The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-11
G0RMAN,St REPORT RECEIVED.
HE MAY HAVE A RIGHT THERE,
BUT COPELAND, THEY SAY,
HAS NOME
POLICE EXPENSES ARE TOO HIGH
Resolution y ADOPTED Recommending
the Common Council to Reduce
the Expenditures.


is made of different material than the
common council, and that the members
of that committee are guided by COM
mon sense instead of partisan preju-
dice The alderman made this discov-
cry after he had moved that the July
report of President German, of the
board of public works, be not received.
The committee turned down Aid. bige-
lows motion by the decisive vote of
seven to three, Mayor Doran and Comp
troller McCardy being the only mem
bers, to vote with the alderman.
The sight of Capt. German seems to
exasperate the mayor and certain.
members of the common council Ger
tain 1t is that when the courtly captain
took his seat yesterday with the other
members of the conference committee,
the mayor and Aid. Bigelow looked any
thing but pleased. The commissioner
of public works, Mr.. Copeland, was also
present, though the law creating his
Office does not constitute him a mem
Der of the conference committee Mr..
Copeland sat next to the mayor. All
the members of the committee were
present except Mr.. Arosin, the president
of the assembly.
The roll call was the first thing in
order. Assistant City Clerk McCrea,
in performing this function by slip
of the tongue called President of the
board Of public works"
Commissioner of public works" cor
rected the mayor. The assistant city
clerk made the required amendment
and finished the roll call, emitting the
president of the Board of public works
Thereupon Capt German arose, hold
ing a paper in his hand, and said to the
committee: lh7H7.r
II appear here as the president Of
the board of public works and as a
member of this conference committee.
and I bring with me for submission to
the body myItreport of the proceedings
of the board for the month of July I
ask that it be received I claim mem
/ bership in this body by reason of
provision in the charter which the law
of 1895 has not repealed, for that law
does not constitute the commissioner of
public works member of this body
1t specifically defines his duties but does
not mention the conference commit
tee"
Aid. Bigelow thought he saw his
chance to squelch Capt. German at this
point. He moved that the report
I u
of public works be not received. In
Aid. Bigelows opinion Capt German
was no longer a member Of the con-
ference committee. The law had abol-
ished the board Of public works and
had substituted therefor a. commission
er Of public works, who was authorized
to discharge all, the duties heretofore
performed blythe board of public
works and its president The commits
sioner now took the place formerly oc-
cupied by the president of the board
of public works as a member of the
conference committee.
How SOP" inquired President Alb
bott, of the school board. 81 fail to see
that the commissioner of public works
has any right to sit in this body, even
if the law creating his Office is sus-
tained.'
Aid. Bigelow replied that he thought
that Commissioner Copeland was en-
| titled to sit as member by implica-
| ton.
President Bement, of the water board,
remarked that Capt. Germans report
ought to be accepted in any event.
This committee is not a court" said
Mr.. -Bement, "and I move both reports
be received. Our action in this matter
does not strengthen either Capt. Cor
man or Mr. Copeland. The reports
Should be accepted"
But the Commissioner of public
works should hand in the report in
+ sisted Aid. Bigeiow.
| Mr.. BementAIe doesn't make any
difference who hands in the report.
Mr.. Copeland will never hand in my
report" declared Capt German 81
propose on behalf of the board of pub
lie works to continue to hand in a
| monthly report until the validity Of the
law of 1895 has been determined. If
! should neglect to; take such action and
the board of public works should be
sustained, I would be liable to be dis
missed from office for falling to do my
duty a br
| President Wheeleck. of the park
board, then took a turn at Aid. Bige-
| low.
rs there anything in the act of 1885,
inquired Mr.. Wheelock, that gives the
commissioner all the powers of the
president of the board of public works ?"
Aid. Bigelow stuck to it that the act
gave the commissioner such powers by
! implication. Mr.. WheelOck took issue
with this opinion and proceeded to
point out for the alderman's edifcation,
that the act simply created depart
ment of public works, and in so doing,
/ defined specifically the duties of the
commissioner of public works. But it
| did not specify nor even imply that it
WAS the duty OF the commissioner TO
sit in the conference committee or sub
NIT a report to such committee.
"On the other hand" continued Mr..
Wheelock, IF the law creating a COM
missioner of public works is sustained,
there remain certain duties that will
still devolve on the board of public
works as the law does not transfer them
! to the commissioner"
Aid. Bigelow's answer to this was:
| 81 don't think So"
The law was then sent for and Aid.
| Bigelow read the repeating clause.
Capt. German thereupon pointed out
that the clause did not repeal the pre-
vious law that makes it the duty of
the board Of public works to take
! charge of the city lighting and that
constitutes the, president of the board a
me mber of the conference committee.
Mr.. Wheeiock reiterated his opinion
to the same effect and added that it
was proper for the committee to re-
ceive Capt. Germans report. Dr. Alb
bolt also coincided with this view and
at last Aid. Bfgeiew admitted that it
would do no harm to receive both re-
| ports, but he voted mo- on the roll
/ call on Mr. Dement'S motion that the
committee receive both reports-that
/ is Mr. Copeland's and Capt. Germans