The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-08

tue ujdlNCt NhCn ptifNN AORNC ~ w.
city is. and has been, III charge of Il metro
politan police commission. Here is the
law. | will read it to you: and read pre-.
cisey the paragraph quoted above.
You will see from hat that the only
way the governor can abolish the commits
sion is by issuing his proclamation to that
effect and causing it TO be published IN
the official state paper. BIZ reading the
telegram you will see that he does not say
be has either issued the proclamation or
published it,"
''When / raised this question this morn
ing the council sent for the city attorney
and on dis arrival he promptly sustained
my position.
Now about what | am wanted to do,
the mayor continued. And about these
petitions, i want you to say that / was actu-
ally quoted correctly by an afternoon paper
today-just say that-when | said 1 under
stand several parties are circulating pc
titions to be appointed chief of police.
Now, | want it understood that l vii! not
pay any attention TO any petitions. | have
confidence in the twelve councilmen OF
the city to do their duty. / had enough
experience with petitions twenty or
twenty-five months ago. l said that and
it is correct
Il feel if the council act wisely
in this matter Governor Level
ling will not appoint police
commission for this city. He lives here
and be knows the feeling of all the peo-
ple and he knows that without regard to
party utilization. they are opposed to it.
want TO do all can to harmonize things
for the best interests of Wichita. Person
ally, do not believe in the metropolitan
police system, for I claim the people have
the inalienable right TO govern them
selves.
What think Governor Lewelliug may
do or may not do, | 90 not wish TO state.
\ thought unex pressed never does harm.
| have no reason to doubt that he will do
what he thinks best for Wichita"
The moment the public got the EAGLE
Yesterday morning the matter became
almost the sole topic of discussion. Every
body seemed glad to think that home rule
had again been restored to Wichita al
! though some of the politicians of the other
political parties Immediately set to
work getting up petitions to
present to Governor Lewelling
asking for the re-establishment OF the
Metropolitan system, not because they
like it but because they think Governor
Humphrey did not act courteously TO the
incoming governor This is the claim and
il is given for what it is worth. The pc
titions were signed by forty or fifty per
sons during the day but those who saw
them sag hat the names OF very few bust
ue5s men or tax payers were on them.
Even the better class Of politicians are not
signing them for they are afraid to make
"A record for themselves which may be
used against them in the future. As this
is one of the most important subjects that
has come up in Wichita recently the
readers of the EAGLE will no doubt find
interest in the following statement bear
ing on the subject. by Governor Humph-
rey, and which is published in yesterdays
Capital, the official state paper. The Capt.
tai says:
In response to request from the Capt.
tai for a statement regarding the enforce.
meut of the prOhi Ditory law and the oper.
alton of the metropolitan police law,
Governor Humphrey yesterday gave the
following:
WHAT GOVERNOR HUMPHREY SAYS
Eyes. I had under consideration the
question of disbauding the police boards
In the several cities of the first class. viz.
LeavenwOrth, Wichita, Topeka, Kansas
CITY, Atchson and Fort Scott, but have
concluded not 10 do so notwit hstanding
the judgment to the contrary of many of
the best politicians of the state, including
some of my closest personal as well as
political friends.
"When l came into Office. in 1882" con-
tbr.x 4
| only two cities with police boards, viz
Leavenworth and Wichita The statutes
providing for this method of governing
the police affairs of cities of the first
class make it entirely Discretionary
| with the governor to appoint or not ap-
! point police commissioners. 1t seemed to
! me that il the system was n wise one. and
/ believed it was, it should apply to all
! cities of that class alike, and accordingly
! | appointed commissioners for the other
! four cities of that Class. Having exercised
! the power and discretion vested in me by
| the statutes, | have concluded that it
/ would be neither fair or proper for me TO
! disbaDd these boards in the very last days
/ of my administration vii hOut knowing or
presuming what the policy of my success
| sor may be in this respect. l think it
better to let the boards remain, so that he
may adopt whatever policy and take what
ever action may seem in his Judgment
/ wisest and best. l feel that he ought TO
/ have the right TO exercise his discretion
and judgment under the law, as l did.
freely aud without being embarrassed or
! hampered by the outgoing admlnistra-
ton.
II am frank to confess that while l be
lieve in this system of administering the
! police government OF cities, as has been
the practice in many of the older cities
from which we copied the law, yet as an
. FRp tn. ,t
the prohibto law in Kansas in cities
! where the sentiment is hostile, it has
proven failure The police commission
| ers are dependent upon the city council
for the payment OF the police force, the
/ result being that where the city council Is
hostile to the idea of prohibition the nee
| essarv appropriations are not made, driv
ing the commissioners into securing reve.
nue. by means which are an evasion of the
law. and which place the boards In faist
attitude before the public This vita
weakness in the law should be cured by
necessary legislation If the policy Of AL
ministerlng police affairs 10 these cities l.
TO be continued.
The high character aud standing Of the
men whom ! nave from time TO time mp.
nointed on these boards, said Governor
Humphrey, rs of itself sufficient evidence
/ OF nv earnest desire to sAcure good lOCa
government by the enforcement OF nj
laws. including the prOhibitory law. Fol
example, these appointments have inclGd
ed such men rs George \. Eddy, J. l.
AbeTnathy. n. r. Anthony, IN Leaveu
wocr h; Dr. II. w. LeMis. Judge W. +
Stauley. in Wichita; Rev. DR. McCabe
Hon. = J. Bonebrake and Charles F
Spencer, in Topeka. ana 20 OF, ID othe1
cities In making such appointments
have invariably selected men Of know
symyA,hy with and in favor OF law and
/ .,-d.r GENERALLY In fp4yeuv0vth som.
two years ago | even appointed the two
Republican membe designated by the
pastor OF a church out OF his owl
cnn--ra-alion and in NAnsAs Ei-E III.