St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-12
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Republican Aldermen Talked
Of Something Besides COM
missioners Wednesday.
Several Other Political Cues
lions We're Discussed by
the City Fathers.
Lapine Put on Trial on the
Charge Of Marrying Two
Wives.
Beginning of the Civil Action
Against Tim Byrnes in the
District Court.

The caucus of Republican aldermen
at the city hall Wednesday night con-
sidered more than the street commits
sionership fight in the Thirteenth ward.
That was ostensibly the business that
brought the aldermen together, and
they settled that; but they went fur
Their. AS soon as they had voted to
give the appointment to Aid. Farms
worth's man, Frank ingalls,, they
turned their attention to matters
of state. One of the first top
les brought up was the liquor
question. AS has been pointed
out by the GLOBE, the Republican aid
ermen find themselves in an anomalous
position on that question: The news
papers and some of their appointees in
the city offices have assumed that the
Republicans are in favor of an irOn-clad
enforcement of the liquor ordinances of
the city, support of the crusade move
ment, in fact. They are not all of that
opinion. And there is where the shoe
pinches. Without an exception, scarce.
ly, the aldermen realize that the cru
SaderS are contracting for more than a
half bushel of trouble. TO complicate
this question, City Attorney Russell has
recently expressed opinions on the
liquor ordinances and the neces-
sity for their amendment that
show them the ordinances are
not all they should be. But how are
they to amend the ordinances as the
city attorney would have them amended
without going little further? To pass
even the amendments deemed eXpedi-
ent and necessary by the city attorney
will give their enemies chance to say
that they are currying favor with the
saloons. That would never do. They
fear such construction of their mo-
tiveS as much as the assumption that
they are hand in glove with the crusa-
ders. The aldermen talked it all over
last night, but could arrive at no decis-
ion. If they attempt to pass their
amendments to the liquor ordinances
they may meet with opposition from
the Democrats unless they cOncede
trif1e to their opponents.
AnOCher matter that was discussed at
the caucus was the water department
troubles. The water department has
been a thorn in the side of the good Re-
publicans ever since the pump inveSti-
CATION was set on foot last fall. That
investigation showed one thing if moth
ing elSe-that there is screw loose in
the MANAGEMENT of the water depart
ment. Then followed the discharge of
Engineers Tweedie and HolI and the
subsequent investigation. The alder
men are worn out with the troubles
in the water department. Some of the
aldermen talked Wednesday night as if
they would be in favor of cutting off the
heads of almost every man connected
with that department. Certain it is that
Supervisor Mcconnell will have to walk
a straight and narrow way or he will be
dropped. Several aldermen. whether
rightly or wrongly, consider that good
deal of the stencil that has arisen from
the North side station and from the
water works office as whole is attrib
utable to the inefficient management of
Mr.. Mcconnell. This matter is going to
come up in tue council tonight and there
will be trouble.
This water department muss has
grown beyond mere aldermanic brawl.
1t has taken Oil the Importance of all
issue that will figure in the Legislative
campaign. An attempt will be made,
without doubt, to take the handling of
the water department out of the hands
of the council committee and replace it
in the hands of a water board such as
the city used to have. The business
men are the ones that are waking up to
a realizing sense of the fact that it is
not safe to allow matters to run on as
they have been running. There is
feeling that some day Minneapolis may
be visited by big fire and have no
water power to fight it with. The in
surance men are especially interested
in this matter. One of them said yes
terday:
1.-The trouble is entirely due to the lack of
discipline. The employees at the North side
station haven't been obeying Supervisor Nc
Council half OF the time. Now there are
only two things for the water committee to
do under such circumstances-fre Neon
nell and get some one who Will command
obedience, or make a clean sweep of the
mutinous employees with no investigation
nonsense. Fire EN- for The good of the
service and say no more about it. l tell
you that II this thing goes on the way it has
been we shall wake up some fine morning
with a big fire on our hands and no water
supply to fight it with. That is why de-
termined effort will be made to have the
next legislature take the control out of the
councils hands entirely and put it i'll the
hands of Il water board appointed by the
mayor, just as the board of corrections and
charities is That will come as near elimi-
mating picayune politics and petty methods
from the service as is possible i'll municipal
government"
By the way. Aid. Gray is very sore
ONCI LuG QSlSdI Vi HIS HAL tOI SITGGl
commissioner in the Thirteenth ward.
He seems to consider that several of his
colleagues have been guilty of what
might be denominated treachery to him
and his cause. He, the vice president
of the council and sometimes acting
| mayor of the great city of Minneapolis,
was passed over for an alderman, who
occupies the comparatively unimportant
position of chairman of the committees
OH printing and police. He has blood
in his eye, and he will be after the fire
department committee stronger than
ever. Gray IS something of fighter
when once he gets stirred up, and he is
effectually stirred this time.
A story has been printed to the effect
that Thomas Lowry was told by Secre-
tary Blaine when he was in Washington
recently that the letter, which has since
been printed, would he issued. Mr..
Lowry was mentioned as the only man
in the Northwest VINO knew that the
secretary of state would not be a candi-
date for the presidency. Of the truth
of this report Mr.. Lowry says:
No such conversation as was alleged to
have taken place between Secretary Blaine
and myself in the presence of Gov. Merriam
and Senator Washburn occurred. / was as
much surprised as any one else in this state
when l heard of Blaine's letter of declina-
ton, which think Is hnal. / don't believe
there was a man living but was surprised 10
hear that Blaine would not make the run and
all of these fellows who knew it all the time
are talking to hear themselves talk.
The colored Republicans of Minneapo-
lis have formed an organization to be
called the Hennepin County Republican
club. 1t is officefed as follows: Will
lam r. Morris. president: Jasper Gibbs,
vice president: A. q. Plummer, secre-
tary, and Charles Hale, treasurer. The
officers-elect and the following persons
form the executive committee: T. A.
Jackson, Solomon Saunders, Charles
Davis, K. III. w. Davis and G. S. Blake
The following committee was appointed
on permanent quarters: W. r. Rogers,
A. q. Plummer and G. S. Blake.
Levey Will Return.
Harry Ieyey will come hack To Min