The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-15
rho metropolitan Police MN.

The metrOpoIitsn Police BIII.
ON Monday last We advocated the passage by
the Legislature Of metropolitan police bill
for the city Of Philadelphia. Such a bill has
been introduced In the Senate by Mr.. Henssey,
but is not such q measure as We can
indorse, and II Is TO be hoped that II will not
receive the sanction OF the Legislature aud
Governor In its present shape. Mr.. Hensssy's
bill Is radically defective in many particulars
Chief among these Ia the omission OF the
Mayor Of the city from the Commission.
Whether the Chief Magistrate Of our munioi-
pality be a Republican or a Democrat, by
virtue OF his Office he should, under all cir-
cumstances, be a member Of the Police Com
mission, II we are to have one. That he
should be one Of the Police Commissioners Is
dem landed alike by the respect which is due
to his Office, and by a regard for the will OF
the people Of the city, as expressed by them
at the polls.
Again, the bill provides for the election of
the members OF the Commission by the people,
the city being for that purpose divided into
five police districts. This is quite as objeo-
ticnable feature as that which excludes the
Mayor. The great object of such commission
is the removal OF the Police Department from
the domain Of partisan politics. But the bill
in its present shape, will tend TO increase,
rather than diminish, the partisan character
Of the police force. When men are elected
for the sole and exclusive purpose of dispen-
sing patronage of this character, Il will rarely
occur that persons who are fully qualified for the
position, and entirely untrammelled by party
ties, will succeed in carrying of the prize.
Not an aspirant for the Office who might re-
fuse to listen to the demands and dictations
Of ward politicians would have q shadow Of
chance, as opposed to one who would be more
obsequious for the sake of the influence
which he would acquire by virtue Of his posi-
ton on the Board. II the Commission be not
made up exclusively of the Mayor, the Pres-
dents Of Councils, and the judges of the
courts, as we have heretofore advocated, IL
should certainly be elected by the Legislature
or appointed by the Governor, subject to con-
frmation by the State Senate. Or perhaps
the ends of non-pArtisan impartiality could be-
attained by lodging the appointing power in
the judges Of the local courts, as has bsen
done in the case OF the Board Of School Con-
trollers.
Moreover, the men who are to constitute
the Commission should receive fair and ade
quate salary. If they are TO devote their time
and attention to ths wants of the city and the
necessities of the department, they should
certainly be paid for their labor.
The subject was brought up in Select Coun
Gil yesterday afternoon, and protest against
the bill in its present shape was indefinitely
postponed by a bare majority of one vote. We
trust that this action OF the Select branch Of
Councils will be reconsidered at the next
meeting, and that both branches will unite in
an effort to obtain thoroughly impartial,
bipartisan, and competent board for the
administration OF the police affairs OF the city.