The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-03
AN ESSENTIALLY BAD MEASURE.

The tax-paying public of St Paul
OF the measure already referred to in
these columns introduced in the Iegisla-
ture on Saturday last and which adds
largely to the existing force and increases
the current expense of the local mu-
nicpal court. There is nothing what
ever to justify its introduction save the
supposed necessity to furnish places for
political retainers and to legislate out of
Office the two police officers assigned to
service in that court as bailiffs.
In substance the measure, introduced,
we believe. by Mr.. Schurman the West
side representative abolishes the office
of bailiff, and gives to the clerk with and
after the approval of the judges the pow
er to appoint three deputy clerks who
shall have police powers, one of whom
shall, at the discretion of the judges, be
a stenographer. The salaries provided
for the three clerks is respectively 1920,
$50 and $40 per annum.
This proposed law is vicious It should
be beaten. whether or not the majority
Of the delegation favor it. 1t is an impo-
sition on the city and its people, and it
is a mean and cowardly assault on the
men who, under the recent change Of
city administration, were appointed to
the office of bailiff. 1t is special Iegisla-
ton of the most Objectionable kind and
the manner of it's introduction has been
little short of disreputable
1t is generally known that the meas
ure has been ready for introduction since
the early days of the session. It had not
been introduced because its authors and
abettors have been afraid to submit their
undertaking 10 public examination. They
chose to introduce it in the house late
on Saturday evening at a time when. it
was thought, it would attract least at
tention, They waited until the eve of
the time limit for the introduction of
bills, and they took the utmost care that
it would be saved from scrutiny by the
grand jury, which they knew might read
lily feel called OH in the public interest
to declare against it.
1t does hot seem possible that respons-
ible men, like Senators -McGin and Shee-
IAN and Representative Hurd, for in
stance, Will allow their partisanship to
stand in the way Of their duty toward
the people ill connection with this most
Offensive and discreditable measure. Of
course the local Republican machine will
90 its best to force these gentlemen into
line for the scheme. It is already as
sured of the support of the majority Of
the Republican members Of the delega-
ton
The present law governing the appoint
ment Of police court attendants in this
city has been in existence for a great
number of years. It has been enacted
and re-enacted. Each succeeding char
ter has ratified it. No amendment of
the municipal court act has ever been
conceived of before which would disturb
the existing plan The trainers of the
present charter re.enacted the law lust
as they found it,
1t is hardly needful for the Globe to
say that the people of ST. Paul do not
demand any addition to the present ex-
pense of the municipal court or any
change in the law relating to that court
which will make the court the mere
plaything of local politics and politicians.
This bill does all this and much more
that is equally Objectionable The only
protection the people have against it's
enactment lies in the conscientious sense
Of duty of Republican members of our
legislative delegation such as those we
have named above