Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-07-26
THE CAUSE Of IT ALL.
A Review of the Tie
UP In This City.
BAD MATTERS MADE WORSE.
Republican Aldermen Are Ashamed to
Acknowledge Their Blunder.

fANoShb Oh tne city
Is shown In the following brief review:
When the City Government was inau-
gurated January 4th a recess was taken
ior the purpose OF allowing the Mayor
and President OF the Board OF Aldermen
TO appoint committees for the ensuing
year.
The committees were announced and
have continued in active service, although
the Republicans claim they were not
legally appointed.
The leaders OF the Rep ublican party
outside OF the City Government, how
ever-the men who make Aldermen and
Councilmen, all admit that the commit
tees appointed January 4th were legally
appointed.
They feel very much irritatcd at the
pig -headedness OF the men they made City
Fathers for not acknowledging the corn.
They say the proper way for these men to
have done was to acknowledge that they
had committed blunder and then get to
work to rectify IL.
As is frequently the case, the public
| officials who owe their selection and
election to the leaders Of the party who
are not office seekers, but simply have the
interest OF the party at heart these men,
rs soon as elected to Office, forgot the
men to whom they were indebted for
honors received and started In to run the
the City Government according to their
| own ideas.
The men who compose the Republican
party In this city are very outspoken and
say they have not been consulted by the
members OF the City Government in any
| OF the matters which have come up In the
past six months.
The general opinion il that the Republi-
can Aldermen, having started on a certain
line OF action the basis of which was a
blunder, are now ashamed to back down.
The result has been that during year
OF the greatest prosperity no improve
ments have been made I'm the city. The
widening Of East avenue, which has been
begged for years, was thwarted byAthe
action of the Republican Aldermen when
they voted to lay the matter on the table.
The result was that the legal time
Ina which notice and hearing
should have been given to those whom IL
affected elapsed and the whole work must
now be done over again.
But that which il particularly disgust
ing to the Republican leaders is the action
Of President Davis of the Board OF Alder
men under the pressure Of the small fry
OF the Republican party in calling special
meeting of the City Government.
They claim the action was childish and
mere boys play. Having a majority OF
both branches they could at any time
while the Mayor was present in the city
have done the same thing they did when
he was absent II they only knew how to
do SO, or, lacking the knowledge, would
have consulted men who knew how such
things could be done.
The action of the Board of Aldermen
in changing the police ordinance is one
thing which has completely disgusted the
leaders. The regular ordinance of the
city provided for police force of 35 men,
including Chief, Captain and Sergeant,
to be appointed by the Mayor and con-
firmed by the Board Of Aldermen.
The new ordinance reads that the police
shall consist of 45 men and 1t does not
mention the offices Of Chief, Captain or
Sergeant. 1t repeals the former ordinance.
1t Is admitted by both Republicans and
Democrats that IL the latter ordinance
is legal then there are no policemen In the
city OF Pswtucket except the ten new
men appointed by the Board OF Aldermen
and that the others are simply de facto
policemen.
City Solicitor Barneheld was instructed
by the Board of Aldermen to apply to the
Supreme Court for construction of this
ordinance.
He declined to obey the instructions OF
the Board and stated that the opinion OF
the court could not be obtained unless
there was a controversy between some OF
the newly appointed policemen and the
city. He thought that II one or more
should bring suit against the city
for their wages then the question
could be brought before the Supreme
Court and q decision obtained. But
strange to say Mr.. Barnefeld, notwith-
standing this suggestion, gave written
opinion that these policemen should bo
paid for services never rendered the city.
He did this while they we're under suspen-
sion and before they were reinstated, and
they were paid.
By this action he stultifed his former
opinion, and In not presenting the ques-
tion to the Supreme Court placed the city
in a very embarrassing position.
The Chief of Police was ordered not to
keep the nsmes of these mon on the pay
roll OF the department, but It seems that
he has done so.
Instead OF assisting tho city out Of It's
trouble tho general opinion is that Mr.
Barncfeld has got IT more into the Wild
l erness.
| Roasted Alive.
AXIOM. O. Jnly M-The dead body Of