Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-13
THE BRoAD VfEW OF TT.

ihh f'itC<lD v tDN UT IL
Mayor Broatch is quoted as saying
that the city council had no more right
TO investigate the police department
than it had to investigate the city
schools. The mayors version OF the
law is doubtless correct. 1t is equally
true, however, that the council, which
every year is called upon to levy q tax
for the support of public schools, has
right to inquire into their condition and
to ascertain whether or not they are
conducted extravagantly or economic
ally, and whether the school accommo-
dations are ample or deficient; whether
the number of teachers employed is
sufficient or excessive, ami whether
the teachers and school employees
are paid fair or extravagaut sal
aries. If the right of the council to
make this inquiry be denied the levy of
a school tax to any amount within the
limit fixed by the law would be compul-
| sorry. In other words, the council would
be compelled, without investigation as
to the wants OF our schools, to comply
with the demands of the school board as
to the tax levy for school purposes.
Mayor Broatch will hardly contend
| that such is the intent of the law.
Now If the council mas right to in
vestigate the financial condition and
| management of our public schools, as
must be conceded by all unbiased men,
would not the council have right to
| interrogate, under oath if need be, any
| officer or employe of the school board?
| While the board is independent
of the council and the council
| cannot raise or lower any salary
or dismiss any teacher or janitor, would
| it not be regarded a breach of courtesy,
to say the least, for any teacher or
school officer to defy the council, ignore
| its summons and refuse to give it in
| formation within the proper scope of
| any reasonable inquiry.
! If this be true of employees of the
school board is it not equally so of per-
| sons under the direction of the police
and fire commission? Suppose the coun
| Gil desire to inquire into the condition
| of the fire department and its needs in
the way of supplies, additional fire en-
| gines, horses or carts, would its COM
mittee on fire and police not have
the right to send for the fire
chief or any of his men and
| question them with regard to the equip
ment of the fire department What
would be thought of the refusal OF the
fire chief or his men to respond to a
summons from the council?
Nobody contends that the council can
/ inf i,,-
| terfere with them in the discharge of
their duties, nor can the council legally
interfere with the discipline of the
police. But the right of the council to
investigate the condition and general
conduct of the police and fire Depart
ments can hardly be called in question,
in view of its duty to provide the ways
and means for the maintenance of those
departments.
The refusal of policemen to respond to
a summons from the council seems to
us to be not only an act OF discourtesy,
but a defiance of authority. A police
man summoned before any magistrate,
or any legislative body, has no right to
question their authority to issue sum-
mons. 1t is his duty, just as it is the
obligation of private citizens to respect
the summons, and if the questions
asked of him are improper or unlawful,
he may decline to answer them.
The council may have been rash IN
ordering an investigation into griev
ances that properly come before the
| police commission, and it is doubtful
whether they have the power to rem
edy these grievances except through
the police commission. But the
| police should not be placed
in law-defying attitude, dis
respectful TO the body charged with the
duty of main tanning the force.
There is where we draw the line.
| Policemen have no right to assume that
they are not subject to summons from
the council, which may summon even
the mayor and members of the police
commission before its investigating
| committees.
THE BEE has always stood firmly in
support of the prerogatives OF the police
commission, and against any interior
ence by the council in the government
of the police, but the right to investi-
! gate the condition of the department by
the council must be conceded. There
may be limitations to this inquiry, but
these should be defined by the city,s
legal advisor.
| SQUATTERS are already moving
toward the Sioux reservation, prepara-
tory to a descent on the land as soon as
Al