The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-21
FIFTH WARD VOTERS
TURN OUT IN FORCE
Mayor Smith and Other Demo.
cratic Speakers Brush Away
High Taxes Bugaboo.

OC11lOSIdCy SdLnGI6Q III lOIC6 lttSI
night at c. S. p. S. hall in the Fifth
ward and gave closest attention to
number of speakers who held the
boards until nearly midnight
They listened while the speakers dis
illusioned them Of the bugaboo of high
taxes and cheered to the echo the tell
ing points made. The scoring that
was given the leaders of the Republic
an party for attempting to deceive the
people with the false and misleading
cry of high taxes was greatly enjoyed
by the audience, and they roundly
applauded every reference made to
Mayor Robert A. Smith and his adj
ministration.
The meeting was attended by fully
400 of the taxpayers and voters of the
ward, and was under the auspices of
the Young Mems Democratic club.
Mayor Smith was one of the speak
ers, and he covered the situation quite
generally. He invited comparisons be-
tween his own and the famous Wright
administrations, and defended the po-
lice from the unwarranted attacks.
Mayor Smith was given a veritable
ovation both on taking the platform
and when he had concluded his brief
but convincing speech. There were
~ U.s. 11C Tie SdItlG Olu BOD, ana
other terms of endearment and every
evidence that the mayor has lost none
of his popularity in the Fifth.
John c. Michael, corporation attor-
neX, took up the question Of the charge
made by the Republicans of police in
efficiency, and invited comparison be-
tween the conditions that had existed
under the Republican mayors, Kiefer,
Doran and Wright, and under the pres
ent regime. He first refuted the state
ment printed that in a former speech
he had made no denial of the existence
of gambling, offering as evidence the
fact that because no complaints had
been made to the police that no such
places existed. He characterized the
statement as a lie. and admitted that
social games might exist in private
houses, but the practice was carried
to no such extent as to be remedied
by police interference.
He then took up the so-caIled social
evil and recalled the conditions that
had existed in the previous Republican
administrations when it was not safe
for man to appear on the streets
after dark. He offered statistics to
prove his point
County Attorney Kane went into the
question of taxes quite thoroughly and
tore the Republican claims to shreds
He admitted that the taxes were
slightly higher than in some previous
years, but the money had been wisely
and cOnserVatively expended. Valuable
improvements had been made through
out the city and necessarily these must
be paid for. The charge of eXtrava-
gance and incOmpetency was one of
mere words; no proof had been adduc-
ed to SubStantiate a single charge
How did the Republicans propose to
reduce the operating expenses of the
city? They had not indicated wherein
they would economic We're they to be
given control. The speaker recited the
good work Of the various departments
and commended them for their eff
cheney and said that if there was econ
omy there would be loss of efficiency.
The municipal government had been
conducted with all economy consistent
with its present high standard and re-
suits attained and he deplored the I'M
warranted attacks that had been made
on the police department, which, he
declared, was an example worthy of
emulation by other cities of the coun-
try.
Among the other speakers were:
City Clerk George 7. Redington, City
Treasurer Otto Bremen, Thomas D.
O'Brien, Comptroller Louis Betz, Winn
Powers, Robert M. Hare, F. L. McGhee,
Philip Martin and James Cormican,
candidate for justice of the peace.
Every day the indications continue
to point more conclusiVely that Mayor
Robert A. Smith will receive hundreds
of Republican votes May 8 when the
electors of st. Paul use the elective
franchise
Mayor Smiths personal popularity
and the confidence that the voters of
all classes and of all parties have in
his integrity operate to give him a
strength independent Of party action
that is rarely centered in any one man.
Strong with his own party, there are
always hundreds of voters who are not
closely affiliated with any political Or
ganization who seize the opportunity
whenever it is presented to vote and
work for Robert A. Smith.
This year the tendency to vote for
Mayor Smith is more marked than ever
and the Republican managers are in
desperate straits to keep even the men
connected with purely partisan move
ments in ST. Paul in line for their can
didate, Col. Wright
A leading Republican of the Tenth
ward put the case very plainly yester-
day when he said:
Il am going to vote for Smith The
situation is just this-Smith has been
mayor Of St. Paul and Col. Wright has
been mayor of St. Paul. The one has
given us splendid administrations he
LdS D66I SUCCESSFUL III IldluId1ul1lS Il
high efficiency in the police, in the fire
department and in the schools. The
other made an ignominious failure Of
his administration. Any man with
memory knows the conditions that pre-
vailed during his term of two years.
The opportunity is given to vote for q
| man on his record. [ shall vote for
| Mayor Smith, and in fact there is moth
ing else for me to do if 1 am honest
with myself.
II take no stock in the cry of high
taxes, for l fail to see where the Re
publicans can economic in any de-
partment without reducing the efficien-
cy of that department.
"As to the eleventh hour crusade in
augurated against vice, there is no
doubt that it is inspired by purely po-
litical reasons, and it fools nobody. 1t
is impossible to stamp vice entirely out
! of a city Of the size of st. Paul and
| everybody knows it. The conditions
under Col. Wright were infinitely worse
| than at present. The social evil is not
! indigenous to our times; it is older
| than history, and any effort to bring it
| forward as an issue just on the eve of