Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-02-22

Deen mentioned ny the party ledueE.
When the papers gave the news that
had selected my cabinet and printed
the list, the party leader who had
called on me declared my action not
only met with his approval, but that
he had suggested most of the nomi-
But then and there began a
faction1l quarrel which in time fairly
split my party in two.
l mention this circumstance because
it led 20 the organization of what the
newspapers and my polit-
ical enemies, including those in my
own party, were pleased to call my
"persunal machine" built up, they said,
to KEEP me in power and reflect myself
It IL true that with the very begin
ming OF my administration used all
the Eower possessed to remove from
Office every man of the other brand of
politics whose name was on the city
payroll and put in their places my
friends and friends of my friends. This
actA,n properly might be called a war
measure. 1t was necessity There
IL
cesyfully realize my ideals.
hold that no mayor can give his
city good administration unless the
he:ds OF departments and their sub
or>inates are in harmonious accord
with him; in short, are his friends.
Theoretically I may be wrong; prac-
tiGally am right. Until it is human to
b& disintercsted in all things. until the
evil OF selfishness is no more, until
men put the golden rule into daily
p:actice, until practical and profess
s&onal politicians are wiped off this
earth and until many things now i'm
possible are made possible, no man can
lie mayor in fact unless he has back
IT him an organization of public off,
:ials and employees who are bonded
together by ties of self-interest and
loyalty to the man who gives them a
chance to obtain a living.
Now was and still am in hearty &C.
cord with the spirit of civil service
reform; I believe in sane, practical
civil service system, but when I be-
came mayor my political opponents
were in complete control of the city.
Every head of department. every
clerk, bookkeeper, janitor, policeman,
inspector and washwoman was my
open enemy. They were splendidly or
gained, and that organization would
have been used to thwart my every
move, to cast discredit on me and de-
faof
The leaders of my own party, the
very men who had managed the cam
paign which placed me at the head of
municipal affairs, were the chiefs of
another organization. My independence
OF action in refusing to appoint as
heads Of departments some of the
rarest scoundrels inside the city limits
made these organization leaders my
personal enemies.
The choice lay before me-to be
mayor in fact or be mere proxy. No
civil service system, however. practical
or good, could have enabled me to
carry out the reforms which I had
planned. These conditions l have
sketched are not fanciful. They were
real, dangerously real. when l became
mayor. Similar conditions confron,
every new mayor, and therein lies the
peril of an inelastic, automatic civil
service system.
l was determined to give my city
the best administration I could give
I was man of affairs and my business
reputation ranked high. My personal
business and social character had never
| been questioned. I was not wealthy
but was what is called "comfortably
| we'll off," I was proud of my city and
unfeignedly DESTROYS of doing what
could to advance its interests. Had ]
any idea Of planning to succeed myself
that idea went by the boards before
had been mayor two months. I con-
cluded that one term would be enough
for me. My opponents, however. Wig
orously reiterated that my personal
machine was built up for my aggran-
dizement.
The organization which l instituted
and later perfected was formed solely
for the purpose of defending my ad-
ministration from its enemies and ia
aid tine in forwarding the several re.
forms which inaugurated. I was fairly
successful in putting 'rhe&e.reforms into
effect. and I would have been humili.
atingly defeated in every move / at
tempted had / not had behind me this
personal machine" In building ur
my organization / used patronage tc
bring to me the men needed. / grant
you that the power to handle public
patronage is dangerous to a commun.
ity. But when a majority of voters
delegate that power to man they give
him the right to use it. II he abuses
it they have remedy at the next cleo
| tion. But the cold fact remains tina,
it is only by the use of patronage, this
"dividing of the plGms." that a mayo,
| can organize working force. political
or nonpolitical, personal or otherwise
which will permit him to administer
the public affairs Of The city. If his
purpose is selfish. if his motives are
| wrong his administration is dishon-
orable failure. If he is a disinterested
patriot and uses the city patronage
! wisely he can and will give what men
call good administrations"
Copyright, 1901, by Joseph B. Bow.es)
Kuroki's Parentage.
War gives currency to many 70.
mantle stories, hut few of them arr
more interesting or seem to be sc
well authenticated as that concerning
the parentage Of the japanese general
Kuroki. A man claiming to be his
nephew, now studying in Germany
has written a letter to the Berlii
Tageblatt, correcting Paris repor,
that Con Knr0E;'c fofl,o,. u,oe q