St. Paul daily globe., 1892-05-29

is the intention of the incoming mayor
70 appoint to the office of chief of police
gentleman who is not now. and never
has been, a resident of the city of st.
Paul. we feel moved to call the attention
of his honor to certain conditions that
of necessity present themselves to his
consideration. and which may largely
affect his action.
The first of these is that the efficiency
of the police department of the city of
st. Paul has never been questioned.
Citizens of different views and political
beliefs have discussed and argued and
disagreed on many other questions, but
that the city has been efficiently p0liced,
and that full and ample protection has
been afforded to all of our citizens at all
times and in all places, both by day and
night, while within the limits of the
city, is entirely unQueStiOned. This re-
suit is due. not alone TO the capacity of
the officers and patrOlmen constituting
ingly efficient method of organization
which is provided for in the charter.
1t is, OF course, obvious that in large
city like st. Paul precise and accurate
knowledge of the localities. the general
characteristics of the community and
of the local dangerous classes is abSo-
lutely essential. to enable the most
gifted man to efficiently perform the
duties of chief of police. 1t is also
unQueStionable that such knowledge
can only be gained from a residence
within the city, and upon these two
premises it must follow that the i'm
portatiOn into the city of an absolute
stranger for the purpose of appointing
him chief of police would be- both unfair
and hazardous, alike to the community
and the appointee; and, indeed, it must
be naturally expected that before the
necessary knowledge spoken of could
be obtained by such an individual,
ample time would elapSe for the COM
mission of series of crimes and out
RACES against the public peace which
would forever mar the reputation of the
city ana of our people as law-abiding
community, and the damage from which
could never be repaired.
But in addition to those considera-
tions there exists in the provisions of
the charter an insuperable objection to
the appointment of even the most
worthy stranger. That document pro-
videS that ''no person shall be eligible
to an appointment as captain. sergeant,
detective, policeman, patrolman OR
THEIR POLICE OFFICER, who is not
a resident of the city of St.
Paul for at least two years preceding
his appointment" and with this pro-
vision of the charter plainly i'll view and
called to the attention of the executive,
as we now call it, the question of i'm
porting nonresident for the new chief
of police should certainly he put forever
at rest.
Undoubtedly the incoming mayor is
aware of this provision of the charter;
if not, he will unquestionably consider
it prior to acting in this matter. for it is
not to be supposed that in this or in any
other executive action he will fail to
consult and famiIIarIZe himself with the
provisions of the fundamental law gov
erning the city. And having done SO, it
is also TO be confidently expected that
he will obey it. 1t is TO be hoped that
the day has gone by when an executive
officer will become diligenr in seeking
to eyade the provisions of the charter
rather than to enforce them. And, as
the plain intent ami purpose of the pro-
vision we have quoted is to secure for
police service, i'll all ranks, clas eS and
grades, men who have the necessary
knowledge of the several localities of
the city to enable them to proceed to the
performance of their duty, it will be
quite easily seen that such a protective
provision must be administered not only
in its letter but according to its largest
spirit.
Mistakes of judgment and errors of
action will always occur so long as man
is human, and in every position that he
may occupy; nor are such errors con-
fined to the individual, but are shared
alike by humanity in the aggregate A
recent example of this has occurred in
our city: The action of our executive,
c0ncurred in by the common council, in
the appointment of Mr.. STARKEY as
building inspector of this city, with the
consequent result when the courts were
appealed to, is fresh in the minds of all
of our citizens. The appointment of
chief of police is of far more Importance;
and while we have no desire to in any
wise interfere with. or even attempt to
direct, the discretion of the new execu-
tive in the exercise of his right of selec-
ton, we say now. plainly but en-
phatically, that the charter provisions
governing the qualifications of such all
officer, and particularly that which
requires and prescribes an antecedent
residence in the city for the period of
two years, must be complied with in the
appointment. Otherwise, the famous
writ of QUO warranto SO successfully
used by our Republican friends, first, in
the case against ex-City Attorney MUIR
RAY, and next in the case of Building
Inspector STARKEY, will be again
drawn from its sheltering sheath and be