The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-08
He Uses 1t to Castigate an Ordinance
Regulating Vehicles.

Mayor Ronald yesterday sent to the
city clerk message for the council in
which he scores an ordinance regulating
vehicles. The authorship OF the ordinance
is not disclosed, but it looks as if the
mayor suspected it and took especial de-
light In locking legal horns with the
author. The veto is as follows:
l herewith return, without my approval,
house OF delegates bill No. 426. entitled IAN
ordinance 10 regulate and control the use of
certain vehicles the public streets, on the
wharves aud at the depots and other public
places in the city OF Seattle. and providing PEN
alties for the violation thereof
The objects aimed az by the ordinance are
good, but the means for attaining those objects
are Illegal.
Section provides that the chief of police or
any member of the police force OF the city may
give directions respecting the standing OF ve
hicles while waiting for or taking or putting
down passengers, and the route such vehicles
shall follow when leaving such place. and pro-
vides Tor the punishment OF any driver who re-
fuses to otey such order or who refuses to fol-
low the route prescribed by such chief or other
police officer. The preceding section regulates
these matters and fixes the penalty for their vi
olation. The police have the lawful right TO ar
rest for violation of these regulations; but this
third section makes the chief or the police Off
tions, aud Furnishes the driver for disobedience
of the order OF the police officer, when in fact
such order may be unreasonable and nos in ac-
cordance with the regulations.
Section delegates to the police commissioner
of the city the power to designate certain places
to be known as public hack stands, aud compeis
drivers of ali vehicles to take their stands at
such places. Ii seems TO me, without exam
ining closely into the authorities. that this IS
delegation of legislative authority which the
council has no power 10 do.
Section confers upon a police officer more
ar bitrary powers than the car of Russia can eX-
ercise in his own dominio4s.
Any member OF the police force on duty at any
station, depot or steamboat landing shall in
struct the driver Of any vehicle where he must
stand, and any driver who shall neglect or re-
ius' to obey such instructions or directions of
such police officer shall be punished By fine or
imprisonment l believe il is right to punish a
driver who refuses to obey any reasonable regu-
iat!on or Law of the city council, but before pun.
ishment il should be proven conclusively that
he has disobeyed reasonable regulation of the
city council. Under this section it is not neces-
sary to prove disobedience of any city regula-
ton. All that is necessary is TO prove disobedi-
ence OF some order OF police officer.
Section Is jus. as bad. Any police officer
shall order any vehicle away from any place
where vehicles are permitted to stand, or from
any wharf, depot thester, circus, public or pri-
vate hall whenever. in the opinion of such
officer, such driver Is Improperly obstructing
the street or for doing any other act mentioned
in said section, of which the police officer will
be his own judge as 10 whether such acts con-
stituts violation OF this ordinance. II makes
no difference whether or not such order of the
police officer 10 reasonable or arbitrary or
whether as matter OF fact the driver is yio-
lating any provisions.
He must obey the order OF the police officer or
he will be punished. The police officer shall
not be made the judge of the law. IL the police
officer thinks that any driver Is violating the
regulations, it is his duty, OF course, to COM
mani him 10 desisf, and II he does not desist, 70
arrest him for violating the ordinance, and IL
the driver is convicted OF violating the ordi-
nance he should be punished. This section,
however, ignores all questions of violating the
ordinance and Furnishes the driver for disobey-
ing the police officer.