, 1881-12-04
MnRE POLICEMEN WANTED.

The City Controller, Alr. Gurl,ey, has seen
fit to take some notice Of the urgent demand
for an increased police force, and, III i coIl-
munication to 4 minor city paper, has con-
tended that it cannot be done, though he
starts out by ysaylng: **Tlere is no doubt an
increase is necessary" II tbe necessary, rs
+ lie admits, then it is ridiculous to say that
it cannot be done. It was not essential that
lie should go over the figures and show that
tile limit Of 2 per cent taxation OH valuation
Of Sill, 900, together with the amount
now collected from licenses, cannot be made
to yield more than s.. 900. in addition to
couple Of millions more that may be levied
for the support of the schools, payment OF
interest OIL city debt, and the tax authorized
for the support of the Public Library.
Everybody knows that who has given
the matter any attention. But such Il
statement does not meet the police
case at ALL If the available resources of the
city were actually limited to the figure he
names, it would still be possible to provide
for necessary increase Of the police force,
for expenditures could be curtailea III other
branches not so necessary. The safety OF
life and property is about the first considera-
ton Of organized society, and measures for
the assurance of such safety would properly
take precedence Of all other items in the
municipal budget. But the fact is, that the
available resources Of the city are not limited
to the amount stated by Controller Gurney.
The saloon licenses may be made to yield
from S3oID0 900 to S250,000 additional reyc-
nue every year without doing all injury to
any class, and that amount will be sufficient
to meet the cost of maintaining from 200 to
$50 additional policemen without any reduc-
ton in other departments. Mr. Gurney con-
yenielltly omitted to refer to this point OF
the proposition in any manner.
Controller Gurney might much better
have been silent about this matter than to
have committed himself to a conspicuous
avoidance Of the very essence Of the PROPOSE
ton. If he was anxious to make answer to
the public demand for an increased police
force, why didn't he seize upon the sngges-
t1on for raising the saloon licenses, anu say
honestly that the Mayor and Common Conn-
Gil have the power to employ 200 or $50 more
policemen by this means? We fear it is be-
cause he wants to spare Mayor Harrison any
conflict with the more disreputable portion
of the saloonkeepers. who would be opposed
to an Increase. But such a motive is not fair
or public-spirited. Controller Gurney is we'll
aware that So50, 600 more revenue can be OBJ
tanned from the saloons. He knows that the
saloons can well afford to pay the Increased
license lie cannot deny that there is pc
culiar fitness in requiring them to support
the additional policemen whose services
their increased number has made necessary.
Then why not say so, Instead Of maintaining
that All increase of the police force, which he
admits to be exceedingly necessary, is I'M
possible2 This proposition is one which
cannot be avoided. The city must have more
policemen: the resources Of the City Govern
ment from taxation for miscellaneous pur-
poses are governed by the 2 per cent limit;
bur the charge for saloon licenses is always
subject to the control Of the Mayor and the
Council.