St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-04
And Again Rakes the Usurp-
ing Aldermen From Stem u
to Stern. r
It Charges Them With Try
ing to Shift the Re- 4
sponsibility. ~
Claims That Are Equitable
and Claims That May Be E
Repudiated. =

busily gathering in the ends of their
work and knitting it together as a
whole. A second report has been made
which speaks for itself. 1t is dated Aug.
8, 1888, and signed by J. 1. Blaisdell, r.
p. Russell, A. R. Chestnut, D. w. Rob
erts and j. N. Christopher.
10 the taxpayers of the Eighth Ward:
lnasmuch as Aid. Stoneman is reported
as saying that some of the most respon-
slble members of the Eighth Ward In
vestlgating committee, so called, did
not sign the committees report, the I'M
derSIgned, including all the members
who did not sign it, desire to saw that
the report has our hearty Endorsement,
and we hereby affirm our belief in the
truth of each and every statement con-
tanned in the report of the sub-commit-
tee. AS taxpayers we can not approve
the action OF the aldermen with refer
ence to the report. Sweeping denials
and abuse of the committee will not an
sWer. Whether or not certain members
OF the committee are aspirants for office
is matter OF no Importance Nor is
the politics OF MIR. Avery any excuse for
illegal acts. If calling the ac-
cuser liar would acouit
person accused of wrongful acts, no
criminal could ever be convicted and
no boodler could ever be punished.
Ala. Stoneman says of one of the COM
mlttee that he knows no better. 1t
would be charity to say the same of the
alderman concerning his official acts.
MI. Staneman's remark "That he
VIII do the voting while others do the
talking" too nearly resembles the
| famous reply of Tweed-"Whata are vou
going to do about it?'' We are aware
| that the disbursement of ward funds
has enabled the aldermen to make
themselves solid with the ward work
ers, and that the beneficiaries of their
illegal acts are constantly exerting
themselves In their behalf; but we warn
| the aldermen that the voters of the
ward are, in the main, honest and I'M
purchasable, and that they will not
knowingly approve or
CONDONE OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT.
The statements contained in the re-
port are true. Alderman Stoneman saws
he has no doubt there is some truth in
part OF the report. and Assistant Engin-
Ger Huntress declares: "They do state
some facts. yearly all they say is sub
stantlally correct" Stone admits illegal
conduct and the doing of what he had
no business to do. He virtually enters
plea OF guilty. Having sworn to faith
fully perform the duties of his office, he
admits his failure to do so. His attempt
to lmplicate the aldermen of other wards
IN ike practices is not based upon facts.
No such enOrmity was ever known or
tolerated in Minneapolis before.
The language of the report was
courteous. We hoped it would call
forth some explanation, that would at
least pallIate if it could not justify, the
acts OF the aldermen. We regret that
it did not do so. They have apparently
made the only explanation or answer
they propose to make, and we desire to
say few additional words in regard to
the matters considered in the report.
We understand the aldermen to adj
init the lndebtneSS, if it can be called
such. which the committee charge. By
excluding the $4,000 claim of Badger
d Penney, and by deducting the s22,-
600 set apart for ward work during the
present fiscal year, Alderman Stone
man figures out a present Indebtedness
OF not more than $4,000. We wonder
why he did not take into account the
appropriation that will be made for the
fiscal year succeeding the present. In
that way he might have shown an
actual surplus. The s22. 900 was appro-
priated for work to be done
DURING THE PRESENT FISCAL YEAR,
not for the payment of precedent inde0t-
edness, whether legal or not. The money
should be diSburSed to labOrers during
the present year: but the action of the
aldermen deprives the workingmen of
the ward OF any employment upon the
streets until after March 1, 1889. The
alderman's statement amounts to this.
that If the Badger & Penney claim is
repudiated and the others not, and if no
expenditure is incurred during the pres
ent fiscal year, the debt of the ward at
its close will not exceed $4,000. 1t con-
cedes an Indebtedness on Feb. %, 1888.
in the sum stated in the committees re-
port.
OF course. none of the outstanding
claims are legal obligations. Neither
the ward nor the city is legally bound
to pay them. Badger & Penney's claim
is just as equitable and meritorious as
any of them, if done under the agree
ment they say, which is not denied. The
fact. if it be fact, that the promise
was not made by the present aldermen.
is unimportant. They have no more
authority than their predecessors.
1T illegal claims are repudiated the
ward is in no wise indebted If other
wise. and the parole agreements of in
dividual aldermen are held to be bind
ing, its Indebtedness is wholly uncer-
tain. The comptroller's office will not
disclose the amount. Until recently,
there was nothing in the comptroller's
books to show any liability for grading
Twenty-siXth street between Grand and
Lyndale avenues; but the certified bill
was outstanding which is now included
among the city's obligations.
The other facts stated in the commit
tees report are proved by the records.
Any one can ascertain the truth of the
matter. On page 2O5 of the published
proceedings of the council for the wear
ending April y, 1888, is the report of
bids referred to in the committees re-
port. Any one can examine it at the
office of the city clerk or city comp
troller.
THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION
concerning the prices named in the pre-
tended contracts. They can be inspect
ed by any one at the office of the city
comptroller. The bills of the contract 4
Ors are also there and show for them
selves what prices have been certified
as correct by the aldermen and city en-
gineer. They show that as regards the
grading done by Bowen and Roach d
Wilson, where bids were made at all. a
higher price was named in the contract
and in the certified bills than the bid re-
ported. The engineers report, more
over, shows that in every instance but
one where bids are reported, the price
per cubic yard allowed in the certified
bills is not only greater than the bid of
the contractor doing the work, but also
in excess of the bid of some other con-
tractor, whose bid is also reported.
The record speaks for itself, and we are
surprised that Mr.. Cooley should deny
the fact, or that Mr.. Stoneman should
call the statement a lie. Mr.. Cooley
says that the engineers office is run on
principles of business integrity. Does
he mean to insinuate that the engineer
did not make a true report of the bids
he received? In other words. that he
hid and concealed from the council and