The Saint Paul globe., 1899-01-13
ASTRIDE A VOLCANO
PRESIDENT CROSBY, OF THE
COUNCIL, Is UNCOMFORTABLE,
TO SAY THE LEAST
WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS
A Combination of Members of the
Council Followed by Another
Combine Which May Blow the
First Into IL Million Pieces, More
or Eess-The Situation Looks
Decidedly SquaIIy.

Minneapolis, Jan. IA.
We. the undersigned persons who are en-
titled TO seats In the next city council, do
agree as follows:
That we VIII take part in a Republican eau
Gus on the "a day of January, lS99 at 3 a.
m, at the city hall and therein nominate
all the officers of the next city council and
all the city officers 10 be elected by the next
city council. and We hereby agree, each with
the other to support and vote for on every
ballot in The city council every officer nomi-
mated by majority of said caucus, and to
support during the two-year term of the next
council all the officers OF the city council
thus chosen and all OF the organization of
the council t2sen effected, and 10 support the
appointment Of the standing committees of the
council as appointed by the president of the
next council.
1t is further hereby agreed that where there
IS i Republican alderman and Democratic
alderman from the same ward that the eau
Gus concur in the nomination OF the Repub-
hcan alderman for the Office of street COM
missioner from such ward.
Alex NcCune. Dickinson,
r. {. Chatfeld NJ. B. Lloyd,
IL \ Leighton, John Crosby
]. 5. Lane, A. E. Merrill.
%. p. Jones, J. f. Main,
+. NJ Powers. Claus Peterson,
S. A. Adams, John Sibley.
The above is what John Crosby,
president of the city council. is count
ing on to prevent any eruption ir the
rounci- similar to a small Vesuvius.
There is no question but what the Re-
publican aldermen are all tied up fast
by the above agreement, the original of
which was shown to The G. o b e by
request. by President Crosby, who has
had it in his possession since the event.
full caucus when the Republicans
agreed so well together that they have
never been able to understand since
just how it all came about.
In spite of this ironclad agreement,
three and perhaps more of the Repub
lcan aldermen have made another
agreement, almost as strong, looking to
the oVerturning of the present admins
tTatiOn in the council and the substitu-
tiOn of another administration, which,
in their minds, will be more to their
liking. and be able to distribute the
committees so that every one will be
satisfied
: Up to ? o'clock this afternoon the
new combine was a certainty. There
is little doubt of this. The Democrats
were naturally all in line and waiting
to pick up any crumbs that might fall,
and there seemed to be enough dissatis-
fled Republican aldermen to turn the
scale against President Crosby, in spite
OF the agreement by which he holds
them.
At o'clock tonight, the members OF
the combine seemed a little panic
stricken. and their prospects did not
look so rosy. Perhaps Col. Adams was
the cause Of 1t all. He Insisted on GO
Ing over to st. Paul to attend a gather
Ing of MaSons, seeming to think that
the affairs of the combine could wait.
He was counted a dissatisfied Repub-
ncan alderman, but was not absolutely
pledged. He was to give his final an
eWer at o'clock this afternoon, but
J o'clock came and Col. Adams was
absent The leaders of the combine
Waited anXiouSly for him all the after
poon, and 1t is pretty safe to say that
they Kept his door bell ringing pretty
we'll last night. Without Col. Adams
(he dtscontented Republicans did not
leeI like acting, and therefore it is hard
10 say just what the outcome of the
council meeting tonight will be.
Unless the combine is sure of enough
fotes to overthrow the present presi-
Fent and wise president, the matter
Will probably not come up. but the
founcll meeting will doubtless resemble
man sitting on a keg of powder with
J lighted pipe in his mouth. If he lets
sny ashes fall, there will be an ex-
PIoslon, and, if the explosion once
BONES, it will not stop until the entire
organization of the council has been
tested, and new ballots taken for all
the city officials. Who will suffer If
luch a frightful mixup as this comes
10 pass 10 one can tell.
President Crosby may object to the
Term, but he is certainly a politician.
he spent considerable of yesterday
morning at the court house, and prob
Idly large part of the afternoon was
devoted to interviewing aldermen who
sre reported to be discontented. but
from his manner and actions one
Would not infer that he was a man who
was liable at any moment to lose his
Pihclal title. He admitted that there
Mas considerable talk about a combine
petWeen the Democrats and certain
RepUollcans, but he said that he did
rot think that it would amount to anv
thing - any
II don't see how they can do any,
Thing after signing that agreement
DO you?~ he suggested, rather than
asked. He declared. that the Repub-
!lcan aldermen had all signed it will
mgly, and knew that it bound them
TOR two years, and he did not think
that any of them would care to 90
back on it.
L do not see," he said why the
reported trouble in the health commit
tee should justify a reorganization of
the council" he continued. "Yet the
papers say that the alleged conflict or
difference of opinion in the health
committee will be the means of a rev
olut1on in the council. If the council
does not like the report of the health
committee, 1t is no reason why all of
the council committees cl,o,,15 -,