The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1893-01-13

ths uuestIan OF police GosnmIssl7nura-
EienoFail-
TorEEA. kan, Jan 7.-Gov- Hum
phreg has issued an address on the
subject of police commissioners for
drst-class cities AT his request the re-
publican members OF the boards Of
Leavenworth and Wichita resigned aud
the democratic members were removed
Following is the address;
thlve nld under consideration the question
OF diasaudlug ths puIica b1ar1s Ga tne several
cities OF tas first class, via LaaveuvoFth,
Wiehita, Topeka Kansas o.t5s Atchi-1-i and
Fort Scott, Dut have coneluie1 not % DO so,
u0rVf tlslzndluE the judgment 90 tla contrary
Of many Of the be1l politicians of the state, iu-
Guiding some u M closest personal as Wei as
yTaea came into once, in Isss. I found only
two sIies Win police boards, viz Leayeuy7orth
and wichita The statutes proylaing Lcr tlll
ulethod OF governing ths police Affairs OF cities
OF the nrzt class make 10 entirely dls-ra t10uarg
with -h1 governor 20 appoint OF not app1lnt E9-
lice commissioners 10 seemed 70 me LEat 70
che system was wise one and believed 10 was,
it should apply 10 All cities that class lllrss
for the other fsur cities % that class Having
exercised the power ana discretion vested ia
me By the statutes have concluded that Sc
would be neither fair nor proper for me 90 dis
band these boards in The very last days OF my
adullzzistrH ton without knowing or presuulng
what the policy Of nv successor may be ia this
respect i think 10 better 20 leo the boards 70
main 90 thEt lac may sdopt whatever policy
ana -t-t-s " Whatever 1etol nay seem ia ms
judgment Wisest and best i feel that he ought
20 have tn6 right 20 exercise lis discretion ana
lu-sLnenL under the law as ulai lFee-y lla
Without beiuE embarrassed or nllpcrel b. the
outgoing admins tratlon-
j am frank % confess that while believe iu
tails system Of administering she police govern
Iuent OF cities, has been the practice iu many
OF the older cities, from which We oouls the
law. el an ius truul suIaiitg for the enforce
uieuL OF the prohtbi ury law DO Kansas ia cities
where me Sentiment Ls hostile it mas proven
uusa tis factory. The police commizslouur5 are
dependent upon the city council FOR tie pay
mcut OF the police force the result being that
a.#Ha nm Ca D #Hn 90
pFoh oitioI- me necessary appropr-a-i1n5 arc
I not made. driving the commissioners I'm 10 SEE
curing revenue by means which are evasion
OF The law, and which place The board no o. false
. attitude before the public. This vital weakness
in the law should be curel by necessary legis-
iatiou III the policy OF admins -ariug police az
fairs ia these cities is to be continued
The high character and standing Of the meu
whom have from time TO time appointed on
my earnest desire 20 secure good local govern
the prohibiJory law. Tor example these ap-
pojutmeuts have included such men as George
A. Eddy J. L. Abernathy, d. r. Anthony in
Stanley i'm Wichita Rev Ur. hcCabai Hon
P. / BoneDrake, +. Spence, in Topeka and so
on la other cities
In making such appointments have iuvaria-
bly, selected men of EuoWn sympathy with 1uc
I'm favor OF law and order generally Lu Leuveu-
worth some two years ago, even appoilto1
the two republican members designated by she
pastor Of a church out of mis- own congregation
ana ia Kansas City the chairman OF the police
board and the police judge were taken out %
another church but like others, tley have
found them selves confronted by the dImcuIty
spoken Of Notwithstanding this D., greet 10
say the pastors Of both Of the churches re-
lerrel 10 have seen tit TO Indulge ia some uu-
kind uud unjust criticism OF me i'm regard 10
the eniorceEnent OF tue prohlDltory law in tle
cities mentioned. for which i was i'm uowLse re-
splusl1le-
I deem it only proper TO remark generally
that the dilucultles experienced iu the enforce
mcu- of the law I'm the state have been very
of % and l59s ia this, that the policy OF pro
hollcl has been peEsts' cltly and constantly
lntaguuiZcd by the democracy Of the state
OF neutrality or Indifference toward 90. leaving
tho republican party with o minority OF thU
votes ls It's only advocate In 1880 the orators
5rzauf-itIou cllIcd The s.Dc11Ig.7 r7srtv.r i.i-
sisted and maIntaiuiug on tho stump and ga
che press that prohibition was not On ISSUE
Notwithstanding the fact that the party's
la the rural districts who have been and srill
ure opposed 10 the saloon. In addition 10 this
I Lac Is9J some ls.J-0 or ncrs republicans joiuod
Win gle dsnlosF-El9 party Ia tll support OF
/ GOV Robinson up9u O platform lntlEoulEac 20
pfpnlllLl91 ElE- sI-a res UT mat tll- 60 -le2n
STATE Hek1s was e4ess1-7 lAcepIh4 tH1 can
ulultc toF attorney general Q popuLst caudi-
date for shat oalces Gen Ives having been
elec tea py HlajoEltg OK ABOUT aN'v O. lne sl8-
utlcluCs OF thls result Is in the feet that the
statutes passed In Eid OF the prohfbltOry law
reposed ia tas attorneys general ana NOS ia the
prosecute proceedings u Dust uufli lhful county
. attoruoys and charged him especially win Tie
duty Of seeing that the law was fai thfllly exc
cuted
While Gen Ives was elected lu opposition 90
3 The policy Of The republican party upon th5-
question, yet bear willing testimony 90 The
tlor Ld has ably and diligently discharged Che
duties OF his ONCE The enforcement OF the
criminal laws aid esIleelatis or Inc pronln-tory
law, after all res rs and depends almost wholly
upon the county attorneys chosen by the people
10 tle 100 counties In mo state II the people
elect public prosecutors who are not in sym
palhy with the law &c is hardly reasonable TO
expect that state omcer' whether attorney
general or governor, can step into the breach
and enforce the law, however faithful or earnest
he may be.
when entered upon the dutiaz Of the once
Of governor 4 was and sim ara. in hearty sym
patty with the pruhi1itory law and its en-
forceUeuL today always have
/ been opposed 10 the saloon. am also comb
dent That I'm this Eek press the sen tiuaut OF 3
majority OF the voters OF The state whenever
the cues li0u shall be submitted 20 them upon
ils merits free from political COM licalLJns.