The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-09-11
TIE NIGHT rnL1CE,IAN.

! One OF the strange and unaccountable
things, is the action of our Reform Mayor
in the matter er night policeman. The
quirks aud turns he has taken TO save n
himself the power Of appointing this Of
heer rather astonishes as. And right
mere let us stale that it Is more out OF
pity than a spirit OF censure that we SO
frequently critIcise the action OF the Re-
form Mayor. Our only object in such
criticisms is to try 10 get HIM TO adopt "A
reasonable and sensible course I'm con-
Quoting the affairs OF the public. We de-
sire his complete success as a public adj
ministratOr. He is young man of some
line parts and we rather take to him.
Hence we are the more sorry TO see him
| acting so contrary 10 the well known and
, expressed wis hes of those who would be
naturally his friends-the people. On
this matter OF night policeman he has
shown stupid peryersity that utterly
''proeurcs'' us, as the boys say. First he
appointed a man that neither the people
or the council wanted because thcy be-
lcaved him unit. lie insisted on keeping
him in Office illegally after being rejected.
When the attempt was afterwards made
to levy special tax on merchants to
bring up the suffering treasury, the bust
ness men on Commercial street Stepped
in and subscribed money to l.. q. Patter-
son for night policeman, and thus pro-
posed TO save the city six hundred dol
lars. An ordinance was then introduced
to abolish the Office OF night policeman
and passed by vote of G 10 =. This the
Reform Mayor vetoed. For what reason
we have not been informed. The bust
ness men rOIUntariIy proposed to save
the taxpayers 5000, but the Reform
Mayor would not let them do it. Was
it because he wanted TO dictate who
should hold this petty Office? Owing to
some unaccOuntable reason this veto was |
sustained by vote of to 4. Afterwards |
an ordinance was drown and passed pay |
ing the policeman So, 4 month, the amount |
being inserted merely TO make him a Ie- |
gal officer OF the city. MIR. Patterson pre- |
scented his subscription signed by thirty |
i've leading business houses pledging
themselves TO pay him $50. "A month as |
policeman. This was passed by "A vote
of > 10 3. Here was another chance to
cut down the Xcs 5000, which, with
the repeal Of the salary grab, would have |
made saving Of 81 100. But the Reform |
Mayor comes in with his little veto again.
One vote more would have passed it over |
his veto, and two councilmen were alb
sent. Now, is not this strange action for |
Reform MayoT-one who was nOminat-
ell and elected on the district platform of |
economy and reform in city affairs. The /
only explanation is that for the sake of |
exercising the little privilege of appoint
ing this petty officer he refuses to save
the city 5000. lie refuses the petition of |
the people, and takes up the time of the |
council week after week, not for Il prin-
ciple, but for spite. This is noble. This
Is Reform with vengence. This is but /
specimen of his administration
throughout, and the people can do moth
ing but patiently wait for the time when
they can rid themselves from such little.
nesS-such downright ''boy's play
such petty spite. The idea of city be-
ing run upon such principles Is humili-
ating.