Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-01
The Park BIZ.


The Park BiU.
The Knights of Labor held alargely at
tended meeting in Market hall last night
and discussed the park bill, handling it
without gloves, as the phrase goes. d. W.
Ahern was elected chairman of the meet
ing. Judge Atwater was the first speaker.
He arraigned the measure in no mild an
guage. He had obtained a copy IF the
bill, and he Loaned it to a neighbor. He
made application to all eligible
sources for a copy of the
bill but could not get one.
He knew of scores of people who were
anxious to get copies, but who were unable
to do so. 1t had been printed six weeks
ago, but only friends to the measure had
been able to see it. The speaker only
wished that all the gentlemen in the hall
had read the bill and were posted. The
bill ieopradizes all the property in the city
to a certain extent. 1t is subject to con-
demnation when such power is to be exer-
cised. Guard it with every safeguard your
ingenuity knows; otherwise you and l may
be left without protection. Admitting
that this commission Is comprised of the
best men who can be selected in the city,
we do not give them unlimited power.
The commissioners will not give owners of
lands access to the district or supreme
court. The matter of appraisal is left in
the hands of the commission, so that they
can appoint appraisers and you have no
voice. This matter of commissioners Sc
Letting appraisers is simply equivalent to
a plaintiff selecting his own jury. The
speaker continued, Il would like to know
who our representatives were who refused
US the privilege of going be-
fore the commission and making a
statement as to the value of our property
about to be condemned for parks. While
the bill allows the commission to select its
own jury, it don't allow you and I to go
before that jury and give our evidence in
defense"
Col. N. w. Glenn followed in one of his
characteristic and argumentative addresses.
He spoke of the fact that there was no
limit to the power of the commission.
They could take and anywhere between
Lake Harriet or Calhoun on the west and
Sandy lake on the east. He closed by
calling upon the gentlemen present that
in case they saw any defects in the park
bill to vote against the scheme on Tues
day.
G. W. Curtiss, as representative of the
laboring men, was the next speaker. He
spoke of the laboring men as the bone and
sinew of the power which is proposed in
the park bill scheme to build parks. We
are told, said he, by The Minneapolis press
that tho matter of building these parks is
no concern of ours the laboring men.
We, they claim, should hold our voices.
They also claim that we will not have a
cent to pay of expense. But we realize
the fact that such logic is nonsense. La
boring men perform the work which fills
the purses of the rich. The labor
ing man is obliged to pay
the taxes of the grocer, the butcher
the baker, the clothier and the dry goods
merchant, and this by spending every cent
of his hard earnings for their respective
wares which happen to comprise the ne
csssaries of life. This principle seemed to
be the principal feature of the address,
and elioited the applause of the audience.
Mr.. Morey was next called up,sud spoke
} upon the fact that the legislators of Hen
nepin county had drafted the bill SO that
even in the event it is voted down by the
people, that vote can have but little effect.
He believed the legislators went into a
conspiracy against the people in
getting the bill passed. The speaker
was in favor of parks. He spoke of the
beauties of the parks of various cities
Wnero ne naQ V1S1IeO In6 cOun-
try. He closed by explaining that he was
too indignant to speak, but he thought it
a { duty to attend the meeting.
Ed. A. Stevens arose to answer a ques-
ton asked by Mr.. Morey whether we vote
yes or whether we vote nc. The speaker
explained that if the, people voted no the
act, with the exception of section Is, would
a be in force, but if they voted yes the
whole act would be in full force.
Now is it not worth while to vote this sec.
ton down? a voice-You bet it is
. The speaker concluded in replying to an
item which appeared in the Tribune and
said he would be pleased if the reporter OF
!, the Tribune who was present would be as
careful to report what he did say as what
he did not. He replied as we'll in a
spirited decidedly pointed way to the
/ claptrap argument of the Tribune in favor
of the commissioners the past week. The
resolutions passed by a meeting of the
Knights of Labor a few evenings since
were read as published in SATURDAYS
. GLOBE and endorsed by a meeting.
I Skinny Men.
ssWalIa, Health Rapauars, rook0-a, bo.lL