The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-11-30
An Interesting Sketch of Denis Mulvihill
Who is Thus Honored by His
Fellow Citizens.
The Democrats Wisely Nominated Him for
the Office and Won Very
Sweeping Victory.

of the council might regard aldermanic
luty, Denis Mulvihill took his place
seriously.
There has always been an impression
that in municipal affairs there was
something of community of interest,"
lgreemcnt between the Republican and
Democratic organizations. Thomas P.
Taylor, who was elected mayor on the
Republican ticket six years ago, was
very much Of that opinion. he thought
that the city ought to have its own rock
crushing plant. Some Of the patriots
who sat on the Republican side of the
council chamber were very sure that
the mayor was utterly wrong.
AS sometimes happens when the con-
tracts for crushed rock are the largest
items i'll city budget, there were many
Democrats who were in accord with
the Republican majority. But out of
the 1nidst Of them rose Denis Mulvihill
and in season and out Of season sup
ported Mayor Taylor. He was abused
hy the politicians Of both parties. He
insisted in talking out in meeting. He
wanted to know. And in the end May
or Taylor got his municipal rock crush
err, and it is said that the city has since
saved much money thereby.
History is not without it's instances
Of men who gained regulations for
craftsmanship by everlasting iteration
of the words: "But, Mr.. Chairman,
want to know about this thing!" Some
thing Of the sort happened to Mulvi-
hill. 1t has been the immemorial Gus
tom Of the council to appropriate GER
tain modest sums each year for the ex-
penditures of committees who have
gone abroad in the land Investigating"
things. Sometimes they have looked in
to the qualities of Baltimore brick. At
other times they have studied over the
municipal buildings of Boston. Mr..
Mulvihill rose in meeting regularly
when resolutions for such expenditures
were ordered and. wanted to know.
He could not understand why the
council employed architects if the archi-
tects were not more competent than the
council to study public buildings. he
called for the itemized statements OF
the expenditures Of investigating COM
mittees in the past and dwelt embar-
rassingly upon expenditures for luxuries
therein contained. The city's poor and
sick needed those things more than the
council, he maintained, even though the
council was unsalaried.
Denis Mulvihill became very unpopu-
lar with his fellow aldermen. But the
people began to call him the watchdog
Of the treasury" It has been written
that there are dangerous political posi-
bilities in any man who gets that title.
AS chairman Of the finance committee
Denis Mulvihill had much opportunity
to obstruct the business of the city by
wanting to know" and he made the
most of 1t. Mayor Sterling, who was
elected two years ago, thought to facili-
tate matters by removing him from the
craftsmanship. Soon after the removal
a harmless resolution came up which
provided that all reports of the finance
committee must be printed 49 hours
before each meeting of the council. II
was passed.
Somewhat to their chagrin Mayor
Sterling and his friends found that the
new rule enabled the watchdog Of the
treasury to spend two days, between
intervals Of stocking, studying the work
of the finance committee in order to I'll
himself to ask questions about 1t IL
council meeting. He became even mort
unpopular in the council. His enemies
asserted publicly that he was an OBJ
structionist. They said that he opposed
every measure that involved an expen
diture of more than $40.
u Three months ago Mulvihill was in
formed that the people Of the Tent
! district wanted to renominate him al
alderman. He said that he was tired
He was getting to be an old man AMI
] that the strenuous sittings Of the board
lasting often until / and 2 o'clock o1
|. Tuesday mornings. were wearing upol