St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-18
ADDITIONAL ST. PAUL NEWS.
GOOD WORDS FOR MAYOR RICE.
s'HOnOr TO Whom Honor 10 Due,,-
An independent Democrat Speaks.

''HOnOr to Whom Honor 10 Due,'--
An independent Democrat Speaks.
To the Editor of the Globe:
Speaking of the appointment and con-
fir1nation of Commissioner Parker, the Pho
neer Press says:
The persistence OF the mayor in this matter
is in the direct line of his recent painstaking
devotion to the task of reforming the city
administration and serving the best interests
of the public. His policy is as gratifying To
the majority Of good citizens as it must be
disappointing to some Of his past supporters.
As one OF his past supporters" wish
to add my own Endorsement of the mayors
course on matters generally. This Parker
and Black fight / don't know much about.
l think Black is all the better for the fight
against him. and it may be quite as well to
let it go on. But the mayor has shown
excellent Judgment, discretion and pluck in
several directions. recently which | think
very commendable, and / wish to commend
him because think every public officer
should be encouraged in well-doing, TO
nerve him to go on in well-doing, and make
still further advances. For there Is yet
more room for improvement. In resisting
the absurd
DEMAGoGIC PRESSURE
which called forth his veto of the ordinance
fixing the price which contractors should
pay for labor, in meeting the gamblers and
quietly inducing them to emigrate In clos
ing the saloons on Sunday two weeks ago,
the mayor has shown that beneath the vel
vet fur and smooth exterior which character
lies his conservatism and moderation, there
lie concealed the claws which can go
through the fur and be radical, aggressive
and firm when the occasion requires 1t.
Mayor Rice's good sense also showed him
that the present license of 500 for saloons
is an unfair Sinking Of bearing their Just
share Of the burdens of taxation growing
directly out of and caused by their business,
andlf the council had followed his advice.
we should have money enough to-day to
put $4,000 in new school houses, without
additional taxation.
Mayor Rice occupies an enviable position
to-day in being the one man of all others
who can add 500. 900 to the city revenue
by finally having these licenses raised and
by bringing about reform in the matter
of conducting the saloons according TO law
and according to the mayors oath of Office.
He has the good will of the saloon men ON
account of his moderation and liberality.
and they will do as he tells them. Witness
how they closed on Sunday two weeks ago.
He should tell them the law requires this
every Sunday; also that minors and
drunkards must not be furnished with
liquor. II the mayor wishes to make his
official term
RADIANT WITH GLORY
he never yet enjoyed and to leave TO
posterity name grander than any which
has yet graced this Office, let him put his
hand ON his heart and ask himself what his
oath Of Office means to ''see that the laws
and ordinances of the city are enforced
and then looking to God as his Judge in
whose name the oath was taken, let him
work up TO this line in his moderate and
kindly and conservative way and when the
next mayors election comes around his
majority will not be 8, 200 but more like so. :
900, for he will 60 in by reclamation. If
this thing was uniform and universal saloon
men would acquiesce. The need rest as
well as other people. Thirty people need
not suffer. If warned in time the pocket
flask would yield all the spiritual consola-
ton they might require on Sunday which
was not furnished by the churches. Col.
Robertson, as mayor, used to close the
saloons on Sunday, and said he had no diff
Guilty in doing it. Mayor Rice did it two
weeks ago by general consent and can make
1t his permanent policy. He holds the
trump card to win this reform. He has the
tact, the gentle frmness the ability and
the pluck to do it Just let him alone now
and see. He is wise beyond the wisdom of
either his friends or his opponents. Enc
mics, think, he has none. In his charac-
Ter as Christian gentleman let him crown
ms administration with this eliminating
triumph of law and order and good govern
ment, and when he closes his career this
will be the cap stone of his monument. H.
Illuminated by a golden sunset.
AN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRAT.