St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-04
"A BRILLIANT DEFENSE.

"A BRILLIANT DEFENSE,
The Pioneer Press, in its wild attempt
to defend Mayor Wright's imbeciie adj
ministration, grows hilarious over such
a trlfle as the murder of a quiet, respect
able citizen Tuesday night.
From the way the mayor and his pc
lice executives treat such little things as
assaults, highway robberies and delib-
crate murders. it is not surprising hat
the mayors organ should consider it a
first-class joke to demand inst a mod
icum of protection for our citizens.
In reply, therefore, TO the call of the
GLOBE for an organized demand for the
mayors resignation, his organ says he
was not ''in the saloon" when the Tues
day night murder was committed, las
he ought to have been if he had prop
erly understood the duties of his posi-
tion." In its mirth over this atrociouS
murder the organ adds:
moreover, when he cannon be at
every one of the $50 saloons IN the city
himself at the same time, he ought to
see that at least one of the policemen
on duty at night is put on guard at each
odIOOu. anu IL llO OOC0H hiCh v w
divide up 100 policemen SO as to do
guard duty for $50 saloons, besides
keeping a yigilant watch of all the
thousands of private residences, stores
and public buildings, scattered over
some eighty square miles OF territory, 1t
furnishes such conclusive evidence OF
his incompetency that he ought to
~blushiDgly resign upon a mere state
ment of the fact"
Wegive the quotation, bothto show the
public the beSttilat can be said ia behalf
of his accidency and also to demonstrate
the f1ippant manner in which the
mayors gang treat the matter of muir
der and lesser crimes. Possibly this
latter is not surprising. as the frequency
of crime and the rarity of its punish
ment under Mayor Wright's administra-
ton has made his reign a matter of
amusement among the criminals. and
the era of good feeling extends to his
supporters by a sort of contagion.
1t probably never occurred to the
mayors organ that crime is not only
held in cheek, but actually prevented
by making a city an unsafe place OF
refuge for the criminal>classes.
Instead of st. Paul being unsafe for
these classes, it has for over a year past
been the happy rendezvous for crimi-
nails from all over the world. The con-
tempt entertained by the thieves and
murderers for the mayor and his SUBJ
ordinates was nicely illustrated by their
entering the chief of policies Office in
the city hall and blowing his safe
The craftsmen probably considered
that as the safest job of work they have
ever performed, and thus far their view
appears to be correct.
Ii a criminal was occasionally ar
rested and convicted it would have a
healthy effect. A city which a the
reputation of catching and furnishing
its criminals al get along with a very
moderate police force. The safety Of
the public demands that there should be
some sporting of the thieves.
One of two propositions is self-eyi-
IDENTIFY correct:
Mayor Wright's chief executives are
criminally blind in protecting the city
from the criminal classes for the pur-
pose Of personal gain
W bACJ tt1luoily oGuplo ID tllCll
inability to discharge their duties.
Mayor Wright can take whichever
horn of the dilemma he chooses, and in
either case will find himself pilloried
before the public as unfit to remain as
the executive head of the city.
The GLOBE charitably assumes that
the second proposition is the correct
one of the two. but this mantle of char
ity neither excuses the mayor or pro-
tects the citizen.
A stupidity Sc dense On the part OF
the mayor and his officers that they can
not relieve the city of the known pres
ence of notorious criminals, becomes
akin to crime itself.
The police force of st. Paul consists
of about $50 men. The larger portion,
as in all cities, are simply expected to
act as watchmen. giving such protection
as can be covered by their personal OBJ
Servation, and are doubtless faithful in
their work.
But, if mt for their positions, the chief
and his detectives have descriptions OF
and know by sight the professional
criminals infesting the city. They know,
or ought to know, the haunts and asso-
ciates of these criminals.
If they have this knowledge and do
not drive them from the city, they are
unfit for their positions owing to neglect
OF duty.
If they do not have this knowledge,
they are unfit for their positions owing
to stupidity.
A man who could not tell a common
cattle car from a palace sleeper would
hardly be likely to remain at the head
of a great railroad. If by accident he
happened to attain such a position.
A chief and detectives who cannot
distinguish the criminal classes from
honest citizens should not remain in
power. They wear their incompetency
upon their coat sleeves.
There will be no improvement while
Mayor Wright is i'll charge. He is SIM
ply without the ability to improve the
situation.
After such an awful murder as that
of Tuesday night, there may be for a
short time a little less crime committed.
as the criminal classes fear each bush
hides an officer, and run to cover for a
few days until the affair blows over.
Hence, if there should follow a few
days with a little less crime committed,
do not imagine that there is any perma-
nent improvement.
There is Just II way to improve the
situation and protect the citizen:
That is, for Mayor Wright to resign
and let some one with at least a little
talent take charge of u city affairs.
The GLOBE reiterates the demand
Mayor Wright must resign.
NICARAGUA'S RETORT.
Nicaragua finds it for her interest to