The morning call., 1892-04-03
TAKEN! OUT OF POLITICS.
Firemen Will No Longer Manips
ulate Primary Elections.
Commissioner Martin Says It Il Bluff to
Pull the Wool Over the Eyes Of the Public.
Chairman schmitt Scored.

Politics and the San Francisco Fire De-
| partmeDt have been separated-at least,
| they have been on paper.
When the meeting of the Board OF Fire
| Commissioners was called to order yester-
| day afternoon President Maurice Schmitt
vacated the chair TO offer a resolution on
| the subject. lie said that as it had been
| charged that members Of the department
| had taken an undue part In primary cleo
| tions he proposed to establish a rule that
| would prevent any such charge being made
| in the future. He therefore submitted the
| following:
No officer. member or employe OF this depart
ment shall belong 10 any club or political organ
ization having primary politics for its object, nor
| shall hey lake part In any primary elections in
this city and county, except 10 exercise their in-
| dlvldnai suffrage.
Continuing. Schmitt said: ''Of course,
we cannot deny individual suffrage to
| any member of the department 1 desire
| to place myself on record by saying that if
| this rule Is adopted / shall vote for the dis
| misSal OF any man who violates Ii. / be-
lieye IT is necessary to place safeguard
| around both political parties"
Commissioner Edwards remembered
| startling events of rioneer days, when fire.
| men controlled the polls He was in favor
| of keeping firemen out of politics, but
| calmly suggested that the resolution would
| have come better from some one else than a
| member of the Democratic State Central
| Committee.
Schmitt fastened to explain that he had
presented the rule at the request of Chief
Scannell This is merely to keep fir emen
away from active work at the polls" he
added.
sCHMITT WILL KEEP AWAY.
"WiIl you keep away?" asked Edwards
somewhat sarcastically.
-
Commissioners Martin agreed that it was
right to take the department out OF politics.
In future" said lie, "it would be no more
than right to give each member of the
board the right to name in rotation appoint
ments TO fill vacancies"
Sehmitt suggested that all members of
the department were appointed upon re-
commentator of the Chief Engineer.
1t would seem so on the face of it." said
Martin. 'yet 1t is not so. Ii is no more than
right Tor each Commissioner to have an
equal voice in nominating appointees. Ii
should make nomination right now l
would not receive second"
But" interrupted Schmiit, "this is
rule for employees of the department and
not Tor the commission. You may introduce
your views. Mr.. Martin, as an amendment"
Your rule" said Martin, "would be
viewed by the public as all buncomb unless
the members of this board could make APP
p0intments in rotation"
the proposition and If the rule was estab-
lished the board of foremen would be called
upon TO enforce il.
Commissioner Brown said he believed the
rule an excellent one that would reflect
credit on the department tie therefore sec
onded the motion TO adopt the resolution.
Being called upon for his opinion Chief
Scannell s aid that with such a rule the de-
partment could work much more smoothly,
and If adopted he would see that It was
an Ia nod tfr
members trying to have offenses condoned
through a boosted pull"
When the rule was pat TO vote it was
adopted without dissenting voice.
AMEs DECLARES HIMSELF.
At this part of the proceedings Commits
sioner Ames arrived and after reading the
rule SAID he was heartily IN favor of il. If
any one violated the rule he would vote for
his dismissal from the department
Martin then renewed his motion that
hereafter all vacancies in the department
be filed by the members Of the board In
rotation. He said there had been combina-
tons and the people would not believe the
department was out of politics until each
member of the board had an equal voice in
appointments.
department who owed his position TO him.
1t was the proper thing to have the Chief
recommend all appointments.
That's all right to pull the wool over the
eyes OF the public" exclaimed Martin. IL
lave been told | could not get blessed
thing here, and have never tried, but want
equal representation here"
After some further discussion, Martins
motion was laid over for week.
The clerk was instructed to notify the
Supervisors that their action In deciding TO
sell the bell at the old Fire Department
building at Stockton and Francisco streets
was illegal. The Supervisors have no right
TO sell any department property except by
request or consent of the Fire Commission
j. II. Burnett, assistant drayman of the
Corporation Yard, was granted 80 days'
leave of absence. He is another starving
fireman, having received no salary for eight
months, because Auditor Strother declares
he was illegally appointed.
Upon motion of Edwards, the Chief was
Instructed to have all the fire hydrants
painted, the hydrant men to do the work.