Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1895-03-01
MILDER THAN EXPECTED.
GOVERNOR STONES REPLY TO COM
MISSIONER CON's LETTER.
The Resignation Accepted aud in "a Few
Tcrsc Sentences the Governor
Makes Known His stand
In Police Matters.

Governor Stone has accepted the resig-
nation of Police Commissioner Wiley o.
| Cox. 1t was never for an instant suggested
that heewould not accept 1t. but there was
some question as to the time of accept
ance and the tenor of the farewell letter
from the chief executive to the member of
the police board.
Those who anticipated a roast will be
disappointed In Governor stones letter. 1t
is q little frlgd. TO be sure, but in the
main, better tempered tnan the politicians
expected, There is one fact made clear in
it, however, and that is, Governor Stone
Will not be swervet from the course he
has determined upon in the Kansas City
police department Chief speers will ind
little comfort in the latter, and Colonel
Irwin may possibly read between the lines
a happy message.
This is Governor Stones letter to Mr.
Cox:
Jefferson City, Mo, Feb 81, 1895.
To Wiley o. Cox, Esq, Kansas City, Mo.
Dear Sir:-I am in receipt of your favor
as a member of the board of police com
mssioners i am not a little surprised at
the spirit of your letter, and the terms in
which You have couched it are such that /
do not care to reply. II IS sufficient for ME
to say in a word or two that my sole de-
sire Is to give to the people of Kansas City
police administration that Will be thor
oughly efficient. 1 want force there that
VIII aid the proper authorities In preventing
crime oil All xmas, ana tndt VIII ala IN ter
retiug out and punishinG criminals. ! want
no man on the force who is Indifferent 10
crime, much less one who sympathi2es with
it, or who condemns any public official in
his efforts to suppress or punish it. Be
yuud accomplishing these ends, / have no
interest in the police force of Kansas city,
but ! intend that these ends shall be ac-
cOmplished If within the range of possibility.
! will not be turned aside hairs breadth
by any influence whatever, Your resigna-
ton Is accepted. Very respectfully,
''WlLLlAM j. STONE"
In an interview Governor Stone was ask
ed by the jefferson city correspondent of
the Journal if he had any criticism 10 make
on the letter OF Mr.. Cox and the Times
editorial He replied:
you must excuse me from expressing
an opinion of either. ! cannot, of course,
engage in newspaper wrangle of that
kind Aside from an that / can say the
people OF Kansas City are entitled to an
honest and efficient administration of po-
lice affairs, My only ambition Is to see that
they have 1t. The press and the people
hold me, above everybody else, responsible
for any failure, or misconduct. l want the
police force TO 10 its duty absolutely, neith-
er more nor less, at all times and In all
emergencies. | am fully determined that
so far as l am connected with the affairs
of Kansas city, the rights Of the people
shall be protected. II is hard fight |
am making. | frequently ilnd myself OPP
posed where ! had occasion to expect sup
port. But / VIII not swerVe an Inch.
know what l am doing. | know great
many things the public have not suspected.
| ann striving in my own way TO serve the
best interests of the people Mlsrepresenta-
tion will not deter me-