St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-12
.BRIERs, NOT ROSES,
Seem to Line the Path Of Mayor Elect
Babb.
REFORM OR FAILURE, WHICH?
Evils. Incident Are Necessary---What
the People Will Surely
Expect.

MayOr-elect BabD Will hnd his aulilH-
iStration very thorny path OF duty ana
may be glad to welcome the regular rel
vulsion of sentiment which Minneapolis
undergoes every other year. He mas.
promised too much and the Republican
papers have promised too much for HIM
to perform, and he will suffer by the
failure. The fact is that he and the
local party have entirely too much rope
and they are sure to hang themselves.
A larger Democratic representation In
the council and police commission
would be the Republican advantage,
and Capt. Babb will realize it before
long. The council is morally certain to-
do what it should not do, or leave UNI
done what it should have done, and the
party cannot divide the responsibility.
The restless body of worl1ingmen con
tinually demanding legislation will be
disappointed. unless the council will de-
part from the line of policy 1t
has long adopted. and though the
labor influence, so called, has been sadly
discounted, it may still make showing
at the polls in year when natlenai
politics does not draw a rigid line. But
the Republican papers have made OUT
llIdG ullNlCl lllC pICSCHG ttNiuiiiioUio SiO'A
the city government is an Augean sta
BILE, which Hercules Babb will cleanse.
He will not cleanse 1T and his failures
will damn him in the public'S eStlma-
ton. He will not put an end to the
gaming, he will not be able to rigldly
enforce the liquor laws, and he will hnd
the scarlet quarter of the city dlfilcult
matter to handle. After six months OF
his administration the Situation will be
the same as at present and Babb Will be
held responsible. The public is unrea-
sonable and will condemn him, whether
he deserves it or not. At his back will
be the police commission, with but one
Democrat out of four-Mike Hoy. 1t
appears that ". r. Guile has had bap-
tsm and scared into the high and pure
air OF Republicanism, so that the com-
mission can now, as it never could be-
fore, make any changes they might de-
sire in the force, and at all events will
be under complete Republican domina-
ton. Still the gaming will go on as
usual, and the free tiger and the merry
chuck-a-luck will sport as ever. The
back door of the saloon will be patron
lied as ever, and the scarlet woman
will fiaunt her cheap charms in public
places as in the past. What will the
high moral Republican papers do then,
poor things? Will they insist the ad-
ministration gets rake-otf and a divi-
dend?
1t is possible the next legislature will
abolish the police commission, mas
much as hat institution was purely for
political ends which have since been at
tanned, but that will only Increase the
briers about the feet OF Capt.
Babb, as it will lay the entire
responsibility upon him.; but
whether the commission is abolished or
not, the next mayor will find more
nettles than roses in his path. The
people have not now entire confidence
in him. Even his party has not, as was
shown in the fact that he ran 1000 votes
behind his ticket, and his course will
be watched with jealous suspicion on
every side. Every announced reformef
has his hands full, and Capt. Babb will
be no exception.
Minneapolis has grown to be great
city. with great and varied interests.
She has put off the pirlafore of New
England village, even against the evil
dent wish of some of the mossbacks
from that dwindling quarter, and
donned the groWn-up costume of an
adult city. She cannot be managed Hike
a child nor by child. Her important
interests require the guiding hand of 4
strong man Of business, and it will be
we'll for all if Capt. Babb should devef-
op the ownership of that hand. Mime
apolfS has never taken her proper place
in the sisterhood of cities of her size
and Importance, and she wants just that
dashing and aggressive. yet business
and conservative, administration of her
affairs which not every candidate for
mayor could give. Can Capt. Babb do
it? AS an announced reformer, he is
somewhat handicapped, but he has full
swing with the municipal machinery,
and will have only himself to blame for
failure.