The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-16

private or a personal perquisite, as out
going officials seem to have regarded it.
The fact that man has held an Office
once does not, at least in the public esti
nation, invest him with the right to
hold Office always or whenever his party
happens to be restored to power
There are many good men who were
identified with the holding of the Offices
under Mayor Smiths preceding admins
tration. There were bad ones, and ques-
tionable ones, too The voting public of
this town will not stand for the reinstate-
ment of ne bad or the questionable ones.
There must be no apology to offer for the
incoming administration, either on ac-
count of the men or the methods that
may be identified with it at any time dur
ing the next two years.
1t is truly a most gratifying circum-
stance that at the outset such a man as
DR.. Schiffmann should be honored as he
has been. It VIII give confidence. His
nomination did materially strengthen the
party at the polls, and did materially aid
in the election of the Democratic ticket.
This was not so much because Of the in
dividual himself as OF the high character
and standing which he has always held
in the community and the splendid rec
ord of public spirit and usefulness which
he has made for himself.
The favor with which his election as
chairman Of the common council is re-
ceived is lesson which must not be lost
OF the incoming administra ton.
MAYOR KIEFER,s FIRM STAND.
Mayor Kiefer's friends have much rea-
son to congratulate themselves on the
splendid stand which that gentleman has
taken and has thus far maintained or
the question of the assessorship. The
miserable picayune, peanut peddling
proposition put forward by County Aud
Itor Johnson in connection with The as
sessorshp deserves public and private
reprobation alike. That Mayor Kiefer
has thus far refused to allow himself to
be made a party to this ignoble form of
the barter and sale of public Office is in
fnitely to his credit. No doubt he lost
his chance Of denomination largely be-
cause Of his unwill.ngness to engage him
self in that general class of official acts;
but any self-rcspecting public officer
could far better afford to suffer this de-
feat which came to Mayor Kiefer in the
Republican convention than run the risk
of defeat on platform upon which his
acceptance OF such principles would nee
essarily place him.
The G o b e sincerely hopes that Mayor
TIlefer will continue to treat Mr.. John
son and his proposition at their real
worth. The hope is not entertained for
the mere sake of the possession by Dem
ocrats of the Office 1t is, we can hon
estIy say, The product OF a desire to see
a decenter and more wholesome official
atmosphere prevail than that which is
needed to generate such contemplate
plan as that outlined in the county audi
tors proposal
Mayor Kiefer will lose nothing by al
lowing the situation created by the coun-
ty auditor in the interest of Seng and
Carter to continue. He certainly will
gain nothing for himself and but little
to his party's advantage. while he is GER
tain to lose the esteem of his real friends,
by yielding to the proposal made to him.
He has taken the right position He will
do a great service to public morals by
maintaining it to the end, whatever Mr..
Johnson may feel himself forced to do
IN +J,a Il, +ar1-o1