The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-18
COMPTROLLER OPPOSES ANY
CHANGE IN THE BOARD OF
PUBLIC WORKS.
ASSEMBLY MEN ARE IN DOUBT
AS TO THE WISDOM of THEIR
ACTION LAST THURSDAY
NIGHT.
SECRET CAUCUS HELD YESTERDAY
The Republican Members of the City
Government Like to Work Be-
hind Closed Doors

Notwithstanding the fact that all of
the assemblymen voted for the ordf-
nance adopting the act which. purportS
to abolish the board of public works, IT
would seem that they are not so sure
that they acted wisely. As Indicative
of their uncertainty regarding this mat
ter, they held another caucus at D.
m. yesterday for the purpose of discus
sing the advisability of a reconsider
alton of the subject. This meeting was
not held in the city hall, nor were the
representatives of the press notified
that any meeting was to take place
for these meetings are not for the pub
! lie
Several of them have been held dur
ing the past few weeks. They have
been attended by every member of the
common council and also by Comp
troller McCardy, City Treasurer Horst
and OCCASIONAL Mayor Doran has been
present. The comptroller has generally
presided. 1t is understood that the
right to vote upon any question has
been reserved to the twenty council
men, the other city officials acting
only In an advisory capacity
| After looking into the question of the
| cOnstitutionality of the law abolishing
the board of public works, and consult
ing competent legal authorities, many
or the councilmen are now disposed to
| doubt its validity, but proceeding upon
| the ground that law is presumed to
be constitutional until declared not to
be by competent authority 1t was de-
cided to adopt the act, and to let the
courts decide the question, if the mem
bers of the board of public works re-
fused to resign their positions.
City Comptroller McCardy has op-
posed any movement to abolish the
board of public works. Being thorough
ly familiar with the workings Of each
municipal department the comptroller
believes that such change in the de-
partment of public works, as the law
OF 1895 contemplates, would be attended
with serious results. Consequently his
influence has been exerted in opposition
to the passage of the ordinance put
through the assembly Thursday night
There is reason to believe that some
or the assemblymen and aldermen
coincide with Comptroller McCardy in
this matter and that they doubt the
wisdom and propriety of the substitu-
ton OF one commissioner of public
works In place of four commissioners.
1t has been forcibly suggested to them
that such change to a one man power
might be ambiguous to jumping from
the frying pan into the fire
The result of the secret meeting yes
! tcrday afternoon could not be ascer-
tanned. In the meantime, unless the as
sembly should meet before the regular
meeting of the board of aldermen
| tuesday night, and reconsider the or
nnance, that measure will be taken UP
| by the board of aldermen and in all
| likelihood will be passed as it requires
| only six votes out of the IL It is be-
| neVed. however, that at least two al
dermen Will vote against the ordinance
| Another thing has developed recently
which has set some of the Republicans
Of the council thinking, especially since
the mayor has shown so strong a dis
| position to do as he likes. 1t has been
said that Doran is evincing a dispo-
| sitiOn to buck and to take the bit in
| his teeth. Instead of Warren, he wants
/ to appoint John Copeland to be boss
| Of st. PauPS streets, sewers, bridges
! and sidewalks. This disposition of the
mayor is proving very satisfactory to
| John Copeland, but it is anything but
pleasing to Fred Schiffmann, Oar
| Reese, Henry Johns, Assemblymen
DAILY, Sam Lowenstein and others of
! the ruling element in Ramsey county
politics. These men want Warren to
have the place, and insist that he is
| entitled to- it. Some go so far as to
| assert that Warren was specifically
promised the job, and that the bargain
must be kept. Mayor Doran is credited
with desire to punish Warren for
| daring to be a candidate for mayor
The latter's friends insist, however.
that as he Loyalty supported Doran
| after the nomination all should be for
given Further, they say that Cope
land has a job with the Great Northern
that pays him very well, and that he
! should be content.
However, the office Of commissioner
of public works, if established, will be
all-powerful in st. Paul, and Copeland
| is ambitious. His ambition, or that of
any other man, will be blocked at the
outset by the present members of the
board. They will undoubtedly fight in
the courts the attempt to depose them;
and pending a judicial decision will
hold possession of their office. 1t will,
of course, devolve on Mr.. Warren, Mr..
| Copeland, or whoever is appointed, to
legally GUST them. But they are safe
for awhile. because the mayor will be
given to understand very plainly that
the working Republicans want Warren
| named. Doran himself has said that
he is stubborn under pressure; and a
| hot contest for spoils may be ahead.