The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-03
URGES MUNICIPAL REFORM IN HIS
FIRST ADDRESS TO THE
COUNCIL
DOYLE IS CHIEF OF POLICE
MIR. Stetson, Who Has Been at the
Head of the Fire Department.,
Turned Down, and j. r.. Canter-
bury Chosen in His Stead-New
County officers Assume Their
Duties-News of Minneapolis.


MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 2-Mayor Pratt
and the old regime gave way to Mayor
Gray and the new administration this
afternoon. Mayor Gray was started
on his career as chief executive at 2
o'clock The ceremonies were held in
the council chambers, in the presence
of as many as could gain access to the
room and the corridor adjacent. Re-
firing Mayor Pratt delivered his
Valedictory and retired from the arena
of municipal affairs.
Mayor Gray delivered his inaugural
address. making declaration of his
views as to how city ought to be gov
erned. and announcing his policy for
the coming two years. In part he said:
The reduction of inflated expense accounts
in several departments is imperative. II Is
Tot necessary to name or criticise any de-
partment in particular. 1t is necessary, how
ever, to consider each separately and care
fully. This duty lies with the council and it
is one which the people expect the present
council to perform fearlessly and without
Partisan bias. The board Of tax levy has a
final voice in fixing the estimate for the city's
expenditures. But the council has the initia-
tive and it may be taken for granted that no
board of tax levy will take the responsibility
OF raising taxation where the body most re-
Sponsible for results has cut it down. The
board CT tax levy, 1t may be said, acts under
difficulties. 1t Is made up ex-officio of heads
OF departments, each OF whom sits as a judge
on his colleagues demands, while acting as
the advocate of his own. Extravaganza might
be predicted from such an arrangement, even
though the board has acted conScientiously.
The plan is inherently weak and cannot bring
forth permanent good results. 1t would be
better 70 have the estimates for each depart
ment passed upon by experts not in any way
connected with the expenditure of the sums
asked for, and who would act after having
heard the reasons for or against any fixed
sum for an appropriation.
Retr6n chment should not mean spaSm of
reform. 1t ought to be the permanent pol
icy OF the municipal government to spend a
smaller sum per capita Of its population for
public purposes. When money has to be
squeezed out of hard pressed taxpayers it is
right that work should be squeezed out OF
well-paid taxeaters. Wherever it can be done,
salary should be made to grow where
two salaries grew before.
There are still some unfinished works in
Dur midst. 1t seems inevitable that the city
hail, the city hospital and the reservoir. hav-
ing been begun, shall be finished But it
does not seem right that Minneapolis should
issue any more bonds at present The per
cent limit is the rule in Cities and it has
commended itself to the best financial judg-
ment as being fair, practical and necessary.
To raise the limit to 10 per cent by inducing
the people to vote special bonds is subter-
fuge that can result only in disaster if per-
sisted In. Public opinion should be firmly
set against it before it is too late. The works
that have been undertaken ought to be I'm
iShed out of surplus revenue supplemented
by small special levies.
During the past year there has been con-
siderable discussion of the method of as
SesSing water MAINS sidewalks and street
sprinkling. The assessment is made in ad
vance of doing the work. Whenever any por-
ton is annulled, rebates made through
engineers certificates. 1t would be more
businesslike in the case of water mains and
sidewalks to do the work first and make the
assessments afterwards. This would stop an
numents and the consequent bookkeeping and
fha nta1 Lose IN our re
The council would, of course be obliged to
find fund for the first years work, to put
the plan in operation.
In the matter of street lighting consider
able reduction has been made in the past five
years in the cost Of electric light, the fall
being from $3.50 and S125 per lamp paid in
these reductions this city is still paying about
40 per cent more than St. Paul and about 40
per cent more than Detroit, which makes its
own electric light There is apparently a
field for fruitful investigation here.
A committee of the last council Investigated
the police and fire departments, and reported
legations of the use of liquor in the police
department will be further investigated, and
the discipline of the force improved wherever
it is found to be below the necessities of law
and order.
This being ended the announcement
by the new mayor Of his superintendent
of police was awaited with a hushed
interest that was intense. The nom
inee. as was not entirely unexpected,
was James G. Doyle.
1t had been predicted that there
would be objection in case Mr.. Doyle
were the nominee, but the council con-
f1rmed him without a dissenting vote.
Following the ceremonies Of inaugur-
alton the new council proceeded to eff
feet its organization. During the morn
ing both the Republicans and the
Democrats had been in session The
Republican slate as agreed upon was
presented ard officers and officials were
elected as follows:
President city council, John Crosby; vice
president city council, D. P. Jones; city clerk
l.. A. Lydiard city attorney, F.. P. Healy
department, j. R. Canterbury; city assessor
G. L. Fort; health commissioner, A. K. Nor
ton; gas inspector w. H. Roberts; building
Inspector, James Houghton; sealer of weights