The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-18

ing Out OF the Republican once
holders Seems Imminent MT the
May Election.
Ten weeks from Tuesday the people Of
st. Paul will be called upon to elect from
the list of four candidates who will be
set under the classification Mayor" on
the Australian ballot one man to be the
chief executive OF the city for the two
years beginning next June.
That the present burgomaster will be
able to add another two years to his
long term Of public service seems to be
disputed by his own party. Republicans
are saying all kinds Of disagreeable
things about him, regardless Of whether
they are true or not.
They are saying his administration has
been singular in its manifold elements Of
unpopularity. His enemies declare that
after playing for two years at game Of
civic battledore and shuttlecock with the
saloon ordinance enforcement, making
show of enforcement, while legally licens-
ing the social evil by police 'dossier, ~
more or less secret, and an accompany
ing system of fines. And finally, three
the mayor spectacularly forces the resig-
nation of his chief of police and installs
a new man. who, while turning a mailed
hand on the saloons and closing the
liquor stores at midnight, turns the ma
chinery of his department to the grati1-
cation of private spitessa as@evidenced In
the transfer of the police officers who
ruffled the mayors temper by discover
ing one of his pet appointees in q mussy
state of disorder at a dance of the wait
ers at Pfeifer's hall. They tell each
other he has clashed with the municipal
court, and he has clashed with reputa-
Bile business men; that he has taken sides
In public disputes as to the paving of
streets and has spared his froyvns to the
junketing officials who inspected brick
plants.
But, in spite of this general dissatis
faction with the reigning monarch, the
Republicans are at sea foss leader. Ala.
Sidney H. Reeves has been pressed to
the front by considerable element OF
his own party, but he is lacking in one
element, the possession of which appeals
to the Republican machinist, generically
speaking. Mr.. Reeves Is not rich man.
The hard workers would rather have
some one who has barrel, the bung OF
which can be opened opportunity. That
Is one serious objection to Reeves in the
eyes of the politicians, If not of the
voters.
Chester R. Smith has been suggested.
but 1t Is urged against him that he is
silk stocking" However. he Is chair
man of the committee and has quite an
initial pull in the machinery of the Re
publican party locally.
But yet the Republicans are not ready
to push one Of these men openly into the
field and are hoping, as one prominent
Republican put it yesterday, ITO find
some new Richmond in the field" who
can give the opposition the requisite be-
laboring to lead them to believe that he
is sevenfoId, rather than just one weak
nominee Of a disorganized party
1t is beginning to dawn on the friends
and supporters of Mayor Kiefer that
your mayor VIII not have a'walk-awaya
for denomination The Eighth ward
which two years ago was solid for Kie-
fer, over two months before the conven-
ton is strongly anti-Kiefer just now,
and the strenuous efforts of CUSTODIAN
George Gerlich do not seem to improve
matters at ALL 1t is predicted that Kie-
fer will not have more than eighty votes
In the convention, and those VINO nave
been endeavoring for years to dig his
political grave assert that it is ALI over
with the gallant colonel as far as po-.
litical aspirations are concerned.
Mike Norman, formerly of the city
clerks office, is back from the klondike
and ut is said he will prove to Matt Jen-.
sen that he Is still more than the pro-
verbal 80 cents in First ward politics.
Mayor Kiefer has decided that there
will be no chief of detectives appointed
to fill the vacancy caused by the remov-
al of Phil Schweitzer. The idea OF the
MAYOR is that s., 600 per year can be used
to better advantage by employing two
detectives at 81. 900 each than in having
one man as chief. The chief of police, he
contends, can take charge Of the detective
force lust as welt and then, too, 1t will
help on the work Of his denomination pet
ter to have two appointments to make IN
stead Of one. The two new detectives VIII
not be appointed until the campaign Is
further progressed.
Two years ago the Republican city con-
vention adopted In it's platform plank
pledging the party to the securing OF
public market site. An effort has peen
made by the council during the past
tWenty-one months to select a market
site. but without success. Several sites
have been recommended but, owing TO
business opportunities. or, rather, the
lack of such opportunities, the members
could not agree on the question 1t now
looks as though the selection Of the Eagle
street site would be pushed through the
board of aldermen. 1t requires eight votes
to select site, and up to date there mas
always been sufficient number OF votes,
lacking one to make this deal certain
nv AT the last meeting of the board OF
aldermen the contract for new ponce
alarm system was awarded to the nrin
which Aid Knauft has been favor1ng'
and on the theory that all legislation Is
a compromise, 1t Is figured out tnat the
Second ward alderman will consent to
vote for the Eagle street site. owing TO
the absence of AID Shepard from the city
during the coming week. the market site
proposition will not be brought up at the
meeting of the board Tuesday night, out
at the next regular meeting, March 8,
the Eagle street site will be chosen Inc
sudden activity of the council Is beneVed
TO be due to a circular letter which is
being distributed, and which reads as 1ol-
lows:
The present council promised the people
a nuhiie market and after over year
and one-half of diekering, We ma tna ma, we
are farther off than ever. Taxing Mllnout
conversation from the market interest,"
the valuable property we had at Seventh
and Wabasha streets estimated st,, to oo Dc
fronted with the fact that they, cannot
agree to purchase centra! market site
to cost one quarter of the above amount;
We have decided to call our friends anu
the people to help us in this matter ana
secure for St. Paul one of the greatest
| necessities andits gardeners decent place
TO stand and sell their wares We nave