The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-01
WEARY Of WEATHER vANE
MINISTER'S ARE WROTH AT CHES-
TER r. SMITH FOR HIS
DUPLICITY
WASHED THEIR HANDS CLEAN
They Decided Yesterday That They
Would Not BE Further COmprO-
missed by Appearing to Stand
as Sponsors for Him.

Chester r. Smith has been weighed in
the balance by the Methodist ministers
and other members of the anti-saloon
league of st. Paul and found most woe
fully wanting Yesterday afternoon at a
meeting Of the ministers in the Y. M. G.
A. the Republican candidate for mayor
received a scoring such as seldom falls
to the lot of any human being to receive.
All during the week the ministers haze
been making quiet but thorough can
vass of the various wards to ascertain
how Chester stood on the saloon ques-
ton. 'If Chester r. Smith IS elected
mayor of st. Paul tomorrow 1t will be
because he is the chosen candidate of the
very worst element in this city and be-
cause the better class, through criminal
negligence or through blind devotion to
the name Republican, will either not
vote at all, or VIII vote for him." said
BIr. Cowgirl, of the First NJ. E. church.
'Chet Smiths name should never have
been suggested for mayor. but as it has
been suggested let US do all in our power
to make it nothing but a suggestion"
81 think Chet meant all right in the
beginning said Rev A. J.. lkoeneke. of
the German NJ E. church. ''R we minis
ters had only rallied round him and en-
couraged him to do what was right he
would have made a good mayor, but ths
saloon keepers got there first and sur
rounded him so thick that now it's i'm
possible for any of US to get near him
We'll, remarked Rev. Peter Clare, of
Hamline. what we want is mayor
with backbone, not one who is apt to be
1a6 f,Nrf fno f,se.ty 4olI- I.I.-
Mr.. Clare referred to a letter published
in yesterday mornings Gil o b by Robert
N. Grady, in regard to Mr.. Smiths hav-
ing promised to established a saloon ON
the state fair grounds during state fair
week. Its true, every bit of it, said
Mr.. Clare. Now what do you think of
such a man as mayor?7
Chester R. Smith," said Rev. f. B.
Cowgirl, has been making advances .
the Liquor Dealers association. 1 will
not support man who carries water On
both shoulders. Mr.. Smith has made
promises which he has broken. [ shall
vote against him"
Said Prof. Innis: "'Robert A. Smith has
made no promises he viii not keep. He,
at least, would not give away beer at a
political meeting. We had much better
accept him, nc matter what our political
faith may be. than one who breaks every
promise"
We'll, I think the consensus of opinion
Of this meeting is against the election OF
Chet Smith, said David Morgan, of the,
Bethel, with a SMILE as one after another
of the ministers present had denounced
in vigorous terms the Republican candi-
cate, ''and think it is pretty well under
stood that each one of us will go to the
polls tomorrow prepared to vote for Neal.
i cur conscience 50 demands, or for Bob
Smith If we want hand in the selection
Of cur future mayor. Anyway we are not
to vote for Chet Smith
r The trouble was that the ministers had
been led to believe that Chester Smith
was a clean man, who would give the
city an administration characterized by
the enforcement of law The ministers
had been opposed to both Kiefer and Fred
SchIfmann, and some of them, who were
Republican in principle, had worked
against them and for Chester Smith, on
the assurances of himself or his friends
But since his nomination he had been
toadying to the bum element and the
ministers believed that they should not
support man for mayor upon whose as
SuranceS SO little reliance could be placed
ReY. ID. c. Ashcraft regretted he said.
that he could not retain his self-respect
as Christian minister and vote for
Chester r. Smith for mayor. He had
been Republican, but he could not go
to the polls and vote for c. r. Smith
who had deceived the Christian neonTe
VINO had oeen supporting him.
Before the meeting adjourned the mem
bers indorsed the new charter.