St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-18

for McGill first, last and all the time,
and, of course, could not promise to
help any other candidate as long as his
man stood any show of getting there.
Fletcher is feeling bad over Langdon's
public declaration in favor of Merriam
some time ago, and Gilman is sore be-
cause Langdon committed himself so
early, particularly as the latter had en-
tered into an alliance with Gilman and
Fletcher to do all in his power to beat
Merriam. 1t is said that Fletcher feels
like going to Europe until the fight is
over. or spending the summer and fall
on his Dakota farm.
1t has at last leaked out what were
the supposed reasons that actuated
President Johnson, Emerson Cole and
Tom Downs in forcing the late ''boodle'
investigation on the city council. A
good many aldermen-and Republicans,
too-when the peculiar performance"
articles were published, were opposed
to the council taking any notice of the
publications at all, particularly because
they were Of the opinion that it would
hurt the chances of the Republicans at
the next city election. What was their
surprise when they saw President John
son entertain a motion to appoint
committee to investigate the charges,
etc. The story comes from a man very
near Aid. johnson that the latter knew
we'll enough what he was doing; that
he, Aid. Cole and Downs had, prior to
this meeting of the council, discussed
the whole matter and decided that it
was an elegant opportunity to get a
chance Of showing the voters of the
city how important it was that the con-
e I,o 30 10 no r0laood
i'll the hands Of competent men. In
longer safe in the hands of the common
council, and that board for that pur
pose should be established. The
ambition of johnson, Downs,
Cole and others to establish
board of public works is said
to have been the motive that actuated
them in pushing thehbOodle charges so
far. There is no doubt but that they
propose to get that board appointed il
possible. Cole has already announced
himself out of the race for alderman,
and is in the field for state senator. He
and A. J. BOardman are doing some tall
figuring in this connection, and either
would be very glad to see board of
public works established here. That
seems to be JohnsOn'S hobby as we'll as
that of Downs and Cole. Downs and
Cole know that they cannot be re-
elected, and they must have. some
place, so that they will see that an act
creating a board of public works is
passed the next legislature if possible.
In view of the fact that Minneapolis
will have a Democratic mayor next
year, and that the next legislature will
abolish the police commission, it is pro-
posed to pass law at the next session
of the legislature for the special benefit
of the police department. Among
other things that the proposed bill will
contain, will be clause providing for
the pensioning of police officers after
they have served fifteen years, and pro-
hibiting the discharge of any man from
the force for political reasons. So that
under this proposed law, no officer
can be removed by the mayor, in whose
hands this act, if passed, will place the
entire force, unless for good cause. A
board of appeal consisting of the council
committee on police and the mayor will
be authorized by the act, to which a
discharged officer can appeal in case he
thinks he has been unlaWfully dealt
with, and this board will have power to
order him reinStated in case they are
satisfied that he has not been justly
discharged, and the mayor must re-
appoint him. This is the latest fad, and
is likely to go through unless some
thing is done to kill off some of those
schemes. The next legislature, if com
posed of men such as are now aspiring
to office in Hennepin county, will be a
memorable one.