The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-03-04

The Police Committee of City Coun-
ell is, we think. Offering to the Legis-
lature sensible and practical way of
settling the police difficulty, admit
ting. as we hardly do. that any din.
Guilty exists. In all propatility, the
present police commits sioncrs will not
ask for any increase of the police force
for some years to como, and therefore
there can be no increased expense. The
deficiency In the police appropriation
was made by the commissioners in
creasing the force. after city Council
had nude its appropriations. and had
no resources left by which it could
meet the increased expense. The bill
proposed by Mr.. Ross OF the police
committee, ia check upon the indis-
criminate increase of expenditures by
the police commissioners, in that 1t
provides that no increase of the police
force can be made unless by two
third affirmative vote of the City Coun-
ell.
This, we think, should prove salts
factory solution of tho question, so
the Board OF Commissioners and by
whose authority appointed, that Is
another phase of another part of the
question. We understand that the
bill pending before tho Senate pro.
vides for the appointment of an en-
tirely new Commission, with the
Mayor left out, as one of the commits.
sioners. 1t also provides for the in
crease OF the force by six men, right
from the start, which would be an
additional expense OF Some six or
seven thousand dollars. Tho six now
men are not needed now, and the tax
payers OF Wilmington do not want to
be taxed for their support.
Another and the worst Objectionable
feature of the whole thing Is, that
Governor Reynolds from Dover Is TO
make the new appointees OF the police
board, and he or whoever the Cover
nor is after him, is to keep tho board
filled. OF course, aecl Ring to the
Democrats idea of .paIttsanslip,
two of these commissioners would lie
Democrats and NJ a Republican, and
at this 1t would be kept MS long as
Democratic Governors are eiectcd in
DslaS ware. This is something that the
peoeie of Wilmington do not want,
with the exceptions of TOW Demo
cratic politicians of the John t. Diukey
stamp. The people are getting very
tired OF having their city governed In
Its local arrangements from Dover.
They would much rather prefer the
present police commissioners and the
plan to appoint their SUCCESSORS than
to accept the men appointed by GOV
ernor Reynolds at the dIctation of
John L. Dickey. As we understand 1t
now, vacancies in the police commits
sion are to DO FLIED BY tile coniunctiye
councils OF the president of the board
OF water commissioners, tho president
of City Council and the president or
the street and sewer commissioners.
This is rather complex arrangement,
but one that would no doubt give the
greatest satisfaction il permitted to
act, It is certainly better than to be
at the mercy Of one man and that man
not resident or Wilmington and
having no personal interest In 1t.
The Police Board at the present time
is composed Of two Republicans and
one Democrat, one Of the Republicans
being Mayor Wiley, whose term viii
expire next June, and then whoever il
elected Mayor, whether Republican
ora Democrat, viii take his place
This seems like u very fair arrange
ment and gives tho Democrats as
good an opportunity to secure control
of the next Police Commission MS IL
gives the Republicans. We 10 not soc
whit more our Democratic friends
desire. They say they tire cure Of
carrying the city at the next election;
II so, why then are they not satisfied
This will give them two members OF
the board, and tie full control.