The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-22
MAKE THEIR DEFENSE.
The Police Commissioners Present
Their Side
OF THE CONTROVERSY NOW CONG on

In reply to charges Of wastefulness and
extravaganza made against the police
department, the police commissioners
have prepared the following:
To the Editor Of the STATE JOURSAL:
SIR-We. the police commissioners, de-
sire to explain some matters in connec-
ton with the police department. of this
city, and its costs.
we give YOU the figures, showing the
net cost to the city, Of the police depart
ment for the last year Of Republican
management, and the first year under
Populists.
NORMALLY there was an incr eased ex-
pense. The actual increase for the
twelve months being $3.50. 6S IN place of
$4,000 as stated IN the Capital The
discrepancy may be too small TO notice,
but if you viii deduct from the in
crease stated above, the salary Of the
police matrOn for which the city
has certainly had full value IN return. the
sanitary work done by the police depart
ment, the pay OF the guard at the rock
pile formerly carried on the street COM
missioner'5 payroll, and the balance viii
be on the other side. Never in the his
tory Of this city nave there been SO many
idle men; SO many hungry reckless men,
SO many men, women and children get
ting desperate for food, clothing and
shelter, and driven to crime TO satisfy
these needs. as since the police depart
ment passed into our hands.
Over and again, efforts to reduce our
expenses by cutting down the force,
have been followed by burglaries, thefts,
barn burnings and other crimes, which
brought clHmOrOus demands for more
police protection. Good citizens of all
parties, have insisted on their right to
have protection, and their Willingness to
be taxed for it. Our city is spread over
such large territory. that even a meagre
service requires large force
Kansas City pays for three times the
men to cover the same amount of ground.
Simple Justice will accord to the officers
and men of the present force, a large
need Of praise for the peace and good
order kept in this city under such adj
verse circumstances. such has been
their vigilance that high crimes have
been almost unknown during the past
year Of turmoil The fact that in almost
every case of theft and burglary, the Grim
inals have been caught and brought to
Justice, proves the efficiency of the force.
We assert that this city never had so
temperate police force as the men who
wear its stars today.
But other factors enter into this ex-
pense account The time was, not long
ago when petty offenders convicted in
police court had money, or friends who
could put up the money to pay their
fines. For the last year, month by month,
the poverty Of this class has been grow
ing more and more apparent. and those
who formerly paid their fines in cash,
now work them out on the rock pile. For
this broken stone our department gets
no credit, though we furnish the city
q mountain Of it.
Alley thieves, stealing to satisfy hun
ger, women selling their bodies to feed
their hungry babes; scores are doing it
in this city. have no money to pay pO-
lice court fines. This city will be very
fortunate If there are not many cases Of
petty crime in the near future, commit
ted for the sole purpose of gaining a
sentence to the city prison for the sake
of shelter and food. Prior to our adj
ministration appeals from the police
court to the district court, were very
few. Only one and One-half per cent of
convictions for violation of the prohibit
tory law were 50 appealed After the
change OF administI alton thirty-tWo per
cent were taken to the higher court You
may be able to give a reason for this
change Of practice, but it certainly re-
flutes the Popular clamOr about undue
leniency on our part to offenders of this
class, and Of all these appealed cases we
have received from convictions affirmed
in the higher court the sum of fifty dol
lars only, which is one item in our def
cit of receipts.
And now about those t.notoriously wide
open joints" We assert that outside Of
the sO-called "clubs" and the Illegal sales
in the drug stores, our people have had
small cause to com plain of the non-en-
fOrcement of the law. About one year
ago the police authorities brought an ac-
ton against the Topeka club, in an effort
70 close the drinking places in this city.
AT that time Topeka boosted a Great
Daily Paper. 1t was the staunch advo-
cate and defender of prohibition 1t was
the proud "bell wether" of the prohibi-
ton flock. Where it led they made haste
20 follow. 1t made public sentiment All
good citizens looked to its columns for
the light and inspiration they needed to
walk by. In the daily Capital of August
9th, 1898, was a grandilOq defense
of the Topeka club. 1t was read with
unusual interest all over the city. We
would ask the Capital to kindly repub-
lish that article. It Will not be
less Interesting today. The logic
Of this authoritative editorial made
IL seem to be duty of
all good citizens to organize clubs. Hos
pitality demands it 1t was essential to
the higher development of social and
business life. Politics, art and literature
c. uld only flourish in their fostering
care. The consultations of religion alone
seem TO have been forgotten IN the bene-
tits reputed to flow from club life, with a
spirituous annex
Our citizens were quick to take the
hint Such advice from such a source
was seed sown in q responsive soil It
accept its conci usiOns. Clubs sprang uD
like the prophets gOurd all over the city.
Shrewd attorneys framed arti-
cles Of incorporation for these
clubs, intended to evade the law
and keep inside the court decisions in
the Topeka club case. 1t could hardly
be expected in these hard times that the
average club could maintain so much
style, and so long a bill of fare, and so
varied refreshments as the pet model Of