St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-27
CLAIMED TO BE THE BOTTOM OF
THE NEW INDEPENDENT
MOVEMENT.
TRUE INWARDNESS OF 1T ALL
EXPLAINED BY C. ID. O,BRIEN AND
ALSO BY KENNETH
CLARK.
NOT IN THE INTEREST OF PARTY.
Republicans Are Prime Movers.
Which Shows 1t Is Not to Help
Democrats.

All kinds of SpeculationS are being
INDUCED in as to the real meaning
or the independent movement for the
election Rof city officers regardless of
party afhl1atlonS and not few assert
that 1T is in the interest of this party
or that, or for the purpose of booming
some certain candidate for the may
orally. The fact that the committee
OF eighty is composed of both Demo-
Gratis and Republicans IN almost equal
numbers is evidence that the move
ment is not in the interest of either
party, and the character of the men
who have been devoting their time to
working the thing up is claimed to be
guarantee that it is not in the inter-
est of any one man.
Kenneth Clark has probably been
more active in the movement than any
other one man: Mr.. Clark is known to
be an uncompromising advocate of the
elimination of partisanship from mu-
nicipal affairs But the movers are not
all men who advocate the enforcement
OF politics from city government. Many
OF them are men who believe that such
thing is impossible except in great
emergencies, but they favor this move
ment at this particular time because
they feel that just such an emergency
exists. c. d. OBrien voiced the senti-
ment of this element in speaking last
night to G | o b e reporter regarding
the movement
You can not rid city government
of party politics except every now and
then when the situation becomes des-
perate," said Mr.. O'Brien. But | be-
| heYe, and those who are taking an in
terest in this Independent movement
all believe, that the present is Just
such an occasion. The affairs of this
| city have got into such shape that
we must elect men who are patriotic.
and have enough interest in the future
welfare of the city to make some sac
rifices for 1t. We want to elect men
who will be willing to accept small SAL
| aries, and who will economize at every
point where economy is possible. If
1 this is done, two years of such admin
istration will place the city on it's feet.
/ am willing to contribute my interest
| in party success for two years to such
1 cause. 1t means no sacrifice of party
| loyalty. 1t simply places loyalty TO
| the city and community in which T
live above desire for party success
| Some Republicans claim IL is q
| movement in the interest of the DEM
| ocratic party" was suggested.
| Il do not know how that is replied
| Mr.. OBren. THE prime movers in
the affair are Republicans, and if they
| haYe been working under Democratic
| inspiration, they evidently do not know
| 1T. They must be very smart Demo-
| Gratis who could manage a movement
so smoothly. l can say for myself that
L have taken no active part in the
| movement as yet. Kenneth Clark
asked me if L would lend my name ard
support to such movement and 1 told
him / would, reserving the right to
withdraw should it turn ont to be got
ten up in the interest of any party, or
should the men nominated not prove
to be men of character"
| Kenneth Clark was also seen, and he
| talked in the same vein as did Mr..
| O'Brien. He said that the public may
| rest assured the movement is in the
| interest of no party, no man or set Of
men, but purely in the interest of the
city. No plans have been laid, not
even to the consideration of Il candi-
date for mayor, but when the commit
! tee of eighty meets at the Windsor
hotel tomorrow evening the whole mat
| ter will be talked over and a line of
! action mapped out. A subcommittee
will probably be appointed to consider
| the question of naming candidates on
! the ticket. Mr.. Clark says that some
! ten men were out a short time cam
vassing the sentiment of business men
with reference to the movement, and
they brought in about 1000 signers in
few hours. Scarcely a man refused
| to sign.
Frank Schlick Jr., G. S. Moore and
! J. H. Weed have been added to the
committee of eighty.