St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-04-24
A STRONG ARGUMENT.
Why IA New Comptroller Should
Not Go In.

George Refs, the present city treas
urer. viii retire from notifies entirely
at the end of his fiscal term. Therefore,
what hc has to say upon upon the sltu-
alton is entitled to more than ordinary
thought Mr.. Refs, as a citizen and
TAXPAYER, is naturally disposed 20 protect
ms own interests, and in 50 doing he
must protect the Interests OF the other
taxpayers. Necessarily the treasurer
must be a new man. and he holds that
it will be very dangerous thing 10
have both new treasurer and new
COMPTROLLER The financial affairs Of
the city, Mr. Refs maintains. should mol
be placed in the care OF men Who are
absolutely unacquainted with the
regime. This is a strong ana eloquent
argument for the candidacy of :. n.
POnthan, the present comptroller
The changes in the city charter by
the legislature of 1891" said Nj. Refs.
yesterday, IN commenting upon the sit
uatIOu. were OF a most rddca, and
sweeping character Much of tic legl--
lati0u had been hurriedly gotten up.
and good deal Of il Was OF sucI vague
and contradictory nature as to puzzle
even the best legal minds. While there
III =. III Ailt LdiIi- many -bbA f.t ti % l4l
the law. il is exceedingly difficult to
change from the old to the new and
practically keep things in running
order. rye comptroller had "A most dir
ficult and intricate task % perform. and
when Mr. Roche. our city comptroller.
lanented by the whole city, was so sud
denly stricken by death-ar this very
juncture, when the new order OF things
was 10 20 into vO4ue-the matter was
viewed with apprehension and alarm by
tie pOpulace.
MIR POnthan was elected successor.
and he has worked hard and faithfully,
and has during the past year shown his
unusual ability as comptroller in The
careful and systematic arrangement Of
his office. Both Of his bookEeepers,
Mr. Frauzen and Mr. Naumann. are
competent and able accountants. and
considering tie difficulties OF the situa-
ton as it then was | DO not hesitate TO
say that no one could have done any
better. and but very few would have
done as well as we'll as Mr.. POnthan has
done. He has proven himself a Datlclt,
Woodworking aud painstakiug Official
and q gentleman whose scholarly attain
ments have shown to his advantage"
Il regret very much to see the means
cal campaign. | believe in the maxim,
First the city, then the party, yet meas
ures of the vilest and most despicable
character have been employed to the
city's detrlment for political ends. Such
things can only work great injury 70
the city and tend to Keep decent and
honest citizens, who are sensitive OF
their reputation. out of politics, and in
this way great harm is done. and / fear
it will grow worse if not stopped soon.
The same economic laws governing in
digiduals also hold good as TO cities
four or five years ago everybody bought,
built CT speculated-sOme of them too
much. and our city spent more money
on public improvements than would
now be done, but it was the spirit Of the
times. The press and the public de-
manded it. Since the depression, and
during the last two years, the Old mat
tiers have been cleared up, the improve
ments paid for, SO that OF the many inl
provement assess ments but little still
remains. A better feeling prevails, aDd
the signs of better times are on the in
crease every day,