The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-04
THE BURNING ISSUE
More on the Enforcement of the Pro-
hibitOry Law.

| ter's Address-Has Not Reflected Upon
the Police-Why the Mayors Offer to
Appoint Officers Selected by the Pro
hibitionists Was Not Accepted.
To the Editor of the PRESS:
In this mornings issue of your paper,
under the caption, "Mayor Baxter's Re-
| ply, is printed a communication pre-
sented by the Mayor at a meeting of the
Board OF Aldermen last night. It's de-
sign as announced, is to call the atten-
! tion of the board to statements recent
| ~ made in a popular pulpit to the
effect that the Mayor had failed in the
part of his duty which pertains to the
illegal sale of Intoxicating liquors.
Naturally supposing from recent events
that am the one to whom attention is
| thus directed, make reply.
| There is only small portion of the
| communication which has to do with
/ the recent utterances on the subject. The
| urSt part of the article is a familiar reci-
| tai of the relationship arranged between
the police department and the sheriff's
office. Then follows the story of the
| peculiar difficulties of enforcement; this
| is succeeded by the announcement
| that the police force as at present con-
| stltuted is inadequate for the work;
! then the Mayor mentions the PROPOSE
| tion to appoint deputies suggested by
those who assume to speak for friends of
| enforcement; then comes the denuncia-
| tion of those who make charges against
| the police, denial of the Mayors re-
sponslbility in the matter and the COM
munlcation closes with what seems to be
1 a wise recommendation looking to an
| increase of the police force SO that the
| police department can deal with the vio-
lations of the prohibitory law. Obvious
| ly, | have only to speak of portion of
this CO. communication. Speaking of the
| letter as whole, / must say it is dis
| appointing surprise. [ had not imagined
| the Mayor capable of such an utterante
| under the circumstances The reasons
will appear here after. In the mean
| time let ME clear the way to the main
point by considering foreign issues
dragged into the discussion.
In the first place the Mayor evidently
attempts with consummate skill, worthy
of better cause, to prejudice the case
by making large part of his reply
defense of our police force. Persons
having charges to prefer, against the po-
llcemen are invited to meet the police
committee at the Mayors office at a GER
tain hour, and the assurance. is given
that II discriminating evidence against
any officer on the force is produced, that
oi1lcer shall be promptly discharged
just how the Mayor, whose hands are
tied" and who has no real control over
the police" can SO confidently give such
an assurance of prompt discharge does
not appear. 1t seems that after all, the
Mayor does believe he has control of the
force sufficient to cause discharge for
neglect of duty, in spite of repeated pro-
testations to the contrary.
What called forth this elaborate de.
! Tense of the police when the Mayor has
been Charged with failing to fulfil his
duty9 1t is not a fair, manly meeting
of the issue involved. The accused vol
unteels his services as counsel for the de-
| Tense of those who are not on trial,
just what was said concerning this mat
teri In the sermon it was stated that
| one reason urged against turning the.
ponce loose upon The rum shops, was the
fact thai SO many of the force "were IN
active sympathy with those who were
illegally engaged in the sale of rum, and
that Tor this reason it was not possible
TO DO as much with the police force as
might be desired"
In response co that argument against
the use OF the police force, my reply was
that such fact ought not to paraiyze
| our CITY government, aud / added these
wortis: Such charge ought not to
be made against our police force until
oOOAAS
to see what they can do, and that they
have not had. | would not be afraid
to trust the matter to our police if they
were given the proper orders" Is there
anything in such an utterance to call
forth protest against the defamation
OF our police force?ss Is there ground here
Tor the implication that malinged our
notice with unsubstantiated charges?
The public must judge.
But who made the charge in the first
place that many of our policemen were
in league and. active sympathy with the
rumsellers? The man who made the
charge upon which the writer based
what be said in the pulpit concernina
the police force was Mayor Baxter, him
self. He did this before ever anything
had been uttered in the pulpit or had
appeared in the public press When MAY
or Baxter was approached to see If some
thing could not be done, in explaining
his position OF helpiessness. he declared
that one great barrier in his way was
the fact that so many of his police were
IN active sympathy with the rumsellers.
Ihat statement was made by the Mayor
IN the presence of the writer and it was
also heard by Rev. j. G.. Merrill, DID,,
and BY Rev. VS.. Ayres, pastor of the
First Baptist church, who were present.
when the Mayor made the charge. These
gentlemen heard what Mayor Baxter
sald and will corroborate this statement.
It was in reply to the very words of the
Mayor himself, that spoke, though he
was not mentioned as the author of the
charge. because of his relation to the
police force, the speaker not caring to
EN- barrass anyone needlessly.
In what way can such methods be
fitly characterized? The Mayor is an
preached concerning the enforcement Of
law, and in excusing himself complains
of the corruption of the police force.
That obstacle is discussed in the pull
pit, and the speaker expressly declares
that such Il charge can be no valid
excuse until the police have been given
fair opportunity. Then the Mayor
tries to fasten the odium of the original
charge upon the one who really defend
ed the police. He loudly cries 1.-THE
character of the police has been as
sailed" He convenes the police COM
mttee at the Mayors office sat twelve
O'clock tomorrow" to receive charges,
He declares offending policemen shall
be promptly discharged, and then as the
very climax he says: If men who have
made insinuations and indirect charges
against officers, fail TO avail themselves
OF the opportunity now presented to
them,sit would seem that in the inter
est of good morals, they should hereaf-
ter hold their peace"