St. Paul daily globe., 1890-04-23
THE KIDS.

Go where You will in the city, where
municipal politics is being discussed,
and you will hear some reference to the
''kid" element in the Republican party.
1t is spoken of as the dominant faction
in the Republican organization, and
mainly responsible for the Republican
municipal ticket now in the field. In
fact, to all intents and purposes, the
"kidsn constitute the Republican party
of Ramsey county; and if we ever have
Republican administration in our mu-
nicipal affairs it will be exclusively
under "kid" patronage.
In view of these facts it is worth our
while to inquire into the makeup and
characteristics of kid supremacy, for in
that way only can we forecast kid ad-
ministration III case the Republican
ticket should be elected. The term
kid does not seem to be used III a dis
respectful sense, but rather to suggest
the youthfulness of the reigning faction
in contradistinction to the old machine.
The kids are not all boys; in fact,
most of them wear boards which show
the coioring of time. Neither are they
novices in politics, for they have records
in ward primaries and caucuses that
reach long ways back in local political
history.
For the most part they are active,
pushing fellows, who owe theirisuprem-
aey in party affairs to their genius for
hustling. They have great facility
for getting out into the by-ways and
hedges, and one was never KIN own to
enter saloon by the side door. They
are "b'boys' among the boys, and can
whoop up arabble with all the noise and
flourish of Salvation Army.
But the "kidS" have other character
istics that are still more striking. They
are spoilsmen by nature. They love
the offices solely for what can be made
out of them. Politics is their trade,
and, with the instinct of their class, they
love to swim in a muddy puddle. They
despise the decent element of their
party, and push it to the wall whenever
the opportunity occurs. If they nOmi-
nate reputable member of their party,
which is rare, they do it because he is
rich, and they hope to fleece him. They
are experts in frying the fat out of
wealthy vulgarians who are willing to
exchange their ducatS for political hon
Ors.
We have no protest to enter against
the domination of the kids in Re-
publican politics. If the wiser and more
conservative members of the party will
stand back and let the kids take the
reins. that is their affair, and not ours.
But we do most seriously object to
"kid" domination in municipal affairs.
Spoilsmen who hunt places for the
money that is in them are not The men
to be entrusted with the administration
of great property interests such as we
have in st. Paul. What interest can
they have in building up the city, or in
establishing our varied industries on a
foundation of permanent prosperity?
1t is nothing in their favor to say that
they are bright, shrewd and smart. Kid
domination is all the more to be dreaded
on that account. The smart fellows
who follow politics for trade are the
ones who are most successful in man
ipulating schemes for depicting the pub
lie treasury. 1t is always safe plan, when
you find man whose interest in pub
lie Office is limited by the amount of the
salary, to keep him in private station.
He is a good man to vote against on
election day, especially if it is munic-
ipal election.