St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-16
AUDITORIUM ETHICS.


city just now out of employment. Alarge
number have been thrown out of work tenn
porarily by the reduction in the city street
force-a course neeessitated by the so-called
Bell charter. Every day the board of con-
troll is importuned for aid. There is no doubt
that the people are suffering for the neces-
saries of life. President Wright Of the board,
stated as much at the meeting of the confer
ence committee Monday night when he ap-
piled for an increase in the appropriation
for his department-or. rather, an increase
i'll the tax levy department.
H.
The laboring classes feel the condition very
keenly, and it is this condition that proves
an eloquent argument to them i'm favor of
the permanent public auditorium project
When any official opposes the enterprise
upon the theory that it is only the wealthier
classes that are enlisted in st. Paul's canvass
for the Democratic National convention and
for this public hall plan, he is laboring
under an error that must be palpable to every
citizen that circulates among the laboring
men, Many of the latter classes are taxpay-
ers, and some citizens it must be confessed,
are attempting to obstruct the auditorium
movement upon the hypothesis that the
smaller taxpayers do not want the improve
ment because one-mill tax will be LEVIED
upon their realty on account of it. bigger
fallacy was never urged to contravene q
public movement.
~
The auditorium plan is even more popular
with the smaller taxpayers-those who are
oreadwlnners-thau with the more prosper
GUS element, because they realige that in the
first instance it must give immediate employ
ment to large force of workmen and keep
the wolf from many a door during the rigors
OF Minnesota winter Then will follow
convention that win leave upwards of d
million dollars in the city, putting this vast
sum IN active circulation all at one time
They know the effect must be healthy and
that they must be greatly benefited. con-
yention will not invest money in things that
Will tie up the proceeds. The million will
be spent in such way that it will pass from
citizen to citizen in everyday commerce.
~
These are the conditions that the working
men are praying for. They do not want to
become public charge, but self.supporting,
independent and prosperous and the audi
forum, and the convention, they appreciate,
will go long way towards giving them i'm
mediate relief. County Treasurer Nelson
and other officials who come III close con-
tact with the laboring men of the city insist
that this is a true exposition of public senti-
ment.
1T
'Any opposition that the citizens commit
tee meets" said a prominent official yester-
day, comes from a few who allow political
prejudices to warp their better judgment
There are some men who are so afraid that
the Democrats may win a little prestige that
they stand ready to make q fight. But
they are so overwhelmingly in the minority
that they are sure to be lost sight of. To
their credit. and public spirit, and their acu-
men, let it be recorded, hundreds of the
brightest minds in the Republican party in
this city are in hearty and honest co-opera-
ton to prepare for this convention The
auditorium project is a public enterprise. 1t
will be a distinchvely St. Paul institution,
and there is an absolute absence of politics
in the movement 1t will pave the way to
non-partisan and religious conventions for
all to come and st. Paul will be famous
throughout the country rs the model conven-
ton city of the Union. Woe to any one who
attempts TO combat the popular wave that
has already spread over the city.
+r+-
An injustice has been done City Comp
troller Ponthan and City Treasurer Refs. 1t
may have been an inadvertancy. but some
of the local papers have recorded them as
opposed to the auditorium plan, and that
they qualifedly voted in the conference COM
mittee TO pass the tax levy estimate because
they did not want to put straw in the way
Of ST. Paurs securing the convention This
is an error. When the question of adding a
one-mill tax to the assessment roll was being
passed upon by roll call of the conference
members. these gentlemen suggested that
their official functions were. in their opinion,
rather of the clerical sort, and neither legis-
ladve nor executive. They voted for the
levy, but they felt that the roll was purely a
matter for the council to pass upon. That
was their position. They were averse to as
Stunning anything that was not specifically
visited upon them by the charter.