Chicago and the Government of Illinois. —The general assembly of the State of Illinois numbers 51 senators and 153 representatives, one senator and three representatives being elected from each district. Of these districts 14 are wholly and 4 partly in the city of Chicago.
The Supreme Court of Illinois consists of seven judges elected one in each of seven dis tricts for a term of nine years. Chicago is in the seventh judicial district. The five counties composing that district had in 1910 a total population of 2,618,847, of which Chicago had 2,185,283.
Cook County forms a judicial circuit of the State of Illinois, and has a Superior Court of 18 members and a Circuit Court of 20 mem bers. These courts have concurrent jurisdic tion in law and equity. The members are elected for a term of six years by the voters of the county. The population of Cook County, outside of Chicago, in 1910 was 219,050.
Three judges of the above courts are desig nated by the Supreme Court of the State to sit as an appellate court, with appellate jurisdiction over the Circuit, Superior and County Courts. In like manner six other judges are designated by the same authority to form two branch appellate courts.
The Criminal Court of Cook County is formed by the judges of the Circuit and Su perior Courts, who alternate in the duty of hold ing such court. One judge of the Circuit Court is also assigned to hold the Juvenile Court, which has jurisdiction under the act to regu late the treatment of dependent, neglected and delinquent children. Cook County also has a County Court and a Probate Court, each con sisting of one judge, elected by the people of the county, for a term of four years. All these courts sit in the city of Chicago. The Munici pal Court, consisting of a chief justice and 30 associate justices, takes the place of the old system of justices of the peace, and is in a very real sense the people's court, having civil and criminal jurisdiction of a primary nature.
The administration of the court provides for specialized courts, such as the boys' court, dealing with offenders between the ages of 17 and 21, the morals court, the court of domestic relations and the automobile speeders' court.
A psychopathic laboratory is also maintained in connection with the criminal branch of the court.
As has been noted, Chicago contains 2,185,283 of the 2,405,233 people of Cook County — almost the total. The taxable value of property in Cook County, which, by State law, is one-third of the assessed full real value, is $1,078,824,261 (1914). The taxable value of property (1914) in Chicago was $1,000,797,060, or over 90 per cent of that of the county. Moreover, many of the people residing in Cook County outside the limits of Chicago have their business in the city. From these facts it is plain that Cook County is largely identical with Chicago.
The affairs of the county are administered by a county board of 15 members, elected for a term of three years. Ten are elected in the city and five from that part of the county out side the city. The president of the board is designated by the people at the election for commissioners.
The City Government.— The city is incor porated under the general laws of the State for municipal corporations. The constitution of Illinois forbids special charters for corpora tions, and the statutes provide in detail a scheme of government for cities.
Local legislation and general administra tive oversight are vested in the city council. This body consists of 70 aldermen and the mayor. Each of the 35 wards elects two mem bers for a term of two years. One-half of the members of the council are chosen each spring. The mayor presides over the council.
The mayor is the administrative head of the city. He is chosen by popular election for a term of four years. He has the veto power over all ordinances passed by the council and may veto separate items in the budget. The city council may, however, by a two-thirds vote, override the mayor's disapproval. The mayor has directive control over the adminis trative departments. He appoints the heads of departments, subject to the approval of the council. All other employees of the city gov ernment, except about 400 employed principally in the law department, are under the merit sys tem.