St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-03
POLITICAL POINTERS.
Some Information on the
Workings Of Minneapolis
Wire PullePs.
Mrs. Sarah Moore Deereed to
Herself Terrible Death
by Fire.
Senator Washburn and His
Bill Personally Seourged
by Grain Men.
Advance Matter on the ALI
unconditional Conven-
ton Plans Viewed.

lIOu 1ouS VIC w Cus
The saloon crusade continues TO oc
upy a prominent place i'll all discus
siOns of political nature. And the
Democrats are not the men whom il is
worrying. 1t is being forced upon the
Republicans, much to their disgust.
The Republican press, anxious TO have
rap at anything Democratic
on the slightest pretext. have tax
en- up the saloon question and
Endorsed the crusaders as high-souled
Republicans who are seeking but to re-
deem the city from Democratic misrule.
In doing so they are forcing upon their
party position before the people which
the party at large is exceedingly 10th to
occupy. As one of the most prominent
Republicans in the city said the other
day:
Il am not in favor of this crusade in
any way. am. In fact. opposed TO it.
Butt these people keep dinging away
al me and at the question itself, they
are going to force ME to declare for 1t,
much as | am opposed to ii in reality,
They are just forcing it upon US. They
0lN AllhAltS IL 1ANpuOAAAoHiSl4ls anu a
such | shall have TO indOrse it against
Rly will
This gentleman was speaking from
the standpoint of the practical man of
business and of the world. He realizes
that ii will jeopdrdZe the safety Of the
Republican party in local palitics to
have the issue made between modern
sense and the narrow ideas of colonial
times.
Another feature OF the crusade has
Just come to light that makes the posi-
ton now occupied by the Republicans
more uncomfortable. Ii has come to be
understood that one of the men high in
the councils of the party in Minneapo-
lis. man who has been given two
terms in profitable city Office, is really
at the bottom OF the whole crusade
movement. This person is no other
than r. ID. Russell, the city attorney.
As city attorney he has control of all
the prosecutions, or prosecutions they
should be called now, that arise from
the work of the crusaders. 1t is said on
excellent authority that be, using the
weight of his official position to make
the argument stronger, advised the men
who are now doing the crusade business
TO begin their system of espionage. He
virtually told these spies: You
fellows go ahead and get
all the evidence you can. l
will see that the cases are prosecuted
to the full extent of the law Remem-
Der that am with you in this fight and
l can be of a good deal of service to
YOU in pushing these salOOnkeepers."
That is the general understanding
among those ION the inside" of how
the matter stands and how the crusade
first came to be inaugurated. Hither-
10 the city attorney has effect
ually concealed his connection
with the crusaders. Now that
1t has been revealed, it will be interest
Ing 10 watch how he will act His
course in this matter is not what the
men who made him city attorney ex-
pected il to be. He was elected to look
after the city's business and to attend
TO the prosecution of cases for the city
whenever the occasion might warrant
II. 1t was not intended that he should
ally himself with a Self-constituted Sc
cret service department. constituted for
thepurpOse of prosecuting menwho have
paid for little consideration. If he
were 10 come up for reelection today he
would not be likely to receive big
majority. His plurality even would be
so small as to preclude the possibility of
his getting into those neat offices on the
fourth floor of the city hall. The city
attorney may yet find out that he has
made a mistake. He is ambitious,
politically, and will be looking for all
Office one of these days. 1t is not too
much to expect that his eagerness at
this time to involve his party in diff
fculty Will one day retaliate to his dis
advantage.
Many man who was at the Repub-
been enjoying a sly laugh at the eX-
pense of President Potter. Potter was
candidate for mayor last year. He
was beaten by handsome majority-so
handsome that ii is necessary to reaS-
sure the people that he really did run
for mayor lest it be already forgotten
The thorough dFubbing he received has
not made Inn bit cautious. He is
willing. nay anxious, to try it again.
Though watching for that possible end
as closely as ever tramp watched a
heavily laden beer wagon, he has
grown nervOuS-fearful that he NAV
say OF do something that may not suit
every enc. Well, Potter was at that
famoEs caucus where the proposed
amendment to the liquor ordinance
was discussed. By actual count
and this comes from man
who was there, too Potter
was the second man in the gathering Ito
raise his voice in favor of the proposed
amendment. The eagerness OF an Eighth
ward householder to catch the last car
is as nothing compared to his haste to
speak for the proposed amendment.
Then he saw himself the mayor of Min
neapoliS, With full power to control and
regulate the saloons as be might wish.
But the proceedings of the caucus
were printed OH what difference
in the morningl You have seen man
pick up carefully tied package on the
street and unfold it on the 1st of April.
Well, that was Potter. He was not yet
mayor of Minneapolis. He was only a
man who might, with the favor OF Prov
idence and the assistance of registered
voters, come to the mayoralty some
day. There was the immediate posi-
biIity Of displeasing some one. So he
did what the experienced gambler
always does when he learns in time
that his straight tip was a steer
He hedges. But the persistent hedger
never made big winning. Potter may
learn that some day.
There was more politics in that report
of the board of audit on the books of
County Treasurer Peterson than ap.
peared on the surface. The first publ
cation of the matter contained in the re-
port, publication before any report had
been made, was political scheme. A
couple of understudies in the great po-
liticaI drama thought that they would
by one bold stroke, achieve great
er distinction than the star of the
play. They would become stars