St. Paul daily globe., 1892-03-20
Dissatisfaction Alleged With
Democratic Control Of
City Affairs.
All Is Not Harmony Among
the Jealous Would-Be
ReformePS.

Hlduy WHO dlI6uueu as 10 WndG was 20
ing to be done. what Is it for?" was
the question asked on all sides. and the
general answer was, That is just what
l want to know" This all-rouDd curl
osity had much 10 do for the attendance
of many, and there were also prominent
Republicans and Democrats who at
tended to take in the proceedings "for
the fun of the thing" Darius f. Reese.
"the king of the kids" was on hand
in the interests of the Republican
element with which he is prominently
identified, as we'll c. w. Brunson, Her
man StOckenstrom, Dr.. Murphy and
other shining lights OF that party. There
were few Democrats, but none Of any
prominence III the party. ID. w. DOty,
the young prohibition, was the busiest
on the floor prior TO the meeting being
called to order, and with b. ii. Schre-
ber, a young Democratic attorney, ap-
peared TO have the arrangements for
the gathering. They were backed by
Rev. E. II. Pearce, Of the floating bethel;
+. Nj. Van Duzee. an elder of the First
Baptist church, and Rev. w. w. Daw-
ley. of the Presbyterian fold. A large
proportion Of those present were work
ingmen. The hall was chilly, and
the audience grew tired of wait
ing, and to expedite business, began
to make things lively by using their
feet. Il. A. Abbott mounted the plat
| form, called the meeting to order and
| nominated Judge Mcmillan as chair
| judge received cordial greeting on
accepting the position, Walter Gurney
and ID. w. Doty were nominated for
secretary. Doty withdrew in favor of
Gurney, who, he understood, repre-
sented the labOring men. Gurney was
elected, and the chairman proceeded to
deliver All address.
McMillan's Shot.
Judge Mcmillan IS forcefu speaker.
he commenced:
The time for the election Of the chief
executive officer of the city-the mayor OF
st. Paul-is approaching. The government
of the great cities of the country is one of
the most important 10 attract the attention
OF American citizens. In all the great cities
the great complaint is that the GOV ernments
are managed by few, by cliques, by rings,
for their own personal HggrandiZement,
without regard to the public interests. ex-
| cept so far as they serve 10 accomplish their
| individual purposes. The burdens Of the
general government and the burdens of state
governments fall upon us indirectly. and by
reason of their indirection are light and not
oppressive; but when you come 70 our
municipal governments we are in direct con-
tact with them, anu all their burdens, both
pecuniary, political and moral, come upon
the citizens and il there is oppression there
we feel it. In all the cities of this country
there is great complaint OF the
corruption ana extravaganza OF the
municipal governments. in our own
city / state TO you my strong conviction
thet there is a widespread dissatisfaction
with the present and past government OF
municipality; that the burden of our iudebt-
edness is far greater than it ought to be and
is pressing upon us with great weight; that
our taxation is becoming oppressive and that
we realize here that taxes are burden which
no man can escape | state to you also my
strong conviction that there has been, and isa
strong and wide conviction that there has
been lawlessness and disregard of law in our
city which is disgrace TO any municipality.
Applause The chief executive of this city
presented to us upon more tban one occasion
his disregard for existing law and ordinances.
He has permitted those who are lawless and
who desire to inhict Us with disgrace, to carry
out their purposes until he was compelled to
submit to- q superior force.
The speaker argued that these were
the reasons for the great discomfort
among the people in relation 10 the mu-
nicipality. Citizens wanted the indebted
ness reduced, and so thatWe shall not pre-
sent a spectacle in this country which
shall give us rank among the highest
of our cities for their indebtedness,
laws must be enforced; the government
Of the city must be clean; the disatfec-
tionists embraced all parties.
1--WE BelieVe.''
T. II. Dixon mounted the platform
and read report of a committee ap-
pointed at q meeting held the week pre-
Yious. This report explained at length
the reasons for calling that meeting,
which were in line with the sentiments
expressed by Judge Mcmillan. The re-
port added:
We believe that our city does not differ
widely from other cities Of the Union. 1t is
conceded that while our experiment Of more
than one hundred years IN maintaining a
republican form OF government in state and
nation has been an emigent success, yet
when applied 10 large cities 1t has been, and
now is, in a great measure, an eminent fail
ure Chief among the reasons for this fail
ure IS the power of party prejudice. The
spoismen and place hunters, counting upon
this prejudice, secure control Of the party
machine, and, by the promise OF immunity
to q few of those who obtain their living by
unlawful and criminal occupations, and be-
long to no party their election is insured.
1t is common to all cities Of our Union that
this condition grows steadily worse which
ever party happens to be in power. so long
as the conduct of the political affairs is left
TO those VINO love their city and their coun-
try for what they can get out OF them.
For these reasons that meeting had
been called. 10 awake the sleeping
and arouse the Indifferent" To attain
the end in view the committee reported
the following resolutions for discussion,
and, if considered desirable, for adop-
ton:
Resolved, By independent citizens Of St.
Paul in mass meeting assembled:
First-That the time is ripe for successful
effort to secure q better municipal govern
ment in the city of st. Paul. That this ef
fort should now be made through nomina-
tons for city Offices, independently OF the
action Of existing political parties.
Second-rhat we desire and authorize the
nomination of full city ticket TO be voted
for as an independent ticket at the next city
election To this end we direct that there
shall be appointed nominating committee
of fifty-fye. OF this committee the chair
man shall appoint eleven members, one from
each ward in the city, subject 10 the APP
proya of this meeting, and these eleven
members shall enlarge the committee until 1t
shall consist of ffty-hye members, I'VE from
| each ward.
Third--That the committee Of ffty-fYe