St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-29
TO DEMOCRATS.

Gentlemen OF the Democratic party
In the city of St Paul: The municipal
election is but six weeks distant The
Democratic city convention, which Us
to nominate the candidates 70 repre-
sent the party in that contest, will be
held in a few days Upon the result of
that convention will depend three
thipgs. First, whether we are to have
able and honest men to conduct the
city's affairs for the next two years,
or are to be left to the tender mercies
of the scum that the average polit-
ical convention, of either party brings
to the surface. Second, whether st.
Paul is to continue to be a Democrat
ic city, as IN the past. or whether the
control of It's affairs and the conduct Of
It's policies are to be turned over, in
toto, for an indefinite period, to the Re-
publicans.- Third, whether the organ
ization Of the party Is to be preserved
and strengthened~ for future cam
patsns. or whether 1t is to be so
wrecked by Incompetent or faithless
hands that good citizens will not trust
1t thereafter. These are serious mat
ters, fellow Democrats but 1t is best to
tell the plain truth about them. Now,
what are you going to do about it?
o. You probably know already that this
1s not year when ticket can be
elected, regardless of the qualities and
public standing of the men who COM
pose it, simply because they call them,
selves Democrats. If ever Democrats
were ready for independent action,
they are today. Nevertheless, they
prefer to stand by the party If the
party will let them. 1t is for you to
say whether they shall have the single
opportunity that they ask; the privi-
lege to vote for men of business stand
ing, of known probity of character. of
ability to manage municipal affairs.
We can say to you that there are not
Democrats enough in st. Paul to elect
any other sort of candidates, and that
there are not enough Republicans here
to prevent their election If men of this
you, you who are in control of the or
Ganization. you who are to look after
the primaries. you who will be in the
convention, rests a responsibility as
heavy as any that ever fell upon Dem.
ocratic shoulders in this city, The in
terests of st. Paul, and the success.
nay the. very existence of local Dem
ocracy are at stake. How are you pre-
pairing to deal with the situation?
Make sure of another thing. The
day has gone by when any little knot
Of politicians can put slate in nomi-
nation and have 1t ratified by the peo-
l1le. The public VIII not stand it. Dem
ocrats will not stand it. We want no
more combinations, of any sort or un-
der any leadership, to run ST. Paul In
the interest of few men. Our people
-will have no mercy on either an old
gang or a new gang. They are going
out of. the gang business They have
just one request to make; which is that
you give them a clean ticket; not clean
IN spots, but immaculate from BEGIN
ming to end Offer that to them. and
you will see. the biggest majority given
TO any Democratic candidates for
years. Attempt to fool with them. to
play tricks on them, to make of the
Democracy footstool for any selfish
schemes of men, who, whatever their
Affiliations, are not known to and
trusted by the people, and the Repub-
1lcans, even with san inferior ticket.
VIII administer to you such a beating
that you will not recover from it for
ten years. That is your choice.
1t is an easy matter for the Demo-
cratic party to establish itself in full
control of the city government at the
coming election if it will The Repub-
1ican organization is run by the ma
chine. Its candidates are not going to
be men whom the people delight to
honor. Already, on the streets. YOU
hear the frequent muttering Of dis
content among the Republican voters.
who have been contracted for by their
managers for future delivery. AS far
as they are acquainted with the work
mapped out by their machine, they are
profoundly disgusted. And they also
are saying to the Democracy, give us
a first-class ticket, composed Of good
men, clean men, reputable men. men
whom we can, trust to look after the
city as we wouldip charge Of any other
business enterprise. and we will sup
port them. Give us a chance to clean
out all the gangs; Republican and
Democratic; old and new; and we will