The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-01-12

conceives himself to be. Discriminate
ing against men because of the race
from which they spring is very I'M
American; and appointing them to
positions of trust and responsibility
on account of their nationality is not
conducive to the interests of the
municipality. Men for the police force
should possess the requisite qualifica-
tons, and if there were more Irish
on the police force under previous adj
ministrations, it is not because of their
creed or nationality but because of
their efficiency and trustworthiness in
the discharge of duty.
When the late Mayor Rand was
asked why he had so many Irish" on
the police force, he replied: ''Why
are there SO many Of them on the po-
lice force of every city in the Union
Because they are stalwart and brave
men, and once they arrest criminal,
no matter how great desperate,
they hang on to him like a bulldog
till they land him in the lookup.
Some non-Irish officers would not dare
to tackle such characters"
The Irish Standard has no fault to
find with Mayor Ames for ousting
some men bearing Irish names from
their berths. 1t is just retribution
on the sycophants who worked and
voted for him, after he had vilified
the race and creed they accidentally
belong to. There are a large number,
however, who have earned promotion
for efficiency and integrity. For these
we feel sorry and regret they are
the victims of prejudice at the hands
of man who is their inferior in re-
spectability and moral character.
In Il public interview Mayor Ames
says that threats have been made by
eN-policemen against his life, and sew
eral aldermen We're made acquainted
with an alleged plot to assassinate
him. Years ago, after insulting the
Irish, he said the same thing. He
now refers to Irish Catholics, and
says there is an effort to stir up ami
mostly against him because he dis
charged two-thrds of them from their
Jobs. The Irish Standard brands his
talk as buncombe and challenges him
to name one alderman who told hin,
such yarn. 1t is beneath the die.
nity of an honorable man to indulge
in such maudlin rhapsody.
Mayor Ames has but one enemy III
the city against whom he must be O.,
his guard. He is an imperialist an.
his name is King Alcohol If he keep
away from that insidious foe and doe
not swallow him to take away hi
brains and break down his constitl
zion, which is already we'll shattered
he will outlive his term of office. |
he cultivates his acquaintance an
stays out at night instead of seekin
natures sweet restorer" at his homt
we believe that the alleged utteranc
ascribed to the ex-policeman contain
more truth than poetry: '"rlere wi
nave to be new mayor before long
The Irish Standard has no emit
towards Mayor Ames for dscharcin
so-called Irish" policemen. Some
them deserved to be fired on genera
principles. They We're Irish" onl
in name and for revenue only. The
refused to pay their honest debts, an
they worked like slaves to ingratiat
themselves with every incoming may
or. They carried water on both shoul
ders. They We're Democrats or Repub
licans, according to circumstances
They cared for nobody but themselves
That class Of "Irish' policemen merit
cd a stroke of the official AK, and they
got it in the neck from Mayor Ames
The respectable men who have been
discharged for exercising the right OF
franchise and for being loyal Catholics
and loyal Irishmen true to their con-
victions, can afford to smile at Mayor
Ames while dressed in his little brief
authority" They will survive his de-
capitation and witness his political
downfall.