Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-11

having nothing TO DO With The matter. dmpiy
70 pay TIE hills; the mayor Of tue city q
have no control vhaxsse4 except in the case
Of riot Pefhsps il would be Interesting
for some Of you to know what the present
Law 10 uader which ve are acting in the city
Of Lewiston Previous to 1850 orr police
force ve4e appointed for term Of cns year
b. the mayor and board Of alderman.
In 1880. On the 18Th day At March
Q lav vas enacted entitled, ian act to pro-
mote the efficiency Of the police force OF
the city Of Lewiston" Mr.. Callahan fesd
the oct referred to. That Is. the present
law aad under is each member 10 appointed
for tefm Of three years By the mayor With
ID sics and consent Of the board OF alder
men. Now We are opposed to this bill on two
grounds; asst, because it 10 not necessary
second, becApoe il is not in the spirit OF
our form Of government, which - that
each locality snail coatrol the appointment
Of its ,vn officers - long - that does lot
come in contact with any State authority
and our police department ard IRE
department and things of that kind
which are Hecesszriiy local in Char
scter should be subject to the local control
and not be controlled from the capital Of
this Stste or any other state
Mr.. Noble Of Lewisson-This bill does
not seek to cripple any party or take from
their hands the eestoval Of any patronage.
This bill 10 not snap shot for the purpose
Of revenge.
The first bill, House Document SO.
wss placed before the House early in the
session, drafted in good faith aud presented
upon the recommendation and endorsement
Sha htsat nd he fnPpa
the city of Lewiston. IL WAS sent to the
committee on legal affairs, notice properly
ordered for the hearing on February 20,
and the committee heard the parties favor
ing the bill. No one sppesred in opposition
aud under the instruction OF the committee
was authorized 10 report the bill III new
draft srd that draft is the bill. that is before
US today for consideration. One Of the
members of the police force, 3 member OF
the county boSrd Of officers and citizen OF
the city Of Lewiston appeared in advocacy
of this new bill. The police officer explained
in detail the provisions of this new bill, the
diff culties it would meet, the character and
organization of the police force aud its sys-
TEN Of management and control today. he
said that that bill, the Massachusetts, bill
applying to the city of Boston, was pure
bill based upon sOuuder reason and of
greater utility than the bill Is presented,
and upon the strength of his explanation
upon the endorsement then given BY the
member Of the county board of officers
and by the best men who were present, and
looking at the fact that DO champion ap-
peared for the o.her side, drafted that
bill and presented it here. Nov, gentle
men, the criticism may be very properly
offered, and have no doubt it will be to-
day, that because the Republican party
failed to secure the election ia the city Of
Lewiston this bill comes up - gun shot
Of revenge for their defeat. l appeal TO
your common sense and your candor that
this is in no sense true. That billwas pre-
scented and advocated before tina
committee. This draft was framed
long before the election was held,
long before it was known which party was
to be victorious. A year ago the election
was very close one, the Democratic
nominee for mayor being elected by only
two majoiity and at that time there were
POO or mo.e Republican stay at homes.
when this canvass for the present election
| vas warm we naturally expected that we
could make as Close, aye, a better fight than
we did two Years ago. Although we ex
pected Republican victory at the polls.
yet, looking at the best interests Of the city
and laying partisanship TO one side we said
that i: would be the best thing for the
moral, industrial ard educational interests
of the city of Lewiston that q bill of thi.
character should go through this House
deny at the outset that it is any partisan
measure or that it is actuatsd by any
cowardly spirit Of revenge. There
10 growing belief among the
better class of the citizens of Lewiston
that the police department as at present
| organized and controlled, does not meet the
necessities and the wants Of the city. The
same belief existed as TO the fire depart
ment, department which every either
! will recognize must be grounded upon the
| highest basis of efficiency, experience ant
| practical usefulness and divorced from al
| political contention and obeisance to auy
master. A bill was introduced by my
brother, and has passed without objection
| which seeks to improve the efficiency ant
the equipment of the FIRE department Of ths
city of Lewiston-a grand, good bill in al
| its features, and the only essential feature
distinct from this police bill lie the fact Of
the appointment Of commission. Nov
| then. the police department is q rival il
influence and importance to the FIRE depart
ment Of the city Of Lewiston. They ar.
the guardians Of the peace and order of ,hs
city. the conservstors Of the law. Let u.
look at the city for a moment, a city OF
$4,000 inhabitants. large manufacturing
and commercial center. city that bs,
attracted not only large number of son,
nf uhN
and intelligent and uprishs, but city,
am sorry to say. and yet the conclusion i.
inevitable in regard TO all large cities, s
city that has attracted very large percent
age Of the rougher ard the bsser elemen
OF mankind. You will fad that the bardeI
of the refrain on the other side is, LET u.
alone; we can take care of ourselves, -
the old cry Of the Southern Confederate
who sat at the crossroads: "All that
sxes is to be let alone And yet. for if
| teen or twenty years they hsve been lei
alone--both parties have been let alone
They have dominated and superinte ndet
every department in the city Of Lewiston
and in tao of the most important depart
ments they have utterly failed to respond
to the necessities of the city. Their,
are from fifty to seventy-fve sppli
Giants at every annual election IL
our city for the position OF police
men, and only = third of the force
some six or seven officer goes out ever,
year. What is the result? Are they clear
and honest men of intelligence and upright.
| ness? You who come in everyday contac
with municipal affairs know better. They
are the men who do the dirty work Of poll
tics. who can organize and lead to the poll.
the most voters, and when they have don't
the work of the master they leap upon hi.
shoulders and with the leechlike tenscit,
of the Old Man Of the Sea described in III,
| Arabian Nights they say to him. Il mus
be appointed. / am the man who saved
the party. am the man who secured You,
election You must appoint me-" 1t is NJ
wonder that the present mayor of the city
OF Lewiston, an honorable and intelligen
man who will strive to give the city clear
and economical administration, confessed
to me last right that il woult
be great relief TO him to have the
burden of the police appointment taken
from his soulders. Again. we have
not only the spolsmen and wayd heelerl
looking for these offices but we have ript
| rule and machine domination ard what il
worse than that. the corrupi;rg infaenc,
and the donlineering tyranny OF the run
power, not from this or that psrty but oul
manufacturing centers have attracted mer
Who are engaged in the rum traffic and
their influence is an entering wedge and q
vital one in he control Of city poiitic,
Here are men who are ~ shrewd and keen
and bright and intelligent and a. CONVEX
sant with the workings of the wires - any
man upon this floor or in this State. VIVA
are you going to do when these men sal
.'we went men appointed on the polies