The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1912-05-04

OTTO
Democratic candidat
., OPENING SPEECH
Of Otto Bremen, Democratic Candidate
for Mayor of St. Paul, Wednes.
day, April 10.
FELLOW DEMOCRATS:
First of all, gentlemen, I want to
thank my friends of the Democratic
Party for the honor they conferred
| upon me in selecting me as their
standard-bearer in this campaign.
am not the candidate of any man, of
any boss, or of any gang or any in.
terest, but of 11,472 Democratic vot
ers who chose me as their candidate
for this high Office.
Having received my commission
from the voters, it is to the voters
alone that I am responsible. I fully
appreciate the high honor you have
conferred upon me, and the more So
as it came to me entirely unsolicited
on my part.
Permit me also to say that 1 con.
slider this ovation not rendered to me
personally, but to your chosen stan
dard-bearer of the United Democracy
of St. Paul and the principles for
which it stands.
I bespeak for my associates on the
ticket your hearty and undivided sup
port, and appeal to you, gentlemen, to
assist me in electing the whole Demo-
cratic ticket
1 am Jeffersonian Democrat, be-
lieving in equal rights to all and spe-
cial privileges for none, and while I
am always willing to listen to the wise
advice and counsel of the Democratic
party, I will not be dictated to by
any individual or any set of men in
that body. The very meaning of
Democracy is the rule Of all, and not
the rule of the favored few. To that
principle I hold steadfast.
I have been assailed by the Repub-
lican speakers and newspapers be-
cause I have been successful in some
small degree in my personal business
endeavors. l have no apology to make
on that score, and do not believe that
the people of this city will hold it
against a candidate for public office
that he has been successful in his own
business affairs.
AS Mayor, 1 will serve the whole
people as faithfully as I did when
was City Treasurer, and l would give
to the conduct of the city's affairs
the same business care and intelli.
gence that 1 give my personal affairs.
l leave it to the people who know
me, to say whether in private and off,
cial life I have been efficient, sue
cessful and honorable.
Two years ago the Republican party
charged us with squandering the peo-
pies money. They promised the peo-
pie the taxes would be reduced. But
have they fulfilled their promises? Mr..
Keller himself is silent about it. Not
a word of fact in his speech to prove
the contention of lower taxes. AS a
matter of fact the buget of 1910
under Democratic administration
amounted to $3,563,773, the budget
of 1911 shows total of $3,766,368,
while for 1912 the aggregate amounts
to $4,098,633. I have no comment to
make on these figures. They speak
for themselves. They are trying to
mislead you by statistics by figuring
out lower ratio of taxation, and
lower per capita tax. But the peo-
pie will not be fooled in that way. The
tax bills that you have to pay tell the
true story.
Mr.. Keller charges that Democratic
hold-overs on the different boards have
opposed reductions in their respective
departments. The Republicans insist
ed on reduced appropriation for
the schools, the fire and police de-
partments They wanted to give the
fire board $325,00O, and the wages
alone in the fire department amount to
$4,000. So the Republicans were
really advocating a reduction in the
wages of our fremen, whose wages
are now very low, and in fact lower
than in any other city of the same
class as st. Paul. The Democrats on
that board and am proud to say that
my brother, Adolph, is one of them,
would not have been true Democrats,
serving the people, had they stood
for the reduction of the bare living
wages now received by the men who
protect our homes, and who, in my
opinion. earn whole years salary at
one bad fire, risking their lives and
endangering their health.
The same thing is true of the DO
lice department and of the school
department. / believe that the peo-
pie who pay the taxes are entitled to
the best service in these most i'm
portant departments of our city gov
eminent.
l believe in an economical policy
and also believe in efficient govern
ment. You never get economy of
the right kind unless you get efficiency
also.
In this connection I want to say
right here, that Notwithstanding the
belief of Temporary Chief Catlin, that
we have to put up with his services
.or many years to come, after m!
shall Immediately SO
change the complexion Of the police
board as to secure to our city the
services of real Chief of Police. such
as our citizens are entitled to.