St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-06
A Howling Mob Fills the Hall
and Turns Everything Ali
Inside Out,
Judge Atwater and j. B. Bas-
sett at the Front--They
Get 1t in the Neck.
A Meeting That Would Have
Done Credit to a Republican
County Convention.

aHalf ever Delu III minneapolis. NO
one knew what was being done, and as
for the business transacted. there was
really none. The time was taken up
mainly by the members of the delega-
ton in defending themselves, and by
the men who wanted TO get back at the
board of trade. All through the meet
ing was a catch-as- cateh-can. Every
thing was confusion, and the poor
chairman, Lander Gorton, member of
the board of trade. looks as
though he was sorry he had invested
there. Judge Atwater and J. B. Bas-
sett were given roasts enough to kill the
board of trade, and they finally left the
meeting in the utmost disgust. Several
times it looked as though there might
be free fight, but Free Lanes mascot
vest was with him, and so trouble was
averted. The chairman would put a
motion. and before vote could be
taken would bring his cane down on the
table with crash that made everyone
jump, and decide that the motion was
carried, or lost. as suited his fancy.
Every decision he made was greeted
with
HowLs OF Di,SnIsIoN
and immoderate laughter on al. hanas;
All the county officials were there, ants
enjoyed the circus Immensely. The
audience was made up of all classes of
citizens, from the millionaire flour
manufacturer to the man with dinner
pail. Some 400 men were present, but
the chairman imagined before he got
through that there were about 100000.
Leading business men and attorneys
predominated, and it would have been
hard matter to have thrown Judge
Atwater or j. B. Bassett across the hall
without having them pass over the
heads of fifty or more men who
had gone to the meeting for the
express purpose of getting in
smash at the board of trade, or
at least some of the members of it.
The meeting was called to order at s
o'clock. On the stage sat the members
of the Hennepin county delegation and
one or two gentlemen who held reserved
seat tickets. J. t. Wyman backed up
the chairman, who, after calling the
meeting to order, glanced .nervously
around the hall, and announced that
the purpose of the meeting was to adopt
some plan whereby retrenchment and
reform could be helped along III Henne-
pin county.
j. L. Wyman said he understood that
the meeting was one of taxpayers to
consult with the Hennepin county dele
CATION in regard to the increase Of the
salaries of various county officers and
judges. To properly Introduce the mat
ter the speaker introduced resolution
denouncing the attempt of getting
salaries raised, and declaring that
not one man now kicking
for money could have been
elected had he let it be understood that
as soon as taking office he was going to
demand an increase of salary. The
resolution further favored the turning
into the county all moneys paid into the
various county offices and paying the
officers salary; the reducing of the
city council to one member from each
ward; the establishing of a board of
public works and the recognizing of
the police commission, so that it should
consist of three members, to be ap-
pointed by the judges of the district
court; the reduction of the salary of the
aldermen to 500 per year, and the sal
airy of the police commissioners to zero.
Mr.. Wyman made an eloquent speech
in favor of his motion, saying that the
city had nearly reached the limit of its
bonded Indebtedness. and that money
was needed to carry on the public
schools and to make Improvements.
Now. said he,
PUBLIC OFFICE IS A PUBLIC TRUST,
and we cannot afford to pay our officials
more salary. They have broken faith
in demanding an increase of salary. and
if they were up for election tomorrow
they would be showed under by 1000
majority.
On motion of Frank Mead the resolu-
tions were read one at a time and
ton to the demand of active county Off
cials for more salary. This resolution
was unanimously adopted.
The second was that an exception be
made in regard to the county treasurer,
who had stated that he now received but
1880 net per year. Before any discus
sion was had h. j. Davenport arose and
stated that not man in the delegation
was pledged to any measure, and that
when a certain paper stated that there
was scheme on foot to rob the county of
some $50, 900 that paper lied. County
Treasurer James was called for. but he
said he had nothing to say. Judge At
water took the floor, and began at once
to talk Of the board of trade having
taken up the matter of retrenchment
and reform some months ago, seeing
that such a course was necessary for
the good of the city. He stated that
committee from the board had seen all
the election and had obtained the
promise that each man in the
delegation would do all in his power to
cut down salary. He roasted the Re-
publicans who had been elected, and
said that their promise to help keep
down expenses had helped to elect
them. The speaker went on to tell how
the thoughtful Republican Legislators
had been met at st. Paul bya commit
tee from the board of trade, and how
much surprised the committee was to
find bills being prepared to increase the
salaries of various county officers.
Judge Atwater stated that he, as one of
a committee, had been to see the county
treasurer, and the county auditor, in
regard to their asking for more salary.
Il stated to them," said he, that the
general feeling was that they we're re-
ceiving as much as the county could af-
ford to pay. Now the idea of raiSingeach
mans salary 5000 yearI believe to be
wrong. Neither salary should be over
$4,000 year. whereas they are now
$1,000 and $4,000 respectively. l asked
them if they would state what they
would be willing to work for. Both
gentlemen SAID they would be willing
to work for $1,000 clear year. Both
gentlemen
DECLINED TO MAKE AFFIDAVIT
that they were only receiving what they
told me they were getting. Judge At
water talked along at a rapid rate until
called down by the chairman. MI. Girls
void spoke in opposition to the motion.
and held up to ridicule the idea Of Civ
ing man who could not earn more than
$1,000 year salary of from $1,000 to
$4,000 year just as soon as he was
elected to some county office. Mr.. Leroy
took up Treasurer James cause and
wanted his. salary increased $4,000