St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-01
LEGISLATORS ARE PRESENT.
The Cops Insist on Having
Half Of the Insurance
Money.
FIREMEN GET OTHER HALF.
The Bill Diseussed--LaWmak-
erS Present IndorSe the
Action.


convened yesterday morning at the
Windsor. There was very fair at
tendance Of police officers from vari-
Gus cities of the state Duluth, Wi
mona, st. Cloud and Mankato were
represented by their chiefs, while other
cities had representation in the per-
sons of their marshals. No business
was transacted at the morning SEES
sion, except to hear the report of the
committee on memorial to the late De-
tective Daniel J. OConnor. The
memorial is printed below.
The afternoon session convened at 5
o'clock, and a number of the members
of the house of representatives were
present to learn the desires and OBJ
jects of the associa ton. These were
stated by President Kerr to be the Sc
curing Of l per cent of the state tax
on foreign insurance companies doing
business in Minnesota, for the purpose
of establishing a relief and death bene-
fit fund.
The bill it is proposed to introduce
and have passed provides that sec
ton 2 of chapter 185, and section 3 Of
chapter 1S7, Laws of 1885, be amended
in such manner as shall give to the
relief associa tons of organized fire
and police departments the amount of
tax levied on premiums earned by for
eign companies. The amount of tax
collected as premiums in any town,
city or village shall be divided equally
between the firemen and policemen.
Such fund shall be used only for eX-
tending relief to sick, disabled or super
animated members of either depart
ment, or those dependent on them.
In towns where there may be no organ
lied department the money will be
turned over to the council to be used
for purposes of public protection.
When the bill had been read, Presi-
dent Kerr made statement to the eff
feet that the passage of the bill would
not only tend to secure better pro-
lection for all citizens, but would also
encourage more faithful performance
of duty on the part of firemen and po-
lice officers, and give them assurance
that in case of accident or sickness
incurred in the line of duty they would
be cared for, while in the event Of
death they would leave their families
or relatives with means of support.
In answer to questions by Repre-
sentative Smith, of Duluth, the presi-
sident and Lieut.. Budy explained the
points of the bill. The revenue to ac-
crue from the policies written by for
eign companies in ST. Paul, for in
stance. amounts to $4,000 or more a
year; so that each of the associations
in this city would receive about S6GO0
q year to be turned into the relief So
ciety treasury, and to be used only for
purposes of relief in cases of accident,
sickness or death. 500
Chief Clark, of st. Paul, and Chief
Smith, of minneapolis, strongly sup
ported the plan embodied in the bill.
They pointed out that police officers
are always on guard, even when fire
men sleep, and that promptness in
turning in alarms is the best security
against losses to property holders and
insurance companies.
Chiefs Bogart, of Winona, and Craig,
of st. Cloud, spoke for the smaller
cities of the state. Both laid stress
on the fact that in the small towns,
especially, the police officers take
very active part in putting out fires
after they have discovered them and
turned in an alarm.
Several members of the legislature
expressed themselves in favor Of the
bill The legislators gave it as their
opinion that the bill will not fail of
passage if it's merits are properly set
forth in the legislature.
An executive session, to which only
policemen were admitted, was held
after the public meeting. Behind the
closed doors the best method to push
the bill to passage was discussed.
The committee on legislation of the
association will have entire charge of
this part of the work.
1t was expected that Senator OZmun
would be present to explain the pro-
visions of his proposed civil service
reform bill, but he failed to put in an
appearance. The sentiment of the
meeting seemed to favor the civil
service plan, if the discipline of the
force can be safeguarded beyond
doubt.
The committee on memorial, COM
posed of H. r. Armstrong, Duluth; A.
NJ. Lowell, ST. Paul; E. V. Bogart,
Winona; M. Buerfening, Minneapolis;
John N Zirl1lebach, st. Paul, and
Charles Yates, Mankato, reported the
following resolutions, touching the
death of Daniel j. O'Connor, which
were adopted:
Whereas, 1t has pleased Almighty
God, in the exercise of His divine
wisdom, to call from this world our
beloved brother and fellow officer, Dan
iel J. O'Connor; and
Whereas, In obedience to that di-
vine call there has been forever re-
moved from our earthly association
a true and honorable friend, good
officer and citizen, whose generous i'm
pulses of heart endeared him to all; and
Whereas, His untimely taking off
more forcibly emphasizes that in life
we are in the midst of death, and no
matter whether we. are weak or strong,
in sickness or in health, we should al
ways regulate our lives so as to be
ready to respond to that divine call,
and to be able to give an account of
our stewardship in such a manner as
to deserve the reward of eternal life;
therefore
Resolved, That we most sadly de-
plore his untimely demise, and hereby
tender to his aged mother and sorrow
ing brothers, John J. and Richard T.
O'Connor, our heartfelt sympathy in
their great atfiiction and sorrow; and
be it further
Resolved, That copy of these res
olutions be forwarded to his bereaved
family, and also spread on the min
utes of this association.
SUDrenc Court Gases.