St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-27


The trouble is all owing, it is said, to
the way the sewer work is parceled out
in the different wards without the con-
sent of the aldermen. 1t is said that
fOur-tifths of the sewer folemen are
Swedes or Norwegians or to this some
OF the aldermen object, not SO much be-
cause the foremen are Of this particular
nationality, but because they refuse ab-
Solutely to employ other hands than
their own nationality, whether the
same are residents of the wards the
work is being done in Or not. Several
small taxpayers of the laborlng class
were seen during the week, and they
complained of being refused work be-
cause they could not speak the Scandi-
navian language. Those who are IA
miIiar with this state of affairs do not
blame City Engineer Rinker altogether,
because they think he has more i'm
portant business to attend to and can
not give this matter his personal atten-
ton, but relies on his assistants in the
sewer department to see that all are
treated alike. Some others, however,
are not slow to accuse the city engineer
of something personal in this matter,
meaning, of course. that he is figuring
to help himself with certain class of
politicians. In discussing this question
the GLOBE has no charge to make
against the city engineer for Partially
towards a particular nationality, but
merely gives the opinion of large
number of taxpayers who think they
ought to get a job on city work in pref
eTence to those who pay no taxes. and
some of whom, in all probability, have
not yet received their naturalization
papers.
Another matter which promises to
develop one of these days into big
row is the quality of curb stone that
Minneapolis has been beaten on. 1t is
all open secret that unless the curb is
covered with something to protect it
against heavy wagons, in less than ten
years there will be very little curbstone
in the business portion of the city.
ferior quality and Minneapolis has got
the worst of the bargain. Property
owners are kicking about this poor
stone and propose to make this among
other things all issue in the coming
political fight. Without distinction of
party they promise to have all these
things fully aired when the proper time
comes. Some of them claim to be able
to tell good deal, but Of coarse act the
oyster when the reporter calls for
statement for the public. If they will
only keep their promises all will be
well.
It is now proposed to give Minneapo-
lis brand new police commission in
case the Democrats are successful i'll
the local fight next fall. The Republi-
can bosses, being satisfied that the town
| is going over to the Democracy next
| election, are busily engaged in putting
any number Of obstacles in the enemy's
pathway. One thing that is practically
decided upon is, viz: thatln case Mayor
Babb's successor is Democrat, he will
not only be deprived Of the honor of pre-
siding over the police board, but he will
be forced TO govern the city without
having a word to say about the police
department. A new board is to he or
ganized after the legislature meets con-
| Sisting of three members appointed by
the city council, who will have entire
charge of the police department. The
| mayor is to have nothing whatever to
| do with the new board or the police.
| This is almost the same programme as
suggested by Mayor Babb last year
when aSkad what he thought would be
the proper solution of the police prob
lem. He favored ticking the resposibil-
ity off the mayors shoulders and plac-
| ing it III the hands of commission ap-
| pointed from the council. 1t is evil
! IDENTIFY ''anything to beat the Demo
Gratis" Such men as John Day Smith
and Representative Underwood, who
are sure to go back to the legislature if
| they want to, will never consent to any
bill of this kind, There will be row
aad some one Is liable to get hurt.
Since the GLOBE announced last Sun
| day that County Attorney Jamison
would not be candidate for ren0mina-
ton, the would-be county attorneys have
| put on their thinking caps and are now
| studying as they never did before what
course to adopt to beat f. M. Nye, the
present first assistant, for the nomina-
ton. 1t is good office, and while the
salary is quite q consideration, it is a
small matter compared with the prom
inence it gives the occupant at the bar.
A good many attorneys such as Assls-
tant City Attorney A. II. Hall, who
think they were born to help the COM
dates for the vacancy because, as they
say themselves, they balieve it is "a
duty we owe the public" Hall, of
course, is busy, but no one believes he
will accomplish anything except his
own defeat.
The board of public works is another
of the pet schemes that the Minneapolis
Republican leaders are nursing like a
baby just now. This new departure was
first spoken of by President E. M.
johnson. Of the city council, some time
ago, but laid away then lest the public
might learn too much about it and OPP
pose it. But it is to be brought out
pretty soon again in the form of an in
terview. which has been arranged to APP
pear in morning paper, accompanied
by few figures on what it would ac-
c0mplish, etc. The public at large is
opposed to boards of this kind, know
Ing what scandals they caused in other
cities, and how expensive they have
proved themselves to be. AID. Downs
is said to be backing Johnson, in the
hope, it is intimated, of retiring from
tue council to take $4,000 berth on the
board of public works.