues
