St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-01
POLITICAL SCHEMERS.
The Plan on DOT to Supply
More Fodder for Office
Seekers.
The Inside of the Effort to ES-
tabliSh Another Customs
District.
The Needs of Minneapolis
Merchants Being Used as
the Lever.
A. H. Hale Wants to Be City
Attorney Next
Year.

Senator Washburn was the last
MinneSota's representatives at Wash
ingtOn to leave for the national capital.
He left Friday night with a grip well
packed with highly perfumed applica-
tiOnS for the few remaining offices to
which the Democrats are clinging so
earnestly. Congressman Snider has
been on The battlefield for several days
looking into matters which affect the
Office-sePking element of his constitu-
entS. Before he leftitis SAID that he gath
cred around him number of the young
Republicans who are most interested
in the reform work." and heard each
mans theory on the best and most effect
i've means of turning the raScalS out"
at the same time doing il in such way
that the charge of disregard for civil
service rules could not be advanced by
the ''OuSted" TO any alarming extent.
This report finds favor with good
many who were not consulted, particu-
larry as the young congressman was
seen several days before he went away,
on two or three different occasions,
locked arm-in-arm with his man Friday.
Assistant City Attorney Hall. A list of
untitled fourth class pOStOffices was
carefully prepared and filed away with
a very important piece of paper which
not more than dozen Republicans in
Minnesota knew anything about at that
time This paper which was carefully
folded and occupied the private" pouch
in MIR. Snider'S satchel was nothing less
than bill which Mr.. SnideT proposes to
introduce in congress at the earliest pos
sible moment. making Minneapolis a
port of entry and establishing a custom
district in this state with Minneapolis
as headquarters.
This proposed bill. it is said, will be
introduced simultaneously with one by
Senator Davis providing for two judic-
cial districts in this state. and having a
judge of one of these districts perma-
nentIy located IN Minneapolis. To
avoid any trouble between the two cities
on this question. the bill provides that
the southern district shall include st.
Paul and and the Northern MinneapO-
lis. AS St. Paul will lose nothing 10y
this, Senator Davis can afford to push
this bill with will. But when it comes
TO the dividing of the customs district
there is likely 10 bea good deal Of fist
shaking. With Congressman Hans
brOugh's bill, taking away Dakota. and
Mr.. Suider'S, taking away the few re-
naming offices in the northern part of
the state, the st. Paul district would be
a very small plum for Collector Ed
wards to care for next summers cook
ing, though he claims that the mer-
chants of the Twin Cities, and not he,
would be the sufferers.
The question of establishing a Gus
tom office at Minneapolis has been
seriously considered for long time by
the politicians of the younger school,
who, by the way, are now running
things in the Flour City. For many
years past the merchants Of Minneap-
oils have been put to great inrOnven-
fence in importing goods. Some of
them, to avoid the trouble and expense
of having their goods cleared at the
custom house in st. Paul, have brokers
in New York. Boston and other seaport
{ WINS, who look after their interests
there. Others have their goods sent in
bond to st. Paul, where they are re-
leased on payment of duty. This is not
all. Nothing but currency IS accepted IN
payment of these duties by the customs
officers, as the right to receive checks
is strictly forbidden. The merchant to
whom the goods are consigned. if he
wants his goods, must go to st. Paul, no
matter how busy he may be, before his
goods can be released. This many of
the Minneapolis importers sometimes
find difficult to do. They do not con-
slider the question of expense so much as
the time lost in getting their goods re-
leased. Some merchants, in order to
avoid the trouble of going to st. Paul,
have their goods sent to Minneapolis,
where a custom officer from st. Paul
~ fhArn N nf hn
eSSary fees. Congressman Snider and
a large number of the Minneapolis
importers all agree that this de-
lay, if it can be called such,
would be avoided were Minneapolis a
port of entry. Perhaps it would and
perhaps it would not. Large establish
mentS like that of Janney, Semple d
Co, who do an extensive importing
business, would no doubt find it more
convenient to have this clearing process
looked after by brokers in New York or
Boston than turn the business over to
inexperienced hands at home. Those
who favor the proposed bill the strong
est are, of course, the Office-seekers.
who see in the new system few nice
jobs for distribution. No doubt the
merchants as whole would favor the
bill, but had they been as anxious as
some of those who are looking for
''soft snap in the shape of an official
plum, they would have Oeen heard more
than once on this subject.
1t was not the intention of the powers
that be that anything should have been
said on this matter before the bill order
ing this change had been introduced in
congress. When the bill had been taken
up by the proper committee, the advO-
Gates of it were all to be ready with
statistics showing how much money the
Minneapolis merchants have thrown
into Uncle Sans stocking fer duties
during the past year. They have al
ready figured the sum about $4,000,
which they think would entitle them to
some consideration.
There will be one great objection to
the bill, and that is this, viz: That Min
neapOliS being SO close to e. Paul, and
the latter being port of entry. and
both inland towns, it will be difficult for
the advocates of the bill to show the ab-
sOlute necessity fer the change as
claimed by them.
1t is another Shrewd move on the part
of the young Republicans of Hennepin
to create few more lucrative offices,
1t IS not known, however. whether the
bill provides that the Office be a salaried
or fees Office. If the amount collected
yearly by the government from Mime
apalis in duties exceeds 100000, no
doubt the collector will lie put Oh the
fees list. but if the sum is less than
$4,000 handsome salary will be the re-
suit.
Though the bill has not yet been
introduced in congress, Dame Ru-