to Europe. Upon returning home, Ames gave an anti-Irish and anti-Catholic interview that outraged Minnesota's large Irish-American population and made Ames multiple life long enemies. When asked for his, "views about Ireland", Ames replied, "Well, they have changed. When I left I was prejudiced in favor of Home Rule, but now I do not think the people of Ireland are capable of ruling themselves... I have had plenty of opportunity of studying the Irish question, and I am convinced of one thing, that Ireland is priest-ridden... They are bowed down by superstition and ignorance, and this is to be found wherever the priests are. The priest power of Ireland does not want the people to be educated." After Ames' comments resulted in a firestorm of outraged denunciations by Irish-Americans who had formerly supported him, the Genial Doctor claimed to have received five death threats in letters which promised Ames the same treatment given to Dr. Patrick Henry Cronin. The letters came, Ames alleged, from Roger Vail, the editor of the Minneapolis-based Irish Standard newspaper, on behalf of the Irish republican Clan na Gael organization. In response, the Doctor made a lifelong enemy out of Vail, whose Irish Standard responded by reprinting editorials from Ames' many critics among the Minnesota press, who argued that the letters were almost certainly manufactured, "by Ames & Co." After losing an independent campaign for mayor in 1898, Ames devised a new strategy. In the 1900 primary election for mayor, he exploited a newly adopted rule which changed the city's primary elections to an open primary (allowing voters to vote for candidates in either party). He campaigned for votes as a Republican (knowing the competition was limited) and narrowly won the nomination. He went on to win the general election in 1900. Between his underhanded election strategy and accusations of corruption in his prior administrations, Ames was described as "damned politically, socially and professionally" when he entered office in 1901. "The Shame of Minneapolis" After entering office, Ames consolidated his power over the city's police department (the one area of city government which the mayor had full control over). He fired nearly half of the city's officers and replaced them with his political allies, henchmen, and criminals who purchased their badges. As police chief, Ames appointed his brother Colonel Frederick W. Ames, who despite being "a weak, vacillating individual," had recently commanded an entire regiment of