The Irish standard., 1906-04-21
ROBERT A. SMITH.

ON the first day Of May the voters
of st. Paul will have an opportunity
of placing their seal of approval once
more upon tho public acts of Robert A.
Smith. Robert a. Smith is today. as
he has been for the greater portion of
fifty years. easily st. paul's leading
citizen. He came to st. Paul in 1858
as Secretary to Territorial Governor
Gel of the entire history of the city
of st. Paul. 1t was he who carried to
the Governor the bill which created
the city of st. Paul. Since that day
the people of the capital city of the
state of Minnesota have honorcd him
on many occasions. He has served as
as mayor. as alderman, as county
treasurer. rs state Representatives
state senator and postmaster: and in
all positions he has fulfilled his trust
with honor to himself and I" the COM
plelc satisfaction of the great MT
iority of the people of ST Paul
For many years he has served
in public position. but notwiti,stnnd-
ing his long service and the many
positions that he has filled. the finger
of suspicion has never been puinted in
his direction. 1t is an rnviablc record
for II public man. To-day his political
enemies admit that Robert \. Smith
is an honest man. They are opposing
his election because he has held office
So long ana because he happens Ia
have for his chief supporters men
whom certain self-aplOintcd re-
formers happen to dislike. a man VIII"
can fill elective offices for such a
long period without his political OPP
l,unrnts being able to bring forward
amy political act that will not stand
the scrutiny of public opinion is in
deed remarkable in this day and age.
Robert A. Smith is today an old
man and he is counted IL poor man.
Fifteen years ago he was counted Il
millionaire. The failure of the Min
nesota Bank. through no fault of his,
worked his financial ruin. He admits
that today the salary which he To"
ccivcS as Mayor is acceptable to him.
When the Bank of Minnesota failed
Mr. Smith had the greater portion of
his possessions swept away. He
could, had he wilcd. saved IL portion
turn over to the creditors of tho bank
every dollar that he poSscsScd; even
his homestead. He was at the time
the custodian of Il fund of n fraternal
organization. a fund calculated for
widows and orphans. This fund was
lost when the bank failed. Robert \.
Smith went among his personal friends
and pledged his own word and honor
III order to borrow money with which
to replace the lost funds. 1t is not
strange that such a man should enjoy
to an unusual degree the confidence
and respect Of his fellow citizens.
When the private life Of Robert A.
Smith is known it is easy to under
| stand why his fellOwmcn have so long
retained him in public office. Apart
from his worth as n man he has given
the city Of St. Paul an honest and
efficient administration. st. Paul has
the enviable reputation throughout
the United States of possessing ono
of the very best police forces in tho
| whole country. That alone is dis
tinction to be priced. 1t is more re-
markable when we consider that ir
1900 when Mayor Smith entered the
Office of Mayor its police force was
in Il most demoraliZed condition and life
and property We're in constant danger
It's citizens We're being held up ii
broad daylight, and it is said that rob.
berry became so common that police.
men robbed from one another.
One of the objections that is being
made to Mayor Smith at the present
time is founded upon the fact that
his Chief of Police, John O'Connor. is
J a brother of Richard T. O'Connor. who