St. Paul daily globe., 1892-10-28
TIM AND HIS MOUTH,
The Reform Howler Airs His
Eloquence Before the
Assembly.
Teapot Hullaba1loo Over the
Salary Of the License
Inspector.
A Move to Increase Is Beaten,
but the Building Brother
Wins.
More Wind Than Business Oc-
cupied the Meetings
Time.


To the average politician, it is mat
ter Of great deal moment whether his
party IS in or out of Office, when the
question of reduction or increase in sal
aries is brought up for legislative ac-
ton. This fact was pretty clearly dem
onStrated at the action of the assembly
last evening. 1t enSued over the at
tempt to increase the salary of the Ii
cense inspector to Sl,500 a year A
breezy debate was the feature of the
struggle, and there were good many
unique things said, especially by that
piouS "retrenchment and reform" Satel-
lite, Tim Reardon.
Assemblyman DAILY championed the
ordinance. 1t transpires that the in
Spector now receives regular patrolman
pay only, and the ordinance proposed to
increase the sum TO $500 year. Mr..
DAILY stated that this was the sum re-
ceived by Nugent, the old inspector,
and he thought it none too much.
st is necessary for the inspector to keen a
horse and buggy. said he. ''and he can't do
this on a patrolman's pay. A majority or
the committee is opposed to the ordinance:
Sui lDlnk IL Is Just, ana want roll call
or this body on its passage
Last spring, during the cam paIgn," cried
Mr., Reardcn, sprlDging to his feet THE
howl was against Jimmy Nugent getting
and all of us. And it appears that this raise
was forced upon him. Talk about having u
horse and buggy" pursued the arch re-
former, hotly. ''Oh, 'of course it is very
buggy. We found los Of 'em "tin in
the city engineers department. and we have
cut 'em down. Now. this is the very thing
we've teen bowling about! I'm opposed TO
raising any salaries. 1t is an outrage. There
is very little to do by the inspectors. Saloon
Keepers will watch each other. Why, Jimmy
Nugent had very little 10 do. He got fat and
he shows it,
Il am in favor of the increase" argued
Assemblyman Johnson. dogmatically. 'If
were going to hire lawyer. / wouldn't hire
the cheapest and if | were going to give
contract wouldn't want the cheapest con
tractor
That's the custom, however" interrupted
Mr.. Reardon, testify.
DO you think that is policy" queried Mr..
Johnson
Il have nothing to say about that" re-
turned Reardou, evasively; but 1 do know
that IL is the universal CUSTOM
MIR. johnson then proceeded at length
to argue the increase. lie laid partic-
ular stress upon the mighty response
bilities that attended the office, and he
argued that the patrolmen have no re-
sp0nSiblitieS at ali. OF course this po-
SitIon is sumner, but it passed un-
challenged.
Mr.. Lightner followed with an elo-
quent dlSquiSition upon what he con-
sidered the official duties of license
inspector, and then he took occasion to
retort to Mr. Reardon in very caustic
style that nettled tie old man.
Ut hen tho 0a,tt1amon COVE that coloo,
keepers will watch each other he knows bet
ter. exclaimed the Seventh ward soloIi. HE
knows as we'll as do that they do not watch
each other at all. They do not watch each
midnight, to see that they are closed on Sun
day. and TO see that no liquor is sold TO
minors or 10 habltual drunkards. Besides,''
he pursued. 'every one knows that the in
spector must be an efficient officer. The re-
ceIptS from licenses last year were S31NC00
and it is the duty OF the inspector to see that
this money is paid in. | consider it due to
the city that we shall provide competent
compensation in order that an efficient man
may be secured. don't think a suitable man
can be engaged for less. The selection rests
with the mayor. and We look to the mayor to
select competent man."
rs II the Gdty of the license inspector TO
enforce all the license laws and the liauor
laws!' asked Mr. Pike. IF it is not, cannot
vate for the increase"
Are the laws enforced?'' joined Err Rear
don.
You know whether they are or not better
than do retorted Mr.. Lightner
Il know 1t is notorious fact that the laws
are not enforced. cried Reardon. with force.
The front doors of saloons are open every
Sunday. and little boys ana girls go there
and haul away beer. It's an outrage and I'm
not IN favor of paying bounty for violating
the law"
the inspector TO enforce the laws. That is
the duty of the police" volunteered Mr..
Johnson, in conciliatory tone.
'But he is policeman insisted the OBJ
saloons are not the only licensed busi-
ness persisted Mir. johnson, not needing
the Interruption. There are the butchers
and the peddlers and the street cars, for that
matter. I'm lot familiar with the ramifica-
tons of the office, but know the responsf-
bilitfes are more than those of an ordinary
patrolman. and the pay should be greater''
Finally vote was taken upon the
motion of MIR. Daily, and the ordinance
was lost, three members, Reardon, Pike
and Van Slyke voting in the negative.
Later III the session Mr.. Van Slyke
moved to reconsider, and this prevailed.
Now, Mr.. President" said he. Il move to
amend so that the amount shall be 81, 200 8
year instead of S1,500.''
AS so amended 1t was lost by the neg
ative votes of Reardon and Pike.
Mr.. Van Slyke moved that the cele-
brated report of the committee on street
railways be referred to the committee
on streets, but Mr.. DAILY objected. He
moved to amend by passing the meas
ure. Mr.. Lightner seconded Mr.. Van
Sykes motion in speech, in which he
said he considered the whole rather
unfortunate affair. He counseled de-
lay. and the motion prevailed. Mr.. Daly
alone voting against the reference, and
IN so doing he felt constrained tn Suu
gest that Mr.. LIghner should have had
more confidence in the committee he
had appointed himself
The two board files, ordinances to
compel street railway extensions, were
referred to the same committee
Building InspeeeOrss Salaries.
Mr. Pike moved to reconsider the vote
by, which the resolution was adopted
cutting down the allowance for the build
ing inspectors office salaries TO S46O a
month during the winter. He explained
that he had made personal investiga-
ton and he had become convinced that
the amount of S605 d month, adopted by
the board of aldermen, was about the
right figure. This rather angered MIR.
johnson.
This assembly has gone on record tonight
fofireducing all salaries he said ''and I'm
goihg to stick by it L will vote for the re-
duetion 10 o46U.'
body does, cried Mr.. Reariou. II know
the building Inspector has three times as |
MANY men as he needs TO do the business of |
the Office, ard he proceeded to administer |
one OF his stereotyped roasts. calculated to
prove that the Office was nothing but a com |
mon Ioatng place
MIR. Pike asked Inspector Morris to |
explain 10 the assembly. The latter |