The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-04-28
MANKATo FREE PRESS.
THE COUNCIL MEETING.

Several matters connected with Sat-
urday nights meeting of the council
deserve special attention. The first
and most important of these is the
desire exhibited by Mayor Weaver to
appoint two more nightwatchmen
than the charter provides for. Several
of the aldermen, without due thought
as we believe, committed themselves
as favorable to theOincrease of the po-
lice force.
In the first place the charter strict
ly prohibits the appointment of more
police, unless in case of an emergency
such as riot, etc. The police force
was cut down several years ago tC its
present size in response to general
demand on the part of the tax payers.
There always has been strong feel
ing against maintaining large and
useless police force. In the second
place, there does not appear to be any
present demand for an increase in the
force. 1t would be difficult to point
! to a single instance for several years
past when additional policemen
would have been of use. Whenever
there is burglar scare special police
can be put on for few weeks, if nee
eSsary, as has been done In the past.
1t appears to an outsider as though
the mayor desired to increase the force
more for he purpose of supplying Of
fees for his henchmen than with
eye to the public good and an eco
nomical management of city affairs.
In the third place, the condition of
the city finances does not warrant
the increase in expense which two
more policemen would cause. The
nightwatchmen are paid $50 month,
and two additional men would cost
the city 81, 200 per year. 1t has been
figured out that the city has already
expended or contracted for the ex-
penditure of all the available money
which it will have for a year to come,
and that at the March settlement in
against $4,000 at the present time
There will be in July but $4,000 to
carry the city for eight months, and
this will be eQualled by the ordinary
expenditures. This does not include
road work, water works, park eX-
penses. etc. The figures are startling,
and common business prudence would
dictate that the city government
must be conducted as economically as
possible during the coming two years.
The council raised the salary of
health Office to 5000 year, and that
of health inspector to So per day for
actual service. These salaries are not
too much if the duties Of the offices
are strictly attended to. The health
officer has no bed of roses. and the in
spector must have cast iron olfactory
nerves. The health officer receives
about 500 year in fees besides his
regular salary. The city now has a
good claim upon him for good deal
of service, and now that his assistants
have been appointed, the people will
look to see something speedily accom-
plished.
The adoption of the rule that thir-
ty thours notice be given when a
special meeting of the council is called
does not seem to be wise one, for the
reason that it has sometimes been
found necessary to call special meet
ingS on very short notice in order to
rectify some small mistake, meet
some pressing circumstance, or some
other reason. Whenever possible, the
ample notice provided for is wise and
reasonable, but the object OF special
meetings is to meet some sudden or
unexpected occasion, such as could
not be foreseen at the preceding regu-
lar meeting.
The change in the day for holding
the regular meetings from Monday to
Saturday nights cannot call for favor
able comment, except in the one re-
sDect that there is a greater chance
of having full council on that night.
BuG this is met by the fact that the
mayor and aldermen ought to be men
who are generally in the city, and
therefore men who are in touch with
all local affairs and capable of acting
intelligently upon matters Of even
the slightest Importance. The holding
of the meetings Saturday night delays
the publication of legal notices. 1t is
best to have working day follow the
council meeting for variety of rea-
sons which are apparent to everyone