The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-07
is THERE NO REmuDx,


II mas now passed beyond denial .1,o4
'-ie SITUATION In this county with refer
eHce TO the election of county asoa.so.
IS disgrace to the intelligence as vor,
as to the public morals. of +bo 90
-''oiii'y' Inc people are reasonably we'll
informed as to the history of this sfrargo
transaction. 1t is a history which sbo7,,s
this city and county to be. in their n,,b,,o
INTERESTS In the grasp Of a thoroughly
unprlncfpled and rapacious band of nro-
lesslonal politicians of the petty tyne
Inere has never been an honest effort
MADE by those in power to bring that
state of things to a close. The law
passed by the last legislature was a piece
OF purely personal and political scheninp
Aside from the constitutional ouas+io, IN
VolYed 1t was of character which would
not be tolerated except in a community
in which all understanding of the de-
cencies and amenities of public life had
long ceased to exist. The methods adon+-
ed to make it effective were equally dis
graceful. The spirit in which the failure
Of the law has been received and treated
by all upon whom existing law rests
the obligation of electing a successor TO
the present hold-over candidate is strictly
in line with the disreputable policy which
has prevailed from the outset.
There is no use in trying to locate the
responsibility on individuals. Seng wants
to hold on to a job which the law saws
he can only do legitimately as the re-
suit of failure of the appointing power
to act or by reelection. Johnson, the
county auditor, is on record as refusing
to discharge the duty which the law
imposes On him. It is practically admit
ted that his failure and refusal are due
to private understanding with the pres
ent hold-over incumbent The mayor. on
the other hand, adopts as his policy the
principle that shut mouth catches no
flies He, too, has candidate. no doubt,
whose political fortunes are bound I'D
with his own. And so the public con-
tinues to be fooled to the top of it's bent.
Now what is there to prevent the mayor
and county auditor from uniting in the
election of reputable and acceptable
business man to this office? Absolutely
nothing, except the determination of the
two appointing officials to treat the mat
ter as one of purely personal concern.
Is there no pubic sentiment or local
patriotism or sense of municipal decency,
interest or self-respect which can be sue
cessfully invoked to put an end to this
disgraceful condition? Are our CONNER
cial bodies, like the Commercial club, the
Chamber of Commerce and the Jobbers'
union, so Indifferent to the public well
fare that they are to be expected to
remain silent and inactive while the office
most nearly affecting the immediate in
terests of the tax-paying public is thus
iuggled with? Is there no body Of cleo
tors in this city or county sufficiently
interested in the great problems of good
local government that will take this mat
ter up and make these trading politicians
come together and elect reputable bust.
ness man who will be charged with the
important duties of this post?
if the answer to these questions must be
! a negative one, then it should occasion no
surprise among our people if st. Paul
| continues to be spoken of by its rivals