The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-21
ADVISORS OF MAYOR
THEY ARE OVER ANXIOUS AND
EXCESSIVELY BUSY JUST AT
THIS TIME
CITYS CHIEF EXECUTIVE
HANDLES THEM GINGEHLY
Many Axes to Grind and the Funny
Means Taken to Get Them On Edge
City Hall Happenings Which Have
Ludicrous and a Serious Side.

Under the present charter st. Paul
can have but one mayor. The present
chief executive of the city is Robert
A Smith. The charter, however, does
not limit the number of advisors the
mayor can have and this is the reason
why the office is not a particularly
easy one to hold down.
For some uneXplainable reason there
are from twenty to fifty well-meaning
citizens who have an idea that the
mayor does not understand anything
about the real condition of city affairs
and with this view of the case they
are ready, and, in fact, over anxious to
give him a few pointers as to how
the local ship Of state should be man
aged.
AS the time for the appointments to
the several department boards APP
proaches these over Jealous citizens,
weighed down with the Importance OF
their ideas, swoop down on the mayor
with advice in large packages.
Good morning, mayor, you are look
ing exceedingly well today" is the US
ual greeting given Mayor Smith by
the gentleman who is anxious to
give the chief executive a few tips as
to who should be appointed to some
particular board.
The mayor, who, by reason of his
long experience with this class of
bores, can tell one of them as soon as
he enters the office, smiles from his
chin up and thanks his visitor for the
compliment.
There is a few seconds of prelimi-
nary sparring on the part of the visitor
and then he jumps at once to the bust
ness in hand by saying: II notice that
you have an appointment to make on
the ham and egg board and as 1 have
always been particularly interested in
this department, 1 considered it my
duty to come in and give you a few
pointers. Seekem one of the oldest
residents in the city and fine man
personally, would make an ideal cam
didate for this appointment. 1 don't
know that he would accept it, as he is
taken up with his private business,
but if you would tender him the ap-
pointment it would be appreciated not
only by him but his many friends"
The mayor asks for Seekem's name
and address and is about to write both
on sheet of paper when Messenger
Nugent steps to the door and an
nounces, "The board of county COM
missioners are waiting for you, mayor"
and the visitor bows himself out not
however before he has taken the mayor
by the hand and thanked him for con-
sidering the appointment Of Seekem.
The next visitor, or rather visitors,
to be ushered in is a delegation Of
women from a local temperance or
ganiZation, who announce that they
have been sent as a committee to call
the attention of his honor to the fla
grant violations of the anti-cigarette
law.
1--WE have positive proof" says the
speaker for the delegation, that the
proprietor of a candy store in the
Fifth ward not only sells cigarettes to
young boys, but he also allows them to
smoke in a rear room. Mrs. Young
ster, one of our committee, has bought
and smoked cigarettes In the store"
The mayor listens intently to the
tale related by the spokeswomen Of
the committee and then explains in a
tactful way that he would be delighted
to- have the proprietor Of the candy
store put in Jail for several years for
violating the law, but the matter is
entirely out of his province.
Il will give you a note to the pros
ecuting attorney In the police court
and he will issue a warrant for the
arrest of the man." declares the mayor,
and after thanking him profusely for
the interest taken the delegation re-
tires.
Many Axes to Grind.
Before he can reach his desk again
the mayor is greeted with the inquiry:
"Why don't you have the lamps lighted
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