St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-11
WEARING STOLEN PLUMAGE.

For weeks past the mouthpiece OF
Mayor Wright and his administration
has been laying claim on behalf of the
present city government to the credit
for etfecting a reduction in the number
and cost OF the officials and decrease
in the municipal debt. 1t has been
pointing with pride to the fact that the
credit of st. Paul in the money markets
of the country is of the best. and that
our bonds. whenever it is necessary to
Issue them, command handsome pre-
MUM.
The GLOBE unites with the Pioneer
Press in felicltating the people of ST.
Paul upon the nigh financial standing
of the city. and upon the fact that the
cost of the municipal government has
been reduced in such satisfactory
manner. But the mayors organ fails
to place the honor where it is due. The
Bell charter, under which all the reforms
so loudly exploited were instituted, was
Democratic measure, suggested and re-
commended to the legislature by the
Democratic city government. 1t can
not be denied that abuses had existed
in the administration of public affairs.
Such abuses were the natural outgrowth
of the attempt to conduct large city
upon principles and under charter
calculated for a goodly-siZed village.
These abuses would have cropped outfit
angels instead of men had been in con-
troll of affairs. 1t is to the credit of the
Democratic party of st. Paul that these
that their danger was appreciated, and
that the proper remedy was applied at
the proper time. The medicine pre-
scribed by the Democratic physicians
did its work well, even though, after it
had been administered, Republican
nurse was called i'll to care for the pa
tieut.
1t is admitted on all hands that never
before have the city taxes been as
promptly paid AS during the past two
years under the new charter. There
were three particularly good reasons
for this: First, the fact that the taxes
were so low as TO give no just cause for
complaint; second, that guarantee was
given that all moneys received should
be judiclously and economically eX-
pended for the benefit of all citizens
alike rather than for the profit of horde
of hungry officeEolderS. and third, that
apremium for prompt payment was Of
fered sufficient to induce taxpayers to
make special effort to square their ac-
counts with the city.
The Democrats passed from control of
the city government before they had an
opportunity to reap the benefits of their
own reform. They turned over to their
successors a new system, the result of
long experience in city government.
The lessons they had learned had some
times been hard and bitter, but they
had been we'll learned. The necessities
of a growing city had called for large
expenditure of public money, and with
out the guidance of experience these
expenditures had sometimes been un
duly onerous. But they observed the
growth of pernicious system, and re-
allied that ere long it might secure a
dangerous mastery. They applied the
knife to the excrescence. The Republic
ans reaped the reward of the skill and
patriotism of their predecessors. Tney
are entitled to no credit for the reforms
effected. The Democrats, not the Re-
publicans, instituted those reforms, and
are entitled to whatever honor may be
due for their enforcement.
The stolen piumage Of the Republic
ans of st. Paul does not befit them.
They are no nCyices as professors of re-
form, but in the role of actual reform
ers they are an awkward squad. They
are outre i'll the garb they have pilfered;
they are absurd IN their claims TO virtues
they do not possess: they betray their
dishonesty by the greed with which
they seize upon that which belongs to
others.
Not a single reform, moral or bust
ness, has been inaugurated by the Re-
publican administration.
Not single move in behalf of econ
omY not forced upon them by the char
fer has been made.
On the contrary, it has been the study
to see how the charter could be avoided
and expenditures increased.
To some extent this has been success
full, as the increased tax levy and in
creased expenses of 1894 will demon
strata