The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-05
GOOD MERGER THIS
The Retail Merchants Association
and the City Officials Get
Closer Together.

Dinner Given by the Former Last
Evening Some Ringing
Speeches Are Made.
A merger which means much for the
future of Minneapolis was that effected
at the dinner given last evening at the, i
Hotel Nicollet by the Minneapolis Retail
Merchants association in honor OF city
officials and members of the city council. |
It was a grand love feast. In many re-
spects it was the most remarkable gath
ering OF the diverse interests which go to
make up a great city ever witnessed inl
Minneapolis The long headed citizens
who furnish the sinews of commerce and
represent the substantial wealth of the
community clasped hands with those
whose administrative capacity means
much either for the veal or woe of the
northwestern metropolis. In addresses
trimming over with hope and confidence
in the future Of the flour CITY, they pledged
anew their fealty to Minnea polls and re-
solved from now on to get together and
work for common cause.
Work of the Retailers.
W. L. Harris, who has given yeoman
service. in :fthe advancement Of the city's
welfare in the past year, and to whose
untir1ng efforts the solution of the audi
torium problem was i'm large measure due,
proved "a postmaster par excellence. His
remarks We're peculiarly pithy and APP
propriate to the occasion. He overlooked
nos opportunity to drive home in most
happy manner the fact that now was the
time to strike telling blows for Mime
apolis and that intelligent cooperation of
4 all interests was the way to do it.
In city growing as rapidly as Mime.
apolis he said, it was necessary for diff
ferent public service organizations to keep
In close touch with each other in the
promotion of the city's manifold interests.
United, they could accomplish almost any
thing to which they might set their hands:
divided, their efforts would be feeble.
Thru the retailers association, business
men had found that their interests were
mutual and identical, rather than antag
onistic. What helped one was quite likely
to be of general benefit It was the duty
of business men. as good citizens, to cul
tivate cordial relations with the men
whom they had helped elect to office, and
to- give the latter all possible assistance
| III getting at the real needs Of the city,
| instead Of holding aloof from them after
! election. By ring notes, they would
be able to bring about such an intelligent
administration of affairs as the city had
never before enjoyed.
Mr.. Harris emphasized the point that
for the first time in many years the peo-
pie Of Minneapolis, as represented at the
dinner, had come in close touch with their
governmental machinery. The sole OBJ
4 ject of the meeting was to establish the
yEentente cordale between the heads of the
Il several city departments and the large
retailers who representa-, to a great ex-
tent, the tax-paying portion of the popu-
lation.
Business, Not Politics.
| In the absence of Mayor Haynes who
missed train connections from st. Louis,
Mr.. Harris introduced D. p. Jones, presi-
dent of the council, who responded in be-
half Of the city. Mr.. Jones spoke of the
high standard of integrity which obtained
in the makeup of the present city gov
eminent, which was striving to it's ut
most ability to govern the city honestly,
Econscientiously and economically: Refer
1 Ering to- the recent large issue. of bonds
! he felt that he voiced the sentiment. OF
the business men in saying that not one
voice among them had been raised in pro
test against the manner in which the re-
sulting funds were to be expended. No one
familiar with existing conditions could
doubt for a moment that Minneapolis
needed better sewers, better pavements
and a remodeled waterworks system. 81
Municipal government, he declared
should be looked upon as a business, not
as politics, and was SO generally regarded
by the efficient public servants now II
office. Politics had nothing to do with
, business. fact which was recognized
l in the council.
Former Mayor Robert Pratt who was
next introduced, said that in the inter.
ests of good citizenship the public mus
cease suspecting and criticizing city Of
fetal simply because he was holding
;. public office. Nothing was to be more
coveted than the good will Of the com
). munity.
I Former Mayor Eustis, who recently re
. turned from, Honolulu, said that the Ha
e waiian city was a, model of good govern
y ment in so far as the business interest
kept in close touch with the governor
= the city has no may acquainte,
: him with their every need. He did no
e have to guess what was needed as ha,
q been the case here; there were plenty o
l. business men anxious to let him know il
> such a way that he could have no doub
on that subject. The governments Of Ne1
York, Chicago and San Francisco wer
wretched because the officials and tn
common people never met except at tn
~ polls.
: He admitted that while in office he ha
met intimately but three classes of peopl
retail liquor dealers, retail clergyme
l. and wholesale journalists Of the thre
). classes the reporters had done him tn
Is most good. 1t was something to be thank
at close touch with the seat Of government
A. The people of the city, he thought, shou
le make their wants known to the press an
id in that way to the city government. II
n. press would be glad to publish anythi1
~ which made for the welfare of the city.
n After all, the retail interests We're tt
foundation of the citys Well-being.
es dark and dreary days of financial distres
i'll it was the substantial business men WI
had come to the rescue of the needy ar
VS. oppressed. In closing, Mr.. Eustis urge
IN upon the meeting the wisdom Of accep
n ing DR.. P. M. Halls suggestion that Hall
m. island should be used for a crematory sit
What the city needed more than anythir
else was a central crema tory.
George A. Bracket Fires Up.
1d George A. Brackett, another form
mayor fairly electrified his hearers wi
Interesting statistics. showing the remarl
able growth of Minneapolis and the Yves
:. In 1860 the total railway mileage west
p. the Mississippi was only 1880 miles. Nc
~ it numbered 100000 miles. Speaking
-. =; reciprocity. he read Stewards prophec
fa' that natural interests would result in t
political as we'll as commercial unific
W t;on If the limited States and Ctanad