St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-10
CITIZENS MASS MEETING CON-
DENNIS ITS EXPLOITATION BY
THE COUNCIL.
TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE
AND NOT THE OFFICEHOLDERS,
THE THEORY OF THEIR HON.
ORED ELECTION.
To Test the Legality of the Tax
Levy on Account of Its Ex-
trayagance.

The commercial club rooms were
yesterday the scene Of one Of the
warmest mass meeting assemblages
that has gathered in ST. Paul for some
time. The meeting was the result of a
special call on the part Of the board
! Of directors Of the Commercial club
to protest against the refusal of the
board of aldermen to favorably con-
slider the report of the retrenchment
committee, which was presented night
before last. and for two hours the
citizens attending the mass meeting
INDUCED In severe criticism of the
aldermen's action. Enthusiasm was
| Keen and every reference to retrench-
! ment was received with hearty ap-
| pause. president Vanish, Of the Com
! mefclaI club, was chairman of the
| meeting and opened the ball by call
| ing 1or volunteer speakers. Spontan-
| eouS responses were made in rapid
| succession. +. B. Doran, addressing
| the chair, said he saw an officeholder
present and would like to hear from
| him. The gentleman referred to was
| City Clerk Jensen, but Mr. Jensen
stated that he had attended the meet
ing to listen, not to talk Rising in
response to calls of his name, Alder
man Ehrmanntraut explained his at
titude with reference to the confer
ence committees budget He stated
| that he favored retrenchment and had
voted to cut the fire department the
llrst Item On the report, but subse-
quently, seeing himself so SADLY in the
minority, he had changed his position
and afterwards voted with the major.
ity. Ihomas Cochran was in favor of
thanking Alderman Ehrmanntraut for
what ne mad done, but did not think
ne mad gone far enough.
Ald. Markham said he believed in
starting out with a firm purpose and
standing by it To the end, defeat or no
defeat This, Aid. Ehrmanntraut had
not done. Mr.. Markham did not think
IL OF any use for the meeting to pass
a resolution so far as the board of al
dermen was concerned.
Ihomas Cochran next made a yigor-
GUS speech in which he said the people
| ought to stand together for retrench-
ment. Il propose" said he, "to fight
thls pattle to finish. IF there is any
legal escape I propose to take advan
tage of it. I am in favor of fighting the
tax levy and proving 1t demonstrations
al If possible. Economy must rule our
city government or the results will be
| Aid. Markham stated that all of the
high salaries could be regulated after
March l. He did not care for vote of
thanks, but thought the public should
stand by the aldermen, who stood. firm
for retrenchment.
Michael Prendergast said that the
city had so many officers that they pro-
duced a, combination of circumstances.
| giving rise to the condition under
which the municipality found itself at
present
Aid. Brady was called upon and said
with severe emphasis, that to be fair
in matters of retrenchment, county as
well as city offices should be brought
under the same rule. There is" said
| he,
TOO MUCH POLITICS
| in this matter. Men stand by their par
| ty rather than by the best interests of
the city. Politics should be left out of
| matters Of this kind and a concentrated
| effort made to best subserve the inter-
est of the commonwealth"
Postmaster Castle stated that he be-
| lieVed enough assemblymen could be
| found who would stand by what was
| reasonable and right, and who would
| lay the matter over for two or three
| months, or if necessary, until after the
| spring election. 81 am here to indorse
| the retrenchment committee" conclud-
! ed Mr.. Castle, sit has been indorsed by
nearly every business union in the city
| and this meeting will also stand by it,
j. j. McCafferty said he desired to en-
| ter a protest against the impression
| that the consideration of retrenchment
matters had degenerated into a parti-
| san fight.
| ]. J. Parker, in addressing the meet
| ing, said he was not a candidate for
mayor and that he would not accept
| the nomination if rendered him, but he
| was sincere in his efforts toward re-
trenchment. The citizens were bur-
| dened with excuses which could not be
! borne much longer. Retrenchment was
their only relief, and the way to &C
| ccmplish this was to stop all useless
and superfluous expenditures.
| James Morrow said the laboring peo-
pie were in favor of fetrenchment, but
were opposed to. the discrimination in
A resolution Of thanks was extended
to Aids. Markham, Ehrmanntraut and
Montgomery for their advocacy Of re-
trenchment in the council meeting.
The following resolution was also
unanimously adopted:;
! Resolved, That pubic office is a public
! trust and is not a private snap;
Resolved, That the members of the city
council of ST. Paul were,,elected to represent
the interests of its taxpayers and citizens,
and not those exclusively of its oficeholders;
Resolved, That the action of the board Of
aldermen in refusing to allow those officials
! the necessity for economy and retrenchment
in city affairs, hadMoluntarily consented to a
reduction of their salaries and pay to take
| the same is unprecedented and deserving of
/ censure. 81
Resolved, That the recommendations of the
! conference committee we're carefully consid-
cred and should be carried out by the COM
mon council. and that that body is urgently
requested to make all economies and reduc-
ton in city expenditures possible.
| Previous to adjournment a third
duty Of and urging every one present
to attend the meeting of the assembly
last evening, to exert their influence
to secure the adoption of the confer
ence committees recommendations.