The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-05
A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE DIS.
CHARGED

T h e Globe declared on more than
tween the city and the street railway
company were pending that every man
having part or lot in them must and
would be held accountable before the
people for his responsibility and for
the good or evil of such adjustment as
might be reached. That promise holds.
The effort distinctly making now to
lay the whole question on the highest
possible shelf and declare it unworthy
of attention because it has been finally
settled cannot be countenanced. Has
the city made a good bargain, or has it
not? If the latter, then every man
responsible for mistakes and short
comings must be held to his accounta-
bility. 1t is exactly because we have
this habit of forgetting everything
more than twenty-four hours old, and
reinstating in their places public serv-
ants who have not been faithful to
their trust, that local affairs in this
country are so seldom well managed.
The statement accepted in the utter
surprise of the moment that the city
energies victor, does not appear to be
borne out by the facts. On the face
of the returns, as figures from the
public records stand, the city gains
nothing by this trade. 1t is substan-
TALLY the same proposition that the
street railway company offered from
the beginning. The alleged financial
gain turns out upon examination to be
a myth. The city treasury will not
be replenished by additional contribu-
tions. The receipts from taxation of
the street railway company will re-
der the old arrangement. Therefore,
the 5 per cent gross earnings tax
has been given up. The outrageous
rates of fare charged in this city will
remain unchanged for thirty-five
years, and the still more outrageous
decision of the circuit court will hold
us in bondage with no visible gain ex-
cept the waiver of the right to enter
upon streets where the council OBJ
jects. The circumstances are not such
as to give us supreme and serene
faith in any council as a watchdog.
Far more conspicuous than any con-
dition of the agreement stands out the
fact that it was snap Judgment.
Clearly, the minds of the council had
been prepared for this arrangement.
Without going further into the gains
and losses to st. Paul, we may stop
upon one point and demand that the
people hold their representatives re-
sponsible for their refusal to consult
with them. The head of a local inn
provement association has already
stated that he believes if the so-caIled
compromise had been submitted for
general discussion it would have been
almost unanimously rejected by the
people. Is that the reason why it was
not submitted? If not, what reason
was there for springing it at a council
meeting without due notice, having it
adopted before any one outside of the
secret had ever heard of it, and signed
and in effect within twenty-four hours
of the time when the mine was fired?
We do not hold with those who saw
that it is no good to talk about this
matter after it is all settled. It is
much worth while. Therein rest the
foundations - all possible good gov
eminent. Therein resides the strength
to make public servants faithful to
their trust, or the weakness that en-
courages them to yield to corruption.
Every member Of the council owes II
to his constituents to explain his action
In this matter. Every voter in ST.
Paul owes 1t to himself and to the
city to demand of his representatives
in the two houses of the council the
reasons for this extraordinary act.
hrst for approving an arrangement
which very slight examination shows
to be practically identical with that in