St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-17
The Mayors Reasons.

Mayor Winston, upon being ques-
toned last night as to the considera-
tions which led him to attach his sigma
ture to the amended liquor ordinance.
expressed himself unreservedly, and
contrary to his custom, in talking for
publication at considerable length.
''Of course, you have thoroughly sat-
tisfied yourself that this enactment of
the ordinance will be for the best inter-
est of the city?" was the first inquiry.
81 certainly have" was the reply,
with emphasis. II have no other object
in view than the best interests of this
city. There is no politics in this mat
ter so far as l am concerned, however
others, on either side of the discussion,
may have been Influenced by their ac-
tionS. / have listened attentivelv to the
excited arguments of the diSputants
upon both sides, and have endeavored to
weigh them all judicially. The result
is that am fully convinced tuat the
ordinance, while by no means perfect,
is i'll the line of good public policy, and
will produce good results. The crusade
business had become an intOlerable
nuisance. The employment OF spies
and spoilers, and resorting to unfair
methods to entrap men into violations
of the law for the purpose Of prOSecut-
repugnant, it seems to me, to the senti-
ment aud Judgment of all temperate
minded people,"
at is understood you willingly as
sumo possibility, which the ordinance
throws upon the administration, of en-
forcing the regulations against the sa-
IoonS?"
Eyes, so far AS I am concerned, as
mayor OF this city, | accept the response
bility cheerfully. The ordinance places
it where it properly belongs, in the
hands of the mayor and his assistants
and the city council. Honest and repu-
table private citizens usually have pri-
vac business of their own to attend to,
and have no time to devote to Turk
ing in back alleys and peepipg over
transoms or through key holes. or the
spying upon their neighbors, even
i'll the interest of reform. Citi-
Zens of this class are willing
to leave the enforcement of the city
laws to the constituted authorities, and
certainly outside interference by self
constituted persons and spoilers is de-
moraiZing and unjustifiable, as no such
methods are justifable in this city. No
one, l think, will pretend that lawless-
ness and crime have reached such an
extremity in Minneapolis as to demand
the interference of gencies or force out
side of the administration for their sup
preston. Yet that is precisely what
all this clamOr over the liquor ordinance,
and the attempt to justify the spy and
spotter method of reform means, if it
means anything"
Have you no doubt as 10 the legality
of the provisions that prosecution shall
be commenced only upon the complaint
of police officer ?'
cit is only matter of week or two.
| at faIthest, until the courts can deter
mine the legality of the ordinance. /
| have been Informed it can be deter
mined in ten days. l have simply fol-
| lowed the promptings of my best judg-
| ment and acted in accordance with my
| steadfast purpose from the beginning,
| to pursue straightforward, jujicious
| and honorable course toward all the
varied, aud sometimes conflicting, inter-
ests in this city. Of course there are
radicals and extremists, and political
workers and men and cliques with all
sorts of hobbies or selfish schemes which
they want to promote. These it is i'm
possible for any man to please"
The Political Effect.
"What do you think will be the polit-
ical effect Of the ordinance?"
IF you mean what will be its partisan
effect, can only answer that | do not
know, neither do | care. That consid-
Grafton has had no weight with me
whatever. While | am Democrat, in
my official capacity l am the servant,
not of any party, but of the whole peo-
pie. a question like this should be con-
sidered and decided solely upon the
ground of its relation to the public well
| fare. l have approved this ordinance
because it seems to be good public
policy, and for no other reason"
SIS it your intention to exercise the
authority intrusted to you by the or
diDance and see that it is erforced?"
ANY public pledge upon my part
seems to be uncalled for. The fact that
l have approved the ordinance imposing