St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-15
HERE is A KEYNOTE.
P. B. Winston Opens the Cam
paign With Facts and
Figures.
Retpenchment and Reform
Has Been a Mere Sham
Since Birth.
j. w. Arcrander's Compli-
mentS to MessrS. Johnson
and BradiSh.
He Tells Some Grand Jury
Secrets About Doodle in
the Council.

Last night the Democratic city cam
| pain was opened by large and en-
thusiastic meeting in Harmonic hall.
Long before the speakers appeared
every seat in the hall was filled, and the
back part of the auditorium was crowd
ed by many who could find no place to
sit down. The platform was occupied
by leading Democrats. When p. B.
Winston appeared, the music of the
band was drowned by the cheers which
greeted the next mayor. Bernard ClOu-
tier, the chairman of the city commit
tee, being ill, c. r. Cameron called the
meeting to order and intro
duced Maj. r. r. Henderson,
who presided. Maj. Henderson
in few words confessed his pride in
being called upon to preside, although
he had no apologies to offer. he having
| absorbed the true principles of Democ-
| racy years ago among the hills of West
ern Pennsylvania. MIR. Winston. in
beginning, said he received the applause
as for the candidate and not for the
man. 1.-Two years ago." he continued,
IL was the Democratic candidate. AL
though defeated at the polls, the Dem
| Ocratic party is again i'll the field de-
termined to win" After a word as to
the reluctance he felt in accepting the
candidacy. and another devoted to urg-
ing all to vote the Democratic ticket
straight, Mr.. Winston took up and
Discussed the Men
whose names are upon the ticket with
him, all of whom are good men. He
continued:
ut Is always expected thata candidate will
outline his policy. ] have few promises to
make. All made will be kept. This will be-
on our part. manly campaign. If elected,
to devote ali the time necessary to the dis
charge of the duties of the office. and to be,
| in fact as well as III name. mayor Of Mime
apolis-believing that the true theory of
individual should be given the utmost
freedom consistent with the rights of others
| and the we'll being of the whole, and that
neither lawlessness or cant should be toler-
ated. 1t would be my endeayor to give the
people a levelheaded. broad-gauged, bust
ness-like administration of even tempera-
ture. a few words on strictly municipal
matters and | will not detain you longer.
Parties. like individuals, must be judged by
| the way their promises are kept. Two
years ago the Republicans came into power.
Have they kept the promises which they
made during the campaign Have you dis
| covered the retrenchment and reform Of
| which they have talked SO much Has there
been any Improvement in The city govern
HELL a.Q. TOlltf, Tic htDIlDilCdll
date for mayor. and worthy gentleman,
| lately sounded what he called the key note''
of the campaign, and claimed that the Re-
| publlcans who promised
Ketrenchment and Reform
had delivered the goods--that they had re-
duced the tax levy one mill on the dollar of
assessed valuation. But he did not explain
that the assessed valuation had been SO in
creased that, while the levy is slightly
smaller, The total tax is larger. Nor did he
explain that the reduction was from the
levy the Republicans ordered year ago. l
have been looking up this retrenchmenC mat
ter somewhat and find that. during the first
year of Mayor Babo's term, the police
it did in 1886, when our good
friend DR.. Ames was mayor: that street
lighting cost S64, 500 more, and that other
departments are far more expensive Than
| formerly. This does not necessarily show
extravaganza, but 1t fails to show retrench-
ment. The fact that it cost $4,000 more
last year to provide for the poor is straw
which shows one OF two things-more ex-
been compelled to retrench. The
present city comptroller is good Re-
publican authority, and his official report for
last year is good campaign document. Get
a copy, and you will learn that the amount
spent for the general tund was less than
$1,000 short of So 900 and that the ap-
| preparations were oyerdrawn Sl0u, 900, but
| that is only portion of the outlay. You
may open your eyes when you see that the
total expenditures for the year were over
man, woman and child in the city, This
vast amount
Includes All Disbursements
on behalf of the city. and while large
amount is raised by special taxation, the
people have to pay all of it. Local improve
meuts, judiciously entered upon and econ
omically carried out, are q necessity in a
| growing city; and the main question should
be net how much TO expend, but when and
where to eXpend ii.
"a question in which the people are OF
should be interested is whether or not the
affairs of the city are being conducted in q
buslness-like manner. Let us hear from the
Republicans again. On page 1S of the
city comptroller's report he says: "A day OF
the city will demand a reason for
the continued operation of system
(of making and collecting assessments
which deprives them of their HARD
earned money paid in good faith for what
they never receive, and makes them pay in
excess of the cost of improvement and en-
tails large amount of expense and unnec-
essary work in keeping the accounts Re-
member, 1t is Republican official who says
this. Again, on page - of the same
report the city comptroller tells the council
that thousands of dollars of claims are paid
every month which. for want of system
have not been properly examined, from bill
for postage stamps to junketing trip East.
Think OF it, This is not Democratic yarn
but the Official report OF Republican. l &C
further than this. | quote from page 20
where he says: 1t has been the pleasure OF
your honorable body (meaning the city coun
ciD to approve and order paid claims which
never seen The inside of the COMPTROLLER:
office. Think of the committee OH claims,
he says, passing upon
A Budget of 900 Claims
which they had never seen before. amount
ing to $40 1000, In one and half hours, AND
all received their approval as correct
Yes think of it. 1t means ten claims
, minute, each claim averaging over S2ll OF
the peoples money, and it should be re
membered that Mr.. Potter is the chairman OF
the council committee on claims, whom the
, Republican city comptroller charges with
gross negligence; for in the same report he
calls attention to the fact that the city charter
makes it illegal to pass claims not audited
and adjusted by the city comptroller
lon this same page we read, in reference
, to the state funds. that this illegal and per
nicious practice will have to STOP. Over the
leaf, we read of the present bankrupt con
diton of the sidewalk funds and that ever
the revolving fund lis in a precarious con
dition,' and so Oh to the end of the chapter
{ Remember that this report was made IL
, January last and that the Republican city
,, council has not charged a system that is pro
ductive OF such evil consequences; although
for talking SO loudly. The city comptroller
9 | says it is the fault of the council and com
I mittee ON claims. Mr. Potter and the coun
a ell say the legislature is responsible. AnG
all shout in unison for retrenchment and re-
form.
2 'These facts and figures relate to last year
: The footings have not been made for Ihii
year. nor will they be until next January. i
is known, however, that the expenses il
most of the departments have kept pace witt
our exceeded appropriations, and that the
e latter were much larger than those of a yea
G before. And it should he remembered tha
. during all of this time Candidate Potter ha.
: been member of the city council, and al
chairman of the committee on claims, in
i position to have learned the facts. and a
S least to have proposed the proper remedies
MIR. Potter says the reduction ordered
+ this year in The tax levy will equal saving
1 of Sl3S.0OO next year over this year. 1
/ might be if assessed
Valuation Were Unchanged.
S Now let him explain how it happened
that he voted in the city council only few
weeks ago to appropriate for next year,