The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-31
Being Mayor.

Being Mayor - ~.
The talk to the effect that it kills
a mans chances for preferment to be
depends on the man.
Does any one believe that Acting Mayor
D. P. Jones has sacrificed anything in the
way of public esteem by being mayor Of
Minneapolis for over four months? On
the contrary, Mr.. Jones has risen in the
estimation of his fellow citizens every day
since he has been in the office.
Now the reasons for this happy result
are not far to seek. A convenient, con-
else statement Of them Is furnished in
this paper. There just dozen Of
them. And when you come to examine
them you will find that not one Of them
In aim and purpose lies outside Of the
boundaries Of what any decent, honest,
business like administration should stand
for
The reorganization Of the police depart
rnent was, of course imperative, and as
first step to that end Mr.. Jones selected
for chief Of police a man on whom he
could rely every hour Of the day. That
man had Mayor Jones' confidence, not
only with respect to his integrity, but his
capacity and diligence and good DISPOSE
ton. The mayor is entitled to the credit
for selecting such a man. but he must
literally divide with Mr.. Waite credit for
the reorganization itself. The Jones adj
ministration could not be expected at any
time to cooperate with criminals. AS to
permitting public gambling, the theory
that this is necessary in order to secure
the best results and in order to satisfy
the business public, if not entirely over
thrown, has been considerably shattered.
The removal Of the slot gambling de-
Vices from cigar and candy stores and
other public places was undoubtedly one
of the wisest acts of this administration,
since it recognized these devices the
most dangerous Instruments for the
the young.
-. The wineroom ordinance, owing it's orr
gin to the mayor acting as a member Of
the council, was, Of course, rigidly en-
forced, while the saloons hitherto permit
ted to remain open at their pleasure were
required to close at midnight according
fo the lava regulation which really met
with the approval Of the better class of
saloon men, go. --..-,
:. "A neglected ordinance was invoked to
stop the sale Of liquor at variety theaters
and houses of ill-fame, wholesalers doing
a. retail business were required to take
out retail licenses. and the transfer of
liuuor licenses, heretofore a source OF
great difficulty in the way Of proper law
enforcement was prohibited.
ss1aLoose regulations with regard to licenses
for peddlers and junk dealers were abol-
ished and license fees increased materi-
ally. sssa@ .e..,.,:- ~. -:
H2Vicious resorts in residence districts
were rooted out and the keepers OF these
disreputable establishments obliged tt
eonfine themselves to limited districts.
Another thing which must have con-
trtbuted to a sensible increase Of self-re-
spect among, the decent citizens was the
abolition of the monthly fines heretofore
imposed upon houses of ill-fame.
But while regulating .vice."and prohib
itine it SO far as possible, the passing adj
erninistration did not attempt the 1mpossl
BILE nor the irnpracticable. It recognized
the fact that population of a large cit!
ds made up of people of liberal notions will
regard to the liquor traffic as we'll as PEG
ME Of rigid ideas with regard to law en-
forcemert. No attempt was made t
close the saloons tightly on Sunday, blu
they were required, as they have beer
under some previous administrations, t
maintain closed front doors, preserve or
der and quiet, refuse liquor to minors
exclude women and girls and eliminate tn
evils of the traffic as far as possible.
=, II is doubtful if there has been any pre-
eedent established by the present admins
strstion which may not be perpetuated b,
the incoming; and this is the point of in
terest, not that we have had a good ad
.rniristration, clean, honest, effective high
toned. for four months, but that we ma.
have such an administration during tn
&rIext two years.
sas The. j ur n q l.. from its knowledge o
the incoming mayor, chooses to assum
that the standards which he will maintail
will be nearly, if not quite as high, a
those erected by the acting mayor, An
eve are persuaded that if he shall adop
/ such a policy it will be said Of him a
the end Of his administration. as it is sal
58of his immediate predecessor, that he ha
added to his reputation to the es
TEEN and confidence of the best citizen
ship of the city by the kind Of admins
tration that he has maintained.
1t is now up to Mr.. Haynes.
While taking it for granted that Ian,
Commissioner Hermann's enforced resig
nation is quite possible of justification,
II well enough to remember that 1t is pos