The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-02

good city government, IT possible, be-
yond the control Of the political ma
chine" or "PopulIst''. The machine"
in power Is of necessity corrupt. The
machine is the child Of corruption, and
the child supports the parent. An old
writer has said: ''The political complaio-
ance which produces so called popuiarl-
ty in government in large cities Is Inc
desire of demogogues TO pande to
the views, and SO called liberal, forces III
society"
THE return to what is usually termed
''home rule in the cities Is but the fore
runner Of the political ''looter" who
works for some candidate for mayor IN
der pledge of place if successful. The
substratum Of society believe IN a liberal
government. Liberty with it means
license; al restraint is Connecticut blue
laws, all lIindrance TO loose morals is
tyranny. Tie majority of good people
believe HI elderly under law"
There are those IN Wichita who re-
member the class Of men who were We
hement at city elections and who usually
were appointed on the police force.
During the old regime the liberal eie-
ment chose the mayor; the result then
was the mayOr-elecJ was bound hand
and foot TO class he detested
and all men despised. Bargains were
made during city campaigns-and car
ried ont afterwards-and IN one instance
a man IN jail for larcency was liberated
to work at the polls and appointed on
the police force within q week. | make
no charge against past officials, they
were as good as most Of US. They
wanted votes-good ones If they could
get them, had ones if they could be had.
They are running for Office, wanted
to be eiected-and under high pressure
made promises they vomited to fulfill,
and vet q sense of honor caused them to
carry them out. But it was honor
among thieves"
When we see a certain class of voters
diligently working 10 elect a man we
know. there is a contract out, Just as
well as if it was written, acknowledged
and recorded in the Office Of register of
deeds
Therefore, protest against the mayor
of a first class city having the power TO
appoint the police of the city. We have
had good mayors, it is true-and again,
we have had bad mayors Hence, let us
not permit any mayor to appoint the
police force. But, as a man should never
tear down any building until he has d
plan to replace it, we submit plan mod
eled FROM New York. If you say New
HOrk's police is corrupt, / ask you to
imagine what its police would be if APP
appointed by one weak man, dependent
Oh the popular vote for election. Let US
remodel the present law and adopt some
plan. suggest the following, viz:
Let the police department consist of
board of police composed of four men,
no two of whom reside in the same
ward. Let these four be appointed by
the mayor, by and with the consent of
a majority of the full council, and these
four select their own president and secre-
tary, and have the power to appoint and
remove the chief of the police, as well as
all policemen, and also make rules and
regulations for the government of the
police not inconsistent with the state
law. The law could provide that two
should not be of the same political party
as the mayor. This comes as near being
non-partisan as on can get. and less so
than force appointed b. one man to
pay off his political heelers after the
election.
AS a Democrat l wish to enter my
protest against the old system of a venal
bargain, made before election, becoming
more venal by being carried out after
election.
Now few words as to the division Of
Kansas. 1st. This is Topeka idea try
ing to head off the removal of tho state
capital 10 a central point. 2rd. We
want to hold every acre of our domain
and be a power both politically and
financially. 3rd. We want to remove
the capital to some point not more thar
thirty or forty miles from the center of
the state-in justice to the west part of
the state. 4th. The present capital
buildings can be used for aninsance asy-
lum for Shawnee county. As soon az
the capital is removed Topeka will fur
nish the inmates. 5. Now is a good
time to agitate the removal of the capt.
tai. have no choice for the site either Sa
lima, Ellsworth or McPherson-wLl suit
this part of the state and should be ac-
ceptable to all parts DEMOCRAT.