The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-26
DOING ITS DUTY.

mances of the prize ribbon administra-
ton which the city of st. Paul now en-
joys is it's attempt to thrust its own
delinquencies on the shoulders Of the
municipal court. The mayor and his
newspaper organs, who support him
because he represents the Republican
party, even if they have to hold their
breath while doing it, have attempted
on frequent occasions to charge up fail
ures of justice and abuses of authority
to the account of the municipal court.
No charge could be less justiefid by
the fact On the contrary, as the pub
lie can aver, and as we are aware
from the daily report of the court pro-
ceedings. that tribunal seems to be a
gCod deal more closely attached to the
people, and far more concerned about
doing its duty with fairness and com
mon sense, than any other part of our.
local government. We can say this
without suspicion or Partially, since,
Of the two judges of that court, one is
can.
In the matter OF the indiscriminate
clubbing Of private citizens, especially
by the West side friends of the pres
ent mayor, we have already called at
tent1On to the fact that the municipal
court has done all that it could to stop
the brutal rTa otica Tho i,,5oo, box-o
gone to the limit Of the privilege al
lowed to the bench in expressing the
natural indignation of humane and
decent men at such maItreatment.
Ihey have even said that, were the
police officers, instead of their victims.
on trial before them, as they ought to
be. 1t would afford them great pleasure
to impose a proper sentence. While
the mayor and the chief of police,
with whom rests the power to remove
members of the police force. remain
inactive and are deaf and blind to the
continuance of the clubbing pastime,
reflection upon the courts is as inpu-
dent as the argument advanced that
suit for assault or damages is the prop
er remedy for those who have suf-
fered indignities at the hands of Mr..
Doran's followers, and that he has no
responsibility In the matter.
Another charge, ventured by an apoI-
ogist of this precious administration
Is that there is difficulty in regulating
the use of bicycles because the munic-
lpal court cannot be depended upon
to punish offenders. This is another
astounding assertion, since it is that
court which has been doing it's whole
duty in the premises, while the mayor
and the council have deliberately re-
fused to discharge theirs. It is known
to every person of sound judgement
shat the sole source of danger from, +be
use OF the wheel consists in reckless
riding. Wheelmen, as a body. have be-
sought the mayor and the chief of no..
lice IN season and out of season, to n1,t
a stop to it. Searching could he mao
tlcally suppressed in this city in
fortnight. With a few policemen ont
OF uniform patrolling the streets ami
bicycle paths on wheels, and all Of
fcers OH their beats instructed to an
prehend riders guilty of scorchine
Wherever found, the practice wouId
presently become too expensive for IN
dulgence. In this direction not only
are the skirts of the municipal court
Tree OF reproach, but it has co-opera+-
ed with the public by promptly imnos-
ing heavy fines for every conviction
mad before it. The penalty ASSIGNED
by that court to the scorcher. when
ever his offense was proved, is an ex-
ceedingly heavy one. It is not tor
great IN our opinion, but again the
lmpudence of the partisans of the CITY
nall appears when We consider how
thoroughly the municipal court has
done it's duty in making it exceedingly
unpleasant and expensive for reckless
riders. while the mayor has refused to
90 his part; and both he and the coun-
II
fool ordinances and regulations re-
sDecting the carrying of lamps that
are absolutely worthless for the public
safety, and appear to be designed 10
annoy wheelmen and suppress bicycle
riding as far as possible.
In fact, the excellence of the munic-
lpal court administration in ST. Pan,
has attracted attention outside of tho
city. Minneapolis contemporary
comments upon the opinion of the
court, that citizen who can prove
that he was not guilty at the time of
violating any ordinance or regulation
has right to resist arrest, and en-
presses enthusiastic approval. Refer
ring to the case of two offenders VINO
were brought before it-one, whose
guilt appeared, was Immediately fined
and the other, who established his in
nocence of the charge made agains,
him, was at once discharged AL
though he had resisted arrest-it savs.
st. Paul evidently has a most wise
and discriminating Judge" These are
a few of the instances that show how
we'll our municipal court is discharging
its duty in the face of a criticism not
only unfair and untrue, but especially
despicable inasmuch as it is designed
solely to shield the incompetency or
worse of city government that is I'M
the municipal court in preserving