St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-25

preston. 1t has reached that stage in Min
neapolis. No part of the city has suffered
more han the Fifth and Sixth wards.
The vast majority of the Inhabitants of
those two wards are workingmen and people
of the great middle class. They cannot pur-
chase immunity from the oppression of I'M
just laws Moreover. oppression always
means injustice TO the poor man. The man
with millions is above the law. He does not
feel it. This the people of the Fifth and
Sixth wards realize to the full. They
are not strangers to the fact that
Minnea polls has always been generous from
St. Paul. They will know that the charter of
Minneapolis has been tinkered and plastered
and patched until it has become au instru-
ment wholly incapable of performing the
work for which it was designed-to secure
full, free government of the city without I'M
due discrimination. and to secure such gov
eminent quietly and eXpeditiously. What
with the police commission and The other eX-
crescences which have been engrafted upon
the charter of Minneapolis liberty of person
and sacredneSs of home have become posi-
bilitles only dreamed of lay the oplimist, not
real. eVer-preSent actualities. The Fifth and
Sixth wards have suffered in consequence.
How? ASK any business man and he will
tell you his individual experience. Ask sew
eral business men and compare the results.
The truth of the statement that that portion
of the city has suffered from unWise and
dishonest legislation will be apparent.
In the Fifth and Sixth wards are vast num-
bers OF Workingmen who. by prudence and
frugality and hard work have secured little
homes of their own. High taxes fall OPP
presslvely upon these men, who must support
a family and help support the government
out of the proceeds of their daily toll They. not
the men who has all his money in bonds and
stocks. feel the weight of the taXgatherers
Imperlous demand. They more than any one
else should welcome some relief from the
burden which weighs upon his already bleed
ing shoulders. They can get such relief.
AS 1t now stands, when the street railway
upon it the right to convert It's
horse car system into an electric sys-
TEN, it virtually abandons the exclu-
sive franchise which it. now enjoys. At
now stands, should the electric system be
accepted, and it will, for the street car COM
pany is anxious to introduce electricity on
all lines, the city will have an
valuable street privileges. The right TO build
street railway lines in a city the size of Min
neapolis is worth something. 1t is privilege
worth thousands, nay, millions of dollars to
the city. And there is but one way in which
the city will ever realize. A Democratic del
egation from this city must be sent to the
Legislature. The Republican party at the be-
hest OF the street railway company is doing
all i'll its power to send men 10 the legislature
who Will rob the city of its most valuable and
important rlght-the right to control Its own
streets. Should a Republican delegation be
sent to the legislature, that body will imme
ulateiy step III, thrust aside the wishes and
interests of the citizens of Minneapolis, and
saddle upon the city forever corporation
which win reap millions of dollars of bene-
fits; which will live upon sugar plums while
the city is forced to content itself with the
sweetness OF its own thumb. The city of
Minneapolis will be virtually haaded over.
body and breeches, to the street railway com
pany.
This question should be carefully consid-
cred by the voters of the Fifth and Sixth
~ no
more from the arrogance of the street car
company than those two wards? The ineffi-
clency of the service has been something de-
plorable. What could the people expect
from that corporation as the supreme ruler
of the city? There would be no redress
With the franchise confirmed by legislative
enactment, the street railway company would
be in a position to say, Smile and thank us
for what we give you, or take nothing" Was
there ever Il corporation that would fail to
take advantage of such an opportunity?
This subject merits careful consideration in
the Fifth and Sixth wards.