The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-01

partment Of the city not having drawn
up and approved the contract as expedi-
tiously as 1t might have been done. 1t Is
quite likely that If the bridge Is not COM
pleted May 10 there will be legal fight
over the payment Of q forfeit by the COM
pany for each day after that date that
the work Is unconpleted
The Lincoln club the membership Of
which is confined almost exclusively to
city and county officials and employees, is
to hold a meeting tomorrow night. The
session promises to be a warm one. and
trouble Is expected over the admission to
the organization of John F. Selb. one Of
the leaders of the grand old party in the
Fifth ward. The name Of Mr.. Selb was
presented at the last meeting Of the club
for membership, but his utilization with
the other employees Of the city and county
met with opposition. Mr.. Selb, having re-
Gently been appointed to the position Of
chief clerk in the office of the corporation
attorney, deemed ft. advisable TO make
himself solid With TIE other m fnbers on
the city pay, roll and join the club, He
did not expect to be turned down, but he
was not accepted. Fills friends will make
an effort at the meeting tomorrow night
to have the question Of his rejection as
member. reconsidered, and insist that MS
name be added to the list Of the other
employees of the city and county, who
control the club.
Harry Sundberg, clerk OF the probate
court, and Alexander Lfndahl, former al
derman from the First ward, are consid-
ering tbs question of starting i paper.
The proposed journalistic flyer will be
weekly devoted to the interests Of the
First and Second wards, and will be
made as warm politically as tho pro-
prietors can make it. 1t is understood
that number of officeholders have been
approached with a subscription list and
urged to give up literally to fund with
which the new organ can be launched.
~
Prominent Republicans and those who
are credited with having the money and
the influence to direct the POLICY of the
party in St Paul and Ramsey county,
have decided that Mayor Kiefer is to
have denomination next spring rms
decision has been reached not because OF
any love for the present mayor or as a
desire to see his political future extend
ell, but simply for protection and to adj
vance the interest of the party and Sc
cure the distribution Of the pie among
the faithful.
turning Kiefer down next spring, said
one of the leading Republican officehold-
ers, but 1t is nothing but talk, and the
men who are urging such action are
foolish. Suppose that ktefer was beaten
for the nomination, what would be the
result. 1t would mean a complete clean
ing out Of the Republicans in both the
city and county offices, and we cannot
afford to take any chances to crafty
1-;<, l,f for ct-
ed in the Republican party know this,
and kiefer will be renominated simply
because he controls a certain class of
voters without which the Republicans
would be i'll the minority"
The ordinance fixing the tax levy rate
per cent for the city for 1898 will be pre-
scented to the council at meetings Of the
board of aldermen and assembly during
the coming week. Comptroller McCardy
has been busy for the past ten days pre-
pairing the figures and is authority for
the statement that the levy in the ten
districts Will be practically the same as
last year.
The comptroller has already commenc-
ed the work of preparing the tax budget
for 1900, which will be presented to the
conference committee at it's meeting In
December. In connection with the budg-
ct Tor lJo0 all the CITY 0tiicistlS dT0 liSu
ing the estimates for their departments
down to the lowest possible notch. There
is to be an election in the spring and
the officeholders, from the mayor to the
aldermen, are disposed to make the es
innate as small as possible, in order that
the taxpayers will not have chance to
find fault with the administration for in
creasing the tax levy. Il
On the proposition that it Is good poll
tics to favor the building of new schools
and buildings. insist that there is not
enough money appropriated for the MAIN
tenance Of the schools. the officials are
rushing into print with opinions as to the
ccnstitutionality of the, ,recent law passed
by the Legislature authorizing an addf-
tional levy Of a mill and a half for school
purposes The factis, However, that while
publicly favoring)jthe tevying OF the adj
tiitional tax, the officials are on the quiet
doing what they dan TO prevent the tax
being levied. Personal interests and
desire to keep the levso down for fear OF
defeat at the polls next spring II 1t Is
increased has more weight with the pol
itcians than any good which might fol-
low for the benefit of the school system.