St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-13
IT'S MERELY A SCHEME.
The Police Commission a Device to Help
Republicans to Power-Back
Office Conclave Dictation.
Frightened at the Spring Prospect, the
Republicans are Laying Plans
To Win by Strategy.
The Teachings and objects of the so
cialtsts Explained Annual
Exhibition of Turner's.
Meeting of the Land League, with
Addresses--Real Estate and
Other Matters.

MINNEAPOLIS might have had Republican
majority of 10, 900 at municipal eiectoh'
Under ordinary circumstances this majority
might have been safely counted upon. but
as it is. the city is fairly and surely Demo-
cratic. This is the result largely of revolt
from Republican methods. an uprising of
the people against the arrogant impeTti-
nence of handful of Republican bosses
who had been in the habit of debating,
from back Office, the party nominations.
These few men have arrogated to them
selves the right to run the city as to them
seemed best, and they did run it. imDu-
IDENTIFY and overbearngly. until the people
asserted themselves and deposed the
wealthy bosses. Within the past two years
the experience has been common that II
anv one thing were certain, it was that the
day of bosses was over. The old ana
wealthy mossbacks who run the machine
while the city was young, nave oeeh
hustled to the rear and the younger blood
has come to the front to guide and con-
troll the city, in politics, as in
business and in its own, as well
as in the states councils. After the severe
rebuke which has been administered to
these self-apponted bosses, it is matter OF
considerable surprise to see few OF them
raising their heads from the sea which over
whelmed them and again preSuming to be
all in all to the people. This handful OF
men. from the darkness OF star chamber
where there may have been ten, but pr0oa-
bly, only three, have attempted to send out
the impression that the people want police
commission for Minneapolis They haven
even gone so far as to outline scheme for
kIon oifofn 1lr,f nd nj a
commission. Te tell the object of their
meeting and of this scheme, this handful of
Republicans have induced one or two gen
lemen to join and lend an air of democracy
20 the affair and thus enable them to an
nOunce it as nOn-paTtiSdn. But out OF the
lions skin the ears of the jackaSs pro-
trude. The scheme is not non partisan,
but is deeply. Extensively partisan and Is
bitterly, unalterablY Republican. While
some few so-calIed Democrats may favor
it and few Republicans may honestly
oppose it. the project to fOist upon the city
OF Minneapolis police commission IS moth
ing more than partisan Republican plan.
devised il the vain hope Of preventing the
Democrats from capturing and controlling
the city. 1t is part of well-laid scheme
Matched at a meeting of Republican polltl-
clans, which includes the abolition OF the
water board system and the gerrymander-
ing of the city, if possible, so as to secure
a majority Of aldermen. Republican con-
troll of Minneapolis will, under the present
Tlan. end with the spring elections. There
are now in the council fourteen Republi-
cans and ten Democrats. Of these eight
retire in April and they are all Republi-
cans, leaving
TEN DEMOCRATS AND SIX REPUBLICANS
IL Il &C. fol, l1off no
Democrats will elect at least three in the
spring, which will give them control of the
council and thus every department OF the
city government. The water board now
contains two Democrats, two Republicans
and Mr. Foote; but the term of the latter
expires in the spring and he will be replaced
bv straight Democrat, who will be con-
firmed by a Democratic council This is
the state of affairs which presents itself to
these nom partisan gentlemen now engaged
in some back Office in preparing plans TO
caiOIe deceive and thWaTt the will of the
people. a meeting of ''Our leading citi-
Zens" may be called by them at a minutes
notice, and they are always ready to refer
to prominent Democrats by
whom are meant the three or four
well meaning but easily misled
gentlemen who call themselves Democrats
because they voted for Andrew Jackson.
These comparisons have held several
secret meetings and have now formulated a
dose which they are determined to force
down the peoples Threats by means OF the
legislature. These three or four men have
determined that 1--WE, the people of Mime
apolis," want police commission. They
have prepared very long and very tedious
document showing why. I'VE, the people, u
hr1t % iS hp0oncn
under the present system. politics enters
INTO the appointments of policemen; they
would lift the police system out of the mire
If partisan politics, and they propose the
following:
Fir THE police commission to consist of
:hree freeholders of Minneapolis, who shall
lave been residents thereof for three years
lext preceding their appointment-one to be
appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the
,ity council, and two by the governor of the
tate and confirmed by the senate.
Second-The regular term of Office to be
ihree years, the term Of one commissioner
Expiring each year.
Third-Not more than two commissioners
20 be members of any one political party.
Fourth-No officer or member OF the police
,Orce to be appointed or removed for poltica
reasons.
Fifth-The board of commissioners to elect
rom time to time one of their number a:
president, who shall be the executive othcer
This plan. they presume, will lift The
police department out of the mire of par
izan Democratic politics into the pure at
nosphere of nOn-partizan Republican
yolicitous care. This is the method by
which they propose to weaken the Demo
cratic administration, by placing the polio,
into the hands of Republican governor
a man who knows nothing of Minneapolis
and ifs wants and who will himself he UDdp
control of this same back-office party O