The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-16
A PLAIN DUTY


A plain duty rests upon both houses
Of the common council, and one which
we hope to see performed by the MEM
bers of the assembly at their meeting
tonight This duty is to take whatever
steps may be necessary to rescind the
unfortunate agreement made with the
street railway company under a mis-
understanding. This has now been
shown to be not only dangerous, but
absolutely detrimental to the city. 1t
must not be allowed to stand.
Public opinion thus far exonerates
the members Of the council from any
intentional falling short in their duty.
They were taken by surprise. They
We're confronted with a lengthy docu-
ment most astutely phrased so as to
cover its real meaning. They thought,
as almost any man was likely to think
upon the first casual reading, that it
embodied some substantial advantages
for the city. Added to this they had
ton counsel, upon which they had
heretofore safely relied. They can be
criticised for the haste with which they
voted, but thus far for that only. No
criticism whatever will rest upon them
if they now pursue the course dictated
alike by the public interest and by the
expressed opinion of our people.
There is no doubt whatever about
either the direction or the force of pub
lie sentiment. Every local representa-
tive body which has met since the ac-
ton taken has condemned it strongly
and unanimously Even sections of
the city that have something to gain
and nothing to lose by the agreement
going through have subordinated what
they might personally desire to a broad
are willing and anxious to wait rather
than sacrifice everything for what
could at best only accelerate a little
the building of certain extensions, but
could not guarantee even that. We do
not believe that the council needs any
such admonition, but it is not out Of
place to remind them that feeling so
strong and so general is one not safely
to be ignored or disregarded.
The hour to act has come. No man
has anything to lose in public opinion,
In his own self-respect or in his ca
pacity as public representative by sup
porting whatever course may be indi-
Gated as most likely to extricate us
from our dangerous and humiliating
position. The obligation to respect
and honor the opinion of the corpora
ton counsel is wholly dissolved. By
some strange mental faulty, that Off
cial has absolutely reversed his posi-
ton and faced about since instructions
were received from various public rep
resentative bodies to follow his lead,
and stands now for the direct contra
dictory of what he stood for when this
position was taken. The members Of
the common council cannot afford to
be led to betrayal of the city and to
the forfeiture of their own personal and
official standing in this community by
any mans advice.
1t is now their responsibility, and by
their votes they will discharge it. They
have everything to gain by the speedy
discharge of their plain duty, They
have all to lose by the assumption of a
position which the people will regard
as choice of the interests of the
street railway company instead of those
of the city. This is the whole ISSUE
and on this ground it must be met
The public expects of the common
council a SOBER intelligent and faithful
discharge of its duty in what has been
revealed as a crisis of St PauPs inter-
ests. Let it not be disappointed.