St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-22
The Political Situation.
To the Editor of the Globe:

10 the Editor Oh lne GlODe:
In presenting the political situation in
Minneapolis it is altogether appropriate to
advert to political principles applicable in the
election of the municipal officers at the
approaching city election, for as far as local
interests are involved or may be affected by
it and its administration, our municipal gov
eminent is of the most immediate import
ance to the people under its Jurisdiction;
and in deciding their choice of officers the
personal character and disposition of the OPP
posing candidates, as well as their COM
potency for a reasonably Efficient discharge of
official duty, should be considered.
There can be no doubt that the honesty
and competency, as far as there is opportuni-
ty to Judge, should be the considerations to
determine the choice of the voter. | be-
lieve it is admitted that Mr.. Pillsbury, the
Republican candidates. personal character is
above reproach, and his personal habits, so
far as known at any rate, unexceptional, and
as questions of national politics are not at all
involved in our municipal affairs, it would
appear inconsistent with any true sense of
propriety that he was noni-
mated, and that he accepted
the nomination as partisan candidate.
So that such nomination and its &C
ceptance, if worthy of any attention at all,
may be regarded as only narrow partisan
attempt to insult the Democrats, altogether
wanton and without excuse. Yet, under the
circumstances this narrow partisan action
may not be reason why Democrats should
not perform their duty as good citizens,
should their judgment dictate their support
of this candidate for the position of mayor
as the only means available at this time to
improve the city government.
Whatever else may be alleged to the dis
credit of Mayor Ames, all must concede
that he has taken, in his acceptance
of his nomination by the Democratic con-
yention, bold and candid stand upon his
record, his administration as mayor. He
has been weighed in the balance" and the
question is whether he was 'found wanting.''
If there has been no concealment on his part,
then his position so far is open and manly,
and this the people ought to know, and it is
worth their while to consider his utterances
in explanation of his official conduct when
he accepted the nomination. 1t is said that
there has been an open connivance on his part
and the part of his police subordinates with I'M
concealed violations of law. So far as keep
ing gambling houses and houses of prostitu-
mitted it, giving as his excuse that he tried
to keep these places under control so as to do
the least possible harm to the public; as in
Chicago and other cities he named; and that
he thought this the better policy because the
evils, if suppressed by the authorities in
places within their power, would spring up
in other places beyond their control. AS
far as these matters are concerned the people
have now an opportunity to approve or dis
approve his 'spolicy," and whether he should
in his Judgment and discretion,
set aside the authority and
mandates of the statutes, and instead substi-
tute his own will and discretion. The mayor
| is the creature of the statute: his powers
and authority are simply statutory, and linn
tied, and under the statute he is charged
with the duty of seeing that his police subor-
| dinates perform their. duties under the laws OF
the city. He can see, within his department
only, that the laws of the city are obeyed and
enforced; and he has no authority to modify
or obstruct their operation or applica-
ton to cases within their perview. He is not
invested with such discretion, and is not au-
thorized to suspend or obstruct their
execution or enforcement If he
be permitted to exercise, or rather to substi-
tute, his discretion in the stead of the statute,
it were far better to SO modify the provisions
of the statute as to expressly invest him with
such vast arbitrary power.
| II the present mayor has, however, ascer-
tanned the public sense respecting his mode