The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-28

City and County-A Talk by the
Chief Executive Following the
Lecture of Rev. 9. G.. Smith
In His Series on Municipal At
fairs.
Rev. 8. G. Smith lectufed at the Y
M. c. a. rooms last evening on the city
of st. Paul" Following the lecture ten
minute talks were made by Mayor K1efer,
Health Commissioner Ohage and Prof.
Robinson, of the high school.
Rev. Mr. Smith called attention to the
wonderful growth OF the city during the
period from 1880 to 1890 and predicted that
the city was now on the eve Of better
era He analysed the population of the
city by nationalities and reached the con-
clusion that the population of st. Paul
would surely become homogeneous. The
city was larger in proportion to its pop
ulation than any Of the other cities Of
its size in the country. If the city COW
cred but one-fourth Of its present area
much more could be accomplished. Its
size was for and against 1t. He dWelt
on the beauties of the present and pro-
Jected park system and the new library
building, which, he said, was mag
nificent institution on the inside, a credit
to the city with room for half million
books. He alluded to the proposed branch
libraries which were to be established
at st. Anthony Park, Merriam Park and
Hamline, and advised the banding of the
western suburbs more closely to the city
so in case the districts wanted light they
could look to the east rather than the
west for it, The decision Of the supreme
court in the school case, he said, was
only what could be expected. The su-
preme court had decided the matter III
the right spirit, for the making of laws
by courts to satisfy public opinion or
clamor was one of the greatest dangers.
There was demand for the resembling Of
the law prohibiting special legislation but
thi; should not be allowed, as special
legislation was the parent Of all mu-
nicipal rOttenness. If there was no money
in the general fund to give to the schools
then the city would have to wait for the
Hypothetical rich man. The remedy for
the school trouble was a new charter
This was the only way the school and
position of the school board that the
new charter should be prepared simply
for the school levy was a mistake. There
could never be a great city under the
Bell charter. The present charter was
not flexible enough. The city could not
expand without flexible charter. The
council was given powers 1T should not
have. One was to give aWaysstreet fran
chises. Thsacou7fcil had too mach patron
age. 1t had@ewosor threeAofffees to fill
with seoeeaor more ofe-elerks. There
could never be a clean council until 1t had
no patronage. The mayor should have
the administrative affairs and the council
only legislative powers. The two should
be divorced.
Mayor Kiefer was the first of the volun-
tary speakers and in short talk said:
What is the matter with st. Paul? St.
Paul is all right. st. Paul had its years
of slow progress to be sure as have all
young cities; but all indications point to
the conclusions that it is now entering
upon a new era Of increasing material
growth and lasting prosperity. WHAT does
it most need to hasten and increase It's
advancement and progress? 1t seems TO
me 1t needs:
Above all more active and intelligent
lie affairs. A city in its social and moral
chara cteristics, as we'll as in its material
prosperity. and adyancement-ln all that
gives life and goes to make 1t sound and
progressive Is just what the people who
live in it make it. It's government and It's
laws and ordinances and the enforcement
of them are just such as the people make
them. They cannot be better, or rise
higher, than the public sentiment Of the
community, any more than the water III
a stream can rise higher that its source.
The ladies Of St. Paul appreciate this
fact. They struck the keynote when
they organized the Woman's Civic league
The ladies have and are creating more
lively and intelligent interest In matters
pertaining to the city as municipality
and to the administration Of its affairs.
An active intelligent purpose on the part
Of the people to better the administration
Of public affairs lies at the foundation Of
all true reform and improvement. We
need a more economical administration Of
the affairs of city and county in many
of its departments, 1t seems as If &, prac
teal union of the city and county gov
ernmentS might be inaugurated and the
affairs of both administered by one set
of officers instead of two as they now are.
This would unquestionably result in a
great saving to the taxpayers and would
not disturb the efficiency of the admins
tration of the affairs of county or city.
1t seems as if something is woefully
wrong in our school system which needs
correction and that should be corrected
without delay.
1t seems that the garbage in this city
should be disposed Of in the same man
ner that other intelligent and we'll reg
ulated municipalities dispose of it; that
IS to the profit of the city which can well
be done. We need public baths and we
are going to have them. The commits
sioner of health has devised a plan by
which these can be furnished with prac-
tically no expense to the city; which will
be a great boon to Democrats. Populists,
middle-o f-the-road men and Republicans
alike. 1t seems that the new charter
which many think necessary in the near
future should be clear and decisive 50 an
| ordinary person can understand and com
prehend what is asked of him.
little more city pride on the part Of
our people Is also greatly needed; the
more municipal patriotism a greater will
| ingness to observe city regulations. A
strong and long pull. pull all together
TO reduce the peoples taxes will increase
| the value of real estate and that means
lasting prosperity for our good city Of
| st. Paul.
Health Commissioner Ohage related
how he was fighting for pure milk, free
| public baths and a better method of
| collecting and disposing of garbage. He
| advised the erection of q oa rba GA oro,,,o