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OnDaFence 36M/44M
44267 posts
2/14/2017 6:53 pm

Last Read:
2/16/2017 2:24 am

Pushcart Tony



On February 15, 1933 Anton Cermak, who created Chicago's Democratic machine, is shot while talking with the president-elect. Cermak died within a month. The many ethnic groups such as Czechs, Poles, Ukrainians, Jews, Italians, and African Americans that began to settle in Chicago in the early 1900s were mostly detached from the political system, due in part to lack of organization which led to underrepresentation in the City Council.



As an immigrant himself, Cermak recognized Chicago's relatively new immigrants as a significant population of disenfranchised voters and a large power base for Cermak and his local Democratic organization to build from. Before Cermak, the Democratic party in Cook County was run by Irish Americans. As Cermak climbed the local political ladder, the resentment of the Party leadership grew. When the bosses rejected his bid to become the mayoral candidate, Cermak swore revenge. He formed his political army from the non-Irish elements, and even persuaded black politician William L. Dawson to switch from the Republican to the Democratic Party. Dawson later became U.S. Representative (from the 1st District) and soon the most powerful black politician in Illinois.



Two notable immigrants stood in the crowd when President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt emerged from a yacht in Miami on this date after a fishing trip in the Bahamas. One was Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak, the Bohemian-born politician who was the master builder of the city's Democratic Party. The other was Giuseppe Zangara, an Italian immigrant with a ferocious hatred for politicians and their governments. After a short speech, Roosevelt sat atop the back seat of a convertible and motioned Cermak to his side.



As the two spoke privately, Zangara raised a handgun and began shooting. He was aiming for Roosevelt, but he hit Cermak and four others. The crowd collapsed on Zangara, wrestling the gun from his hands and beating him.
Cermak was helped into Roosevelt's car, which sped to the hospital. During that ride, with Roosevelt at his side, Cermak uttered his famous line: "I am glad it was me instead of you."



Cermak died March 6. Zangara, who laughed when he was sentenced to die, was executed March 20.



Cermak, a man who once sold firewood out of a wagon, had worked his way up the political ranks, beginning in 1902 when he was elected to the legislature. He went on to win posts as alderman, municipal bailiff and Cook County Board president.
In 1931, he was elected Chicago's 36th mayor, defeating scandal-plagued William Hale "Big Bill" Thompson and establishing a Democratic stranglehold on the mayor's office. "Big Bill's" get out the vote strategy consisted of setting up precinct kitchens the day of the election and handing out free sandwiches, beer and food.



Cermak built the strength of the Democratic Party by bringing together diverse factions, using clout and patronage to punish and reward. He could be ruthless, but also conciliatory. He did the kitchens, as well, but added the busloads of "voters" who would be bused around from precinct to precinct casting ballots. This system worked well into the 1990's until cellphones with video capabilities became widespread with videos popping up displaying to the world the crooked practices.
Cermak's funding and rewards, it is widely held, came from real estate deals and bootlegging.



While Cermak was in the hospital after the shooting, the Tribune wrote: "We think he faced his problems courageously and did the best that was in him to put this punch drunk city back on its feet, to restore its reputation in the eyes of the world, to re-establish its credit, to relieve its taxpayers and to pay its debts."



Edward J. Kelly, president of the South Park Board, was selected to succeed Cermak by his fellow Democrats on the City Council. Kelly won his first full term in 1935 and, fully in charge of the powerful Democratic machine Cermak had bequeathed him, ruled City Hall for another 12 years.



OnDaFence 36M/44M

2/14/2017 7:01 pm

    Quoting  :

Chicago politics has been dirty ever since


bychance4709 61M

2/14/2017 7:03 pm

Wonder how many times Cermak voted for Hillary.


OnDaFence 36M/44M

2/14/2017 7:04 pm

There are some good movies that cover the topic as well, The UNTOUCHABLES with Elliot Ness played by Robert Stack has a historically correct coverage and is available on youtube for those that are interested.


OnDaFence 36M/44M

2/14/2017 7:12 pm

    Quoting bychance4709:
    Wonder how many times Cermak voted for Hillary.
LOL!!! Who knows, however, there was one registered voter who had not missed an election since William McKinley ran for president... to give you an idea of how far back that is... the first person my grandmother was able to vote for was Eisenhower.


Hungr4Yungr 75M
5766 posts
2/15/2017 6:31 am

Very interesting post on the shady history of Chicago.


OnDaFence 36M/44M

2/15/2017 9:11 am

    Quoting  :

This is the guy who built it up. Parties handing out free food and beer to prospective voters was one thing but hauling them from one precinct to another was a whole new dimension to dirty politics


OnDaFence 36M/44M

2/15/2017 9:15 am

    Quoting Hungr4Yungr:
    Very interesting post on the shady history of Chicago.
With the advent of voter ID this has put a big crimp in the politics as usual for Chicago along with the cellphone's video capabilities. It is now pretty hard for people like Clinton to just happen to "find" 2-3 ballot boxes and work them in with the legitimately cast ballots.


OnDaFence 36M/44M

2/15/2017 9:18 am

    Quoting  :

This one has always been on my to do list but since it has fallen on the anniversary I got my ass in gear for some researching. to get it posted.


Spicy_D69 61M
514 posts
2/15/2017 10:30 pm

I'm in Charge!
[image]


OnDaFence 36M/44M

2/16/2017 2:23 am

Cermak was in with Bugs Moran's group from the sounds of it.


OnDaFence 36M/44M

2/16/2017 2:24 am

I had to do some pretty fancy digging to put them all together.