St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-09
SAINT PAUL.
THE SCHOOL INSURANCE.
A City Firm Replies to Charges
Made 4 AGAINST 1t.

To the Editor of the Globe.
While we have no desire to enter into a
public controversy, the article in your issue
of yesterday, in which certain misstatements
regarding our firm calculated to place us in
a false position before the public were made
by Assemblyman Oppenheim, calls for q
reply
IN the first place neither of us have ever
been members of the school board" neither
have we the ''bulk of the school insurance"
On the contrary, there are other agencies IN
this city, of which Mr. oppenheim makes no
mention, that have considerable more III
surance than we have.
We understand thoroughly the animus of
his personal attack on us. Your heading OF
the article rs 1t a Scheme p was very apt
Tor it was a very cunning one, by which he
wished TO repay three of his fayorite agents
for past favors rendered him. In this en-
dcavor he seems to have been very ably sec
onded by the president of the assembly. Hon.
William Pitt Murray, who is so profuse in
his charges against the secretary OF the
board, Mr.. Auerbach and others.
We accidentally discovered their little
game some two or three weeks ago when we
happened TO go INTO the secretarys office
and found James X. Weed one of the trio of
prominent agents" TO whom Mr.. Open
helm refers, copying OFF list OF the COM
panies and agents having the schooI insur-
ance. (This same Weed. who seems to be
the originator of the scheme, was at one
time a member of the board of education
when he had monopoly on the school in
surance.
Being taken unawares, he gave away their
little scheme, and, as similar one had been
worked on us once before, we Immediately
knew what their motives were. Owing 10
our fortunate discovery, their cute little
game miscarred
This incensed Mr.. Oppenheim, and he has
since made his brags that he would have all
our policies cancelled, and Hon. William
Pitt Murray, that great public reformer, no
ar M n a % St1 mt
that he was after our scalps" on account OF
an imaginary grievance he has against our
firm, because we did not work for his sons
election as secretary of the school board
some months ago.
William Pitt has only been sucking the citys
pap for the last thirty-ive or forty years,
but not satisfied with that, he wanted an eX-
ira teat for his son. 1t seems TO US that when
he was corporation attorney we heard of the
firm of Folsom Il Murray" who then had all
the city contracts for street paving. And
still he and that other great and good man,
who would pose before the public rs politi-
cal economist ana reformer. and who Is so
anxious TO save money for the taxpayers
Out who was not above getting an appropri-
alton of 500 through the assembly TO i'm
prove the private alley adjoining his opera
house,, object TO US having fair share of
the school insurance and makes personal
attack on us.
Whatever business we have for the school
board was obtained in az honorable and
with them have been open and above board.
But how about those of AssembIyman OPP
penhelm i'll this matter? His work has been
done secretly and in the dark, and in direct
violation TO his own motion bv which the
committee of which he is chairman was
created
From the minutes of the assembly meeting
of Sept we find the following: ION motion
of Mr.. Oppenheim Messrs. Oppenheim Ban
holzer and McNamee were appointed a com
mittee of three To confer with the board
underwriters relative to the insurng
school buildings Of the city,
The three gentlemen Mr.. Oppenheim con-
terred with did not constitute the board of
underwriters any more than his committee
constituted the assembly, and not al much in
fact for the former board has great many
more members.
If he had bona fide offer of Up per cent for
i've years, as he claimed he had before the
last regular meeting, why didn't he make his
report them when the officers of the board
and other agents not in the scheme" were
present waiting TO be heard. instead of
"sprnging" 1t on special meeting called to
consider an entirely different mattery
Mr.. Oppenheim. as one of our public serv-
ants, should be willing TO do the cilv's bust.
ness in a businesslike manner and should
act for the best interests of the maioritv in
stead of the favored few" and when he
does not do So he must expect to be criti-
elsed
AS to the resolution ordering all the school
insurance Cancelled, we have no objections to
offer, as II is fair business proposition and
If the city sees fiji TO carry its own insurance,
IT Is their privilege to do so; but we are al
ways, and at all times. opposed TO skin
games. JOHN ROGERS JR. & BRO.
st. Paul, Oct S. 1891