, 1873-02-02
Gbe Q|)r2apn G0E2it,i& 0i2ib,usi&.
Sunday Morning, February 9, 1873.

conflict between Mayor Medin and the Boncd c
Police Commissioners is regarded: Ono is tt
legal aspect Of the case; the other, that OF pop1
lar sentiment It is wel that every citizen, in
crisis OF go much Importance, should have
good understanding Of the former, that he ma
not be carried away by personnl, political, o
national prejudices on the ono side, nor, on th
other side, depend Upon mere conviction O
the justice Of Mayor nedin's course to answe
such prejudices.
It is probable that no law is so familiar to ths
public Is that commonly known 81 the Mayor,
bill. It IVES passed b5 tha Legislature in com
OF the people Of Chicago. There was al acut1
popular sense, just after the fire, tLat Chicago'f
great misfortune WAS attributable largely to the
Departmental ir1esponaibility which prevailed in
our Municipal Government, and tho Mayors bill
Vas conceived and passed for the express pur-
pose OF concentrating tho responsibility in
tho Executive chief. It WAS drawn with
especial reference to irresponsible and vacllatins
formed the most Objectionable. The exercise
Of 3layor MedI's prerosatiye therein provided
By removing two members Of the Board of Po-
lice, occurred in one of the very emergencies for
which the Law Was passed. The only argument
which has been urged With any degree Of plausi-
bility against the Mayors authority to remove
Mess7s. Reno and Kokke is, tlat they ara mem
bers Of County Board, and that municipal
officer cannot exercise jurisdiction o7er count;
officer. To better understand the force Of The
present law, it may. be told how tho Police
Commissioners camc to be q County
Board Prior to 1861 there WIS no
Board OF Police. The Illinois Legislature vas
Republican, and, for the purpose of depriying
the Mayor, in case he should be Of the opposi-
ton, Of some Of his power, an Elective Board Of
Police was created. The first Commissioners,
however, we're not elected. subsequently, the
Legislature extended the election Of the Board
to the entire county y,-stipulatng. notwithstand-
Ing, that one member Of the Board should be-
taken from each division Of the city. All these
various acts, however, were amendatory to the
e1isting City Charter. Now the Mayors bill In
cludes distinctly s:An members OF Boards or
gsnized under the Charter, or amendments
thereto" Therefore, the members Of the Board
Of Police. though technically q County Bosrd,
Ere subject to removal under tho law. just as If
they we're elected BY the city vote alone.
Legally, the position Of the Mayor in the pres
ent conflict Of authority is, therefore, correct
beyond all question.
Going outside Of the legal aspect Of the case,
We find two opposing parties among tho people.
The majority OF the people, represented by ali
the newspapers e1caet the German press, by the
Board Of Trade, the Board Of Underwriters, the
popular expression through letters and personal
visits to the Mayor, approve Mr- Medilrs action,
because they feel that the Board Of Police has
been inefficient, the police force demoralized, !
And the whole system rotten They see in the
present acfon Of the Mayor the prospect /
OF decided and permanent improve I
nent- On the other side, We find |
3 disposition to make the present struggle var
Of natsvides. The cou1so which the St1ats-Zei-
t,4ng has taken has been little less than incen-
dlazy. Its persists, day after day, IN informing
The Germans that Mayor Medilrs action has
been prompted by a ''hatred Of foreigners"
His opposition to the Board OF Police is alleged
o haye been caused by the fact that 81 klokke
Fes q Dutehman, Sheridan GIL Irishnau, and
Reno Canadian" The Sadts-Zeuunq knows
perfectly well that is not true. It knows
hat lfr. Klokke, the s'Dutchman," aud
1r. Reno owe their positions to Mayor
dedills appointment. If the Mayor were
opposed to the Board because it WIS
# foreign element, ho would not have been
ikely to voluntarily make up the Board from
o1eigners. On the contrary, Mayor Medi1l has
ecognized the <tclaius" Of nationalitics, as
hey are insisted upon. in all his appointments
Ii: Wsshborn, the Superintendent, is denounced
3 Of the "mucEcr'' class, and under tho
ontro1 OF the "Anglo-Americaa fanatics." g
ew and rather anomalous name for Know
[othings. Arr. IIedilrs action is called
coup detdt, and he himself is spoken
as Joseph r., the Dictator. In one
ord, the 6tadts-zeitung, claiming to
rect the German sentiment Of Chicago, |
'aves no word unsaid, and no stono untrrncd,
J incito the Germans to array themselves Ms 8
against the Americans, thus per-
etunting, though reversing, tho odious princi- :,
e which formed the basis OF the Know-Nothing
,rty. It would be impossible to conceive OF .
eater misuse Of influence: moro determined ,
fort to deceive, or s broader purpose to excite
warfare Of nativities. |,
Te do not believe that there is the slightest
niger that false leaders can conduct IN intelli- ,
mt people into 60 fatal m error. The issue ,
tween the Mayor and the Board OF Police is t
at of law and authority only. No prejudice
ninst Germans, or Lish, or scandinayians, or 8
ench, OF any other nativity, is entertained On t
9 part Of those who sustain Mayor MedilL II s
:. waahburn, aa Chief of Police, has enforced t
law which is distasteful to portion Of tho t
pulation, it is not Mr. Washburn's fault. He d
y did his duty II he refused bribcs from v