St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-14
AN INFAMOUS STATEMENT.

1t would be difficult to conceive a
more despicable attack upon worthy
and reputable class of citizens than that
made by the Pioneer Press day or two
since.
1t was all the more dastardly because
it was made in defense of the criminal
neglect of duty which characterizes the
administration of Mayor Wright.
An administration which Is disgrace
to the city and state.
An administration which is silent
partner by its negligence and corrupt
inefficiency III suppreSSing crime, and
its shameless failure to prosecute known
professional criminals who find in st.
Paul an abiding place, and, so far as
Mayor Wrighps police are concerned, a
congeniai home.
And what, torsooth, does the reader
suppose is the Infamous apology of
Mayor Wright's organ for the immunity
extended to criminals by the city au-
thOritieS?
1t is charged that the unemployed
workingmcn OF the city are the criminal
classes. While the editor of the Pioneer
Press is acting on the committee APP
pointed by the mayor to aid the unem-
ployed by finding them work, his paper
aSSailS the unemployed as criminals.
That the readers of the GLOBE may
understand the matter fully, we quote
the following extract from long de-
Tense of Mayor Wright in the Pioneer
Press of the 18th:
AT this season of the year there are
always in all the large cities numbers of
men idle. Hunger drives many of these
to commit crimes. Others commit crimes
because it Is easier to get money by
stealing it from other people than it is
TO earn it honestly. They will make a
pretenSe at earning an honest living
only as long as they can earn good wages
without much eXertion. st. Paul is in
tested at the present time with this class
of people. Tie hard times throughout
the country, the conditions of trade have
great deal to do with the making of
criminals. Laboring men who have
supported their families for years by the
sweat of their broWs have been thrown
out of employment. When their scanty
savings have been used for the purchase
of food and there seems no other way of
supplying the family larder, these men
become desperate and commit crimes
which they would never dream of doing
III prosperous times. They prey upon
the Wealthier class and upon one an
other. IHE MOST DESPERATE CRIMES
ARE COMMITTED BY THESE PEOPLE.
Fear of arrest will cause them to use
violence toward the people they rob in
their houses or hold up'' on the streets,
while the professional burglar or high
way rODDer seldom uses violence, and If
there is amy chance that he is going to
he detected i'll his crime he will quietly
withdraw rather than to commit more
desperate deed which in the eyes of the
law would serve to extend his sentence,
should he be captured and convicted"
The editor of the p. P, in his arrant
stupidity i'll promulgating such an out
rageouS falSehood, seemed to overlook
the fact that, If his defense was true. it
was no excuse for the failure of Mayor
Wright, as the executive officer of the
city, to give the public the protection
which lie sWore to do when. by po-
itical accident, he was able to take the
oath of office.
The editors intellect was probably
undergoing such strain i'll his iabors
10 aid the unemployed that he did not
see that his accusation against worthy
and honest class of the community was
an admission that under Mayor Wright S
administration the city Is overrun with
criminals.
Not content with It's insult to the
working class, the p. p. even goes
further. 1t absolutely apologies for
the professional crininal,Dy saying she
(the professionally will quietly with
draw, rather than commit more des-
perate deed"
How do the workingmen of ST. Paul
like the idea of being classed as worse
than the professional criminal, in order
to have an apology made for the popin-
jay who accidentally occupies, but does
not fill, the mayors chair?
Stupid and brainless as the mayor is,
he probably has a sufficient CLEAN of
intelligence in his avoirdupoiS to eX-
claim, when he reads such defense,
Save me from my friends!"