The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-02-28
) COMM EhT ON CURRENT EVENTS.
& : LOCAL, STATE AND NATION.
LOCAL, STATE AND NATION.


Two members OF the Common Coun-
Gil retire from office to-day.
P. ]. Neff Of the fourth ward, one of
the ablest men who ever occupied q
seat in the council xafter four years Of
faithful service zsuFrenders his seat to
B. K. Walker. HIS associates in the
council regret that MIR. 'Neff is to re-
tira Ha has beenka valuable member
and while he ceasedIto be in accord with
the political influe13ees Of his ward, yet
he must be commehded for having the
courage to fearlesk1y champion any
| matter that he believed in, irrespective
| Of the political coi1seQuesces.
| Mr.. Neff's motives may have been
questioned by some, but he leaves the
| council with as clean a record as any
man who ever occupied seat there.
|
The other retiring member is Edward
Swenson of the eight ward. Mr. Sven
SON will be succeeded by that old war
horse, David Sang.
| No person regrets the severing of al
dermanic connection with Mr.. SWenson
so much as does the editor of the La
bor World. In our short experience
we found him to be a most earnest and
sincere man, and this with US covers a
multitude Of sins. There never was
matter in the interest of the working
men that came before the council but
what found Mr. .sWenson Oh the right
side. He was truly a we1l-wisher Of
labor. There never was any hypocrisy
or cant in his actions, and this is say
| ing a good deal for any man in poll
noS Sxy to E11~
demogogue in public life when one
really endeavors to evade such a
stigma. MI. Swenson, however, was
fortunate enough to avoid such accu-
sations, and he leaves the council with
a record Of which he can we'll feel
proud.
There was good deal of merit in AL
derman Swenson's resolution to require
the D. M. & NRy. to provide a watch
man or an electric alarm on the Thomp-
son road. The council refused to pass
the resolution. The majority believed
that the crossing was too far from the
city to require suchss an order. The fact
that in all progressive cities in the East
the. railroads hea g. -.o+ari1y placed
signals at crossings, even in sparsely
! was not thought off The fact that the
speed of the trains had been doubled
since early legal regulations were made,
thus enchancing THE danger to life at
railroad i crossings not considered
ii ter Ter a hing up-to-
Iasa llIgaa ISfalas:
y receive several lives
shall nave Y been been zaeritieed BECAUSE e of
What will Mayor Hugo do? Seven
teen candidates for the vacancy on the
board of public works; would give a
good. deal for the correct answer to
this question at this time. Mayor
Hugo has q record for silence on all
matters of patronage until the names
of his appointees are submitted to the
council.
So it can we'll be predicted that the
lucky man will not be known until his
name is submitted to the council.
Any one who has business with the
board of public works knows what class
of men are needed there. Really, it
requires three different kinds Of men to
constitute a capable board. But what
is the use of talking. How can cap
able men be secured for $500 per
month?
The only corporation holding a fran
chise in Duluth to make a financial
report to the city, as is required by the
city charter, is the Duluth-Superior
Traction CO. 1t reports net earnings
to the tune of $73,3S2.36 during the past
year. This is said to be equal to a
dividend of Is per cent. The report is
undoubtedly a surprise to Duluth peo-
pie, and warrants the demand of the
public for a better street car service.
There is no reason why the company
should not be most obliging to the peo-
pie in this respect, and it is expected
that when the matter is put before the
street car officials in the proper light
they will readily agree to all reasonable
requests.
, Extensions could be made even at q
, loss without a serious injury to the
company. All lines cannot be expected
, ! to pay. If in the aggregate, there is
such a remarkable ndt earning, nj
, serious objection could be made t
, small losing extensions in the interest
Of public service.
: X
, The state board of control has ha6
nothing but trouble in it's pathway
1 from it's very conception. Every little
1 town in the state that had a state in
l stitution has been up in arms agains
$ the board ever since it ceased buying
t supplies from the local merchants
7