Arizona republican., 1903-01-06

stolen something the doctor helped to get him off. He was naturally vain. Popularity developed his love of appro- bation. c Had he been wise, or even shrewd, he might have made himself a real power. But he wasn't calculat- ing; only light and frivolous. so he did not organize his forces and run men for office. He sought office himself from the start, and he got most of the small places he wanted by changing his party to seize the opportunity. His floating minority added to the regular partisan vote, was sufficient ordinarily for his useless victories. As time went on, he rose from smaller offices to De q democratic mayor. then twice at in terVals to be republican mayor. Ames could not get anything out of his own town. and after his third term as mayor it was thought he was out of politics altogether. He was getting old, and he was getting worse.
 Like many good fellow with a host of miscellaneous friends down town to whom he was devoted. the good doctor neglected his own family. From neglect he went on openly to separation from his wife and a second establish ment. The climax came not long be- fore the election of 1900. His wife was dying. and his daughter wrote to her father q note saying that her mother wished to see and forgive him. The messenger found him in a saloon. The doctor read the note, laid 1t on the bar. and scribbled across it a sentence in- credibly obscene. His wife died. Tha outraged family would not have the father at the funeral. but he appeared. not at the house, but in a carriage on the street. He sat across the way
 with his feet up and a cigar in his mouth. till the funeral moved: then he circled around, crossing it and meeting it. and making altogether a scene which might we'll close any mans career. It didn't end his.''
 Then MT. Steffens tells the really
 incredible part of the story. At a re- publican primary election, all the demo- and he was nominated.
 "Ames said he was going to reform:
 that he was getting old, and wanted to
 close his career with a good admins
 tration. The effective argument, how ever, was that since Mckinley had to
 be elected to save the country, Ames must be supported for mayor of Min
 neapolis. Why? The great American people cannot be trusted to scratch ticket"
 Ames was elected mayor once more and it is evident that he had made up his mind to give Minneapolis his own
 brand of reform.
 Immediately upon his election, be- fore he took office, Con January 7th. he organized a cabinet and laid plans to ! turn the city over to outlaws who were
 to work under police direction for the profit of his administration"
 For chief of police he named his
 brother, a disgraced officer just re-
 turned from the Philippine war. More
 than a hundred of the best policemen were discharged, and the keeper of d notorious coffee house was made cap tain of police with no duties except
 to sell places on the police force. The ! thieves in the jails were liberated, and the news went out to the criminal classes that things were doing in Minneapolis. Swindlers from abroad. 2 the chief of detectives, who gave them
 instructions. and the "swag' was fairly , divided. Thenceforth it was a satur- analia of vice and crime Criminals of the worst class were taken into part
 nership by the city administration. , There was a complete organization for "skinning suckers" and then throwing
 scare into them so they wouldn't squeal." Space is not available for de tailing the facts. Finally, the people of Minneapolis arose in their wrath. 1 They had reached the conclusion, at f last, that the official orgy must come | to an end. Criminal trials resulted in 1 the conviction of the mayors brother, the chief of police. and the conviction | of some of the smaller fry. The mayor himself was indicted. Appeals and i technicalities may save most of the i criminals eventually, but the important ! point is that in the end the people of Minneapolis had. the independence to demand a reform regardless of it's po- | litical bearings. Although the city is overwhelmingly republican, a demo- i cratic mayor was elected by 6,OO0 ma i jority, and for the time being, at least, i the city is in the hands of q decent i element.
 The one lesson presented by St. Louis,
 Minneapolis. and every other city in
 which municipal corruption is rife is i obvious to everybody. In selecting 1 their city officers it is folly for the
 people to divide on partisan lines, and partisanship should have no place in | city government
 Disquieting News From Mexico.