The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-23
Buying Up the Police and
the Firemen.
Latest BugabOO of First Ward
Regenerate Reformer.
Cats and Canines--The Latter Bring
City $4,000 Annually.

For half an hour this morning q First
Wsrder, who was formerly an under
strapper in a Democratic organization
that went into politics TO secure recogni-
ton for its mem bers, and not getting 1t,
went into oblivion, meandered about the
lobby OF the ~postofice buttonholing
every one he knew and q good many
who didn't know him, n didn't want
to. II may be as well to remark right
here that this ex-Democrat is now . re-
former. He was shouting reform today
for all he was worth and a good deal
more, for that matter. lie had made a
discovery OF more ''iniquitous iniquity,'"
as he put it, at the city hall, and his
bosom heaved with righteous indigna-
tion. They're still at it," he shouted
into the ear of an unfortunate he had
waylaid, as he held him firmly by the
lapel, they're buying up the police
force and the firemen and they're using
up the peoples money to do it, Then
he glared at his prisoner . mo ment and
went on: Shave you read the papers?
Didn't,you see that the Aldermen have
voted to pay policemen n hremen
when they're of duty! NOT Well, u'sa
fact. That's the way they are trying to
keep themselves in power. It's a burn
ing shame and the people ought to know
II. Those fellows on the force get more
than they're worth anyhow, without pay
ing them while they're loafing. Why
the first thing you know we won't nave
and enjoy themselves and come back
when they get ready and draw their pay.
It's downright robbery, but that's what
those fellows are at the city hall Tor.
This is only a brief sample OF the idiotic
twaddle OF the ex-Oemocrat. present re-
forpnar md ahv0rata 0f that eminent
luminary in municipal polity, III. Cotton
seed Nichols, and that equally distin-
guished ieliow-townsman, Howard Over
alls Sturges.
And yet, silly and senseless, as it is,
there is every bit as much foundation for
il as for the stories The Journal INDUCES
in regarding the license commission and
the police department being used for
political purposes. There is just as much
truth in the story of the ex-Democratic
heller as in the political pabulum The
Journal is daily serving up to its readers,
and that is none at all. The matter on
(which the Boaro of Aldermen concurred
with the Council on Thursday afternoon
is simply q resolution instruct
ing the city solicitor 10 apply TO the
General Assembly at its January session
for legislation TO enable the city to ap-
propriste such sums as it may deem
necessary TO pay policemen and fremen
during the time they are incapacitated
for service through injuries sustained
while actually On duty. Here is all there
is to the matters movement to do
plain anI simple justice toward the
city's most valued and efficient servants;
and yst the reiormers enoeavor to twist
and torture IL into q political plct.
Desperate indeed must be the cause that
is forced to employ such methods.
Tlz -a,r- Tho utafta his rnNIa
for the purpose of raising the wind i'm
AGNES after their little conference is
over and he allows his relative TO retain
his evefeeat- wat~h In return for
SO many dollars and cents kindly paid
over by the relative. that the matter ends
there and that the world Is none the
wiser. Therein ne Is mistaken. True,
the world i'm general knows nothing OF
She little transaction, but q small act i've
and watchful fraction does. IL the young
man parted with his watch that is
known to the police Doubtless within a
few hours. They could tell him whether
il is gold or silver, what its number us
and how much he raised on il, and
more, what his name Is and where he re-
sided. That 10 supposing he didn't de-
ceive his uncle when he applied for
temporary assistance.
The fact is that every Transaction must
be carefully recorded by the pawn
brokers, who are obliged TO make daily
reports to the police, containing a COM
plete list of the articles pledged with
them and the name and address OF the
person pledging them. The purpose Of
this Requirement Is to assist the detectives
in locating and recovering stolen prop
erty, and in this respect 1t Is Of great
value.
This town mas its fair quota OF cats.
or that there isn't the slightest doubt;
but Just how large the cat population
10 no one knows or can even guess. The
canine is that the former roams fancy
free, while the latter has to be accounted
for and paid for once a year in the way
OF a license fee. The cat wears no mans
collar. She is absolutely free and indie
pendent. Nor has independence and
any symptoms of reform. She is the
same feline as of old, making music on
the back fence, while the stars look
down and wink an everlasting encore,
and the bootjack cleaves the night air
with a mighty whirr.
The dog, however, has moro important
duties TO perform even IL less freedom is
allowed him. Indeed as a money maker
he cuts quite a figure. Every year be-
cause OF the value placed on him the city
treasury is enriched by the snug sum OF
S12, 900. That's something worth living
VI shNhhNit ~ PiNAty VI ith IN ehtoc
Plantations who wouldn't object to wear
ing a collar IL they could realize a cool
S12, 900 a year by the process.
Perhaps the man who calls the trains
In the Union passenger station does the
best he can, but he doesn't always sue
coed In making people understand him.
He has a big voice and when he uses ID
he fairly makes tine roof ring, but his
words are not distinct, and II sometimes
requires the closest attention TO make out
just what he is saying. IL is perhaps not
his fault that some people don't under
stand him, nor IL IL theirs, either. Pos
sibly, IL he used less power in making
his announcements and cultivated a little
more distinctness, there would BIO less
cause for grumhling on both sides.
John Nelson bobs up In the present
campaign as sponsor for candidate Me-
1900 49, IIzk~~.. uNs-.- "