The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-17
MAYOR MAKES REPLY
TO PUBLIC EXAMINER
Says He Finds 1t Difficult to-
Reconcile the Officers
Praise and Blame.

Mayor Smith last evening submitted
to the council his reply to the criticism
of Public Examiner Samuel T. John
son, recently made in a report regard
ing methods of conducting business in
some Of the city departments The
mayor says:
In transmitting the accompanying re-
port of the public examiner to your
honorable body I desire to direct your
immediate attention to the following
sta tements contained therein:
On the first page appears the follow
1.-THE books of the comptroller, treas
surer, city clerk and the various depart
ments were all well and thoroughly kept,
and give evidence of great care and eff
fort on the part of the various officials
and their. employees to maintain absolute
accuracy"
The closing sentence Of the report is as
follows:
"As a whole believe the taxpayers of
the city of ST. Paul are to be congratu-
lated upon the efficiency and carefulneSS
with which their officials transact the
public business"
Whether such unqualified approval is
reconcilable with the criticism of certain
departments which is found in the body
of the report is a question, no doubt,
which concerns the author of that docu-
ment, rather than either the executive or
legislative departments Of our municipal
system.
Believing the real desire of the public
examiner to be to promote the betterment
of the existing system of municipal adj
miniStration l have thought 1t proper to
transmit to the several departments
copies of the comm entS and recommends
lions contained in his report affecting the
respective departments. Herewith you will
find, in that behalf, communications from
several of the departments having refer
ence to the views of the examiner and
also the annual report of the board of
workhouse directors referring in terms to
the suggestions Of the state examiners
report.
lie examiners good faith by the follow
ing language in his report to which / also
ask your special attention. 1t says:
o,so genera s system OF acGo4 tIa ~
clerical work and system is hereby com
mended by this department except in
certain specific points to which mention
Is hereafter made in this report, to which
specific things your attention is specially
called, and certain recommendations are
made"
The Specific things to which the ex-
aminer refers are treated severally in the
communications accompanying. While
they are not spoken of in terms Of con-
domination by the examiner, and no sus-
picion Of wrongdoing finds expression in
the report Of that official, believe that
the most important of them at least
should receive some consideration at my
hands.
Purchase of City Supplies.
The chief Objectionable practice which,
according to the public examiner, pre-
walls in city administration, is that Of
purchasing city supplies from business
be interested. 1t does not appear that
that practice is maintained in city adj
ministration at this time according to
the examiners report; but that certain
relatives or friends of existing city Of
ficialS are found to have been interested
as sellers Of city supplies: 1t would in
deed be a strict construction Of the In
hibition Of the city charter should all
persons in business in any way related
by blood or family with. any city official
be excluded from doing business in their
city government. If enforced it seems to
me quite plain that such construction
would result to the detriment of the pub
lie service rather than otherwise. In such
an event it would be impossible, for in
stance, to secure the publication of Of
fetal business in either of the morning
daily papers, since the stockholders of
the corporations publishing both papers
include members of certain departments
of the city government.
In considering the comments Of the
public examiners report in this connec-
ton, your honorable body will doubtless
observe that in certain cases specified the
selling concern had for years been sup
plying the department mentioned before
any of its members had any official con-
nection whatever with the city. No one
can pretend-and the public examiner
evidently does not bel1eve-that the city
is placed at any disadvantage in making
the purchases referred to- The tranSac-
lions cited have plainly been conducted in
good faith; the articles purchased were
actually needed; the prices charged are
accepted as. reasonable, and there is no
criticism whatever Of either the quantity
or quality of the goods supplied.
No lmputation of Wrongdoing.
The character of the business houses
named by the examiner, as well as the
standing in social and business life of
the several officials mentioned, show
conclusively that it would be an outrage
on all good taste and fair dealing, and a
shameful invasion of private character, to
allow any imputation to rest on any of
these gentlemen, or on the establishment
named, Of wrongdoing in the conduct Of
these transactions.
In many respects the public examiner s
report contains suggestions of value,
which the departments affected show a
commendable promptitude in adopting
This disposition is plainly the outcome Of
the desire of the heads of such depart
ments and of their several officials to
transact the public business in the most
economical, honorable and efficient man
ner in their power.
In conclusion l take great pleasure In
expressing my entire concurrence in the
view expressed by the public examiner,
that 1.-The taxpayers of the city of St.
Paul are to be congra tulated on the ef-
ficiency and carefulneSS with which their
officials transact the public business