St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-12
SET RIGHT.

1t is scarcely worth while to follow
the Pioneer Press in the series of
ground and lofty tumblings that it
mas executed lately in order to turn
the cause of municipal retrenchment
into fuel under the rusty boilers of the
Republican party. An article in it's
Friday issue, however referring to one
appearing earlier in these columns, is
IulI OF miSstatementS that should be
set right, and contains a few questions
that there l'o b is pleased to answer.
The Clio be did not say, or hint or
intimate lin any way that inability to
make any particular reduction in ex-
penses is legitimate reason for re-
fusing to make any other. That is the
Pioneer Press man of straw. If it
hnds pleasure in knocking it about,
well and good. We have more serious
matters to J attend to. What the
G o said, and says now, is that
all departments and interests should
be treated equally. If, within a de-
partment, the total cut can be adj
Justed satisfactorily to all concerned
In some other way than by uniform
decrease in all salaries, that is none of
our concern. The level reduction should
be made; leaving to each department
liberty, as in all other matters, to ar
range details in it's own way This dis
poses of the pitiful plea of the Pioneer
Press about reducing the salaries of
patrolmen, after arguing, in the ad-
Joining column, that their salaries
ought, in equity, to be made $5S in
stead of $75 Such are the troubles
that overwhelm it when attempting
to take both sides of a question at
once, for political effect.
The Pioneer Press asks If the
q o e complains of the exemption
from reductions of the schools, the
controllers office, the city and county
physician and the superintendent of
parks. Most emphatically it does The
mention of the schools is bit of amaz-
ing audacity. Their exemption" con-
sists in a reduction of $4,000, or 60
per cent of the net reduction proposed
In all city expenses. 1t is based partly
on an alleged cash balance of which
$4,000 will be required to pay out
standing obligations, and partly on a
mythical estimate of revenue. 1t has
been shown clearly that, if this course
is followed, either the schools
must be; closed during some
months jim 1897 or else they must
be reduced in efficiency, to the
great and lasting injury of this
city. Todthat sort of exemption" we
object. We object to the favoritism
displayed toward the controllers Of
flee. Judged Iby recent performances
we should say that it's work was dear
at any price. It should certainly bear
it's equal share in the lessening of ex-
penditures The cut in the revenues
of the board Of control could undoubt-
eddy be met, small as it would be, with
as little difficulty as in the fire and
police departments.
AS to the superintendent Of parks.
we have this to say: that when
1t comes to a question of less
ening the burdens Of the peo-
pie, a question so vital that men
are willing to let the schools go by
the board, then we think that it is
time to call a halt on park expendi-
lures. The sum included in the tax
estimate for parks is at least twice as
large as it ought to be. One-haIf of
the amount would, by the REPORTS of
the park board, suffice for the main
tenance of our public grounds and
squares. Their improvement could
well be deferred until a time when we
nave at least enough funds on hand
not to have to consider the Gripping
OF agencies essential to our very mu-
nlc1pal existence. The Globe is not
defending one-half the council or at
lacking the other, in which it differs
from the Pioneer Press; whose judg-
ment OF their respective actions is de-
cided obviously by their political COM
pleXions. 1t has not and does
not intend to play politics. with our
present business necessities and prob
lens. 1t knows that it's view Of the
situation is determined by business
principles and believes that it has the
assent of all those who are not politi-
clans first and business men after
ward.