The herald., 1895-07-11
1HE FIRST BLOOD
II SEEMS IS DRAWN
BY the Continual Punching
of the Ministers
TWO RESERVATIONS
ARE CONTEMPLATED
Among the Badgered and Weary
Police Commissioners
WHO SAY THE POSITION
is A THANKLESS ONE
The Reasons Given by Them for the
Contemplated Action
NO, REMUNERATION
AND BUT LITTLE HONOR
The Councils Late Censure Thought to Be
Very Undeserved
NE Rev. Will A. Knighten Thinks Barham
and Webber Want to Be Respects y
Again and Smiles Skeptically
When Asked Certain
Questions
NO, REMUNERATION
AND BUT LITTLE HONOR
The Councils Late Censure Thought to Be
Very Undeserved
NE Rev. Will A. Knighten Thinks Barham
and Webber Want to Be Respecta y
Again and Smiles SkepticaIly
When Asked Certain
Questions


which has for over two months been
wsging between itself as an organization
and the city administration, as to whether
or not the social evil can and should be
suppressed. As a result of the onslaught
by the ministers, Police Commissioner
Guy Barham has practically resigned his
position, and the resignation of John
Webber will also at an early day be forth
coming. Both of these gentlemen make
no excuse for their intended action ex-
cepting to say that the position IS
thankless one, carrying with it no re-
Enumeration and but little honor, and
that those holding the place are badgered
ana hampe1ed, no matter how conscien-
tious their motives or their determlna-
tion to do their duty.
Mr.. Barham probably voiced the senti-
ments OF both himself and Mr.. Webber
when he yesterday spoke to Herald re-
porter as follows:
~ accepted the position because as a
young man it hattered my vanity to be
elected for such a place. Had salary
been attached to the billet 1 should
never have taken it. The pressure was
such from my friends that when l was
impo.tuned by, my, party associates, l
said yes. and allowed my name to 60 be-
fore the council. -ls4i
81 entered upon my duties with full
determination to always ascertain the
wishes of the people and then carry them
out as their public servant. l had no
sooner attended the first meeting OF the
board than 1 made enemies of all OF my
friends because 1 could not appoint all
who wanted to serve as police officers.
Then the newspapers got after me, some
of them Intentionally misrepresenting my
motives, and others caricaturing and ridi-
my family began to look upon me as
monster. I finally made up my mind
that had enough and wanted to quit. I
have my own ideas about the social evil,
rs every man has who has had an average
experience with the world, and l want
to say that Los Angeles is today as moral
q city as any of Its size in the land, and
that John NJ. Glass is an honest man and
Just the one to be at the head of the po-
lice department of the city,"
Com missioner Webber could not be seen
yesterday, but it is stated upon the most
reliable authority that by August 1 he
will have stepped down and out of his
present position. 1t is known that the
membe of the commission have not
acted altogether as unit upon some of
the questions of policy which have re-
Gently come before them as body. The
conn issoners usually hold back room
meetings behino closed doors before the
open sessions are called to order. The
0eCallS OF what Is tueIc uOuo W Hot al
ways reach the public ear. Some of the
comm issioners allege that certain plans
In secret agreed upon frequently go astray
because those among them who are weak
kneed kick over the traces and refuse at
the proper time to vote. 1t is no secret
that the Republican ma ority in the board
sometimes try to dodge the issue and
throw the responsibility of policy upon
the Democratic minority.
Both Commissioners Webber and Bar
ham feel that the council in the resolu-
tions of censure. recently passed, did not
treat the members of the police commits
sion fairly, to say the least. A Democratic
member of he council said yesterday to
The Herald reporter that he would be in
favor OF not filling the prospective Demo-
cratic vacancies upon the board at all, if
such a thing could be done. Guy Bar
ham says that running the good members
off the commission may result in profess
slonal politicians being elected to these
places. which would be the worst thing
that could happen to the city.
There is tendency in some quarters
TO allow the Ministerial association to
gil the coming vacancies. President Tedd
and his Republican colleagues fight shy
when approached upon this phase OF the
subject. They do not care to discuss the
matter.
Rev. Will A. Knighten was seen yester
day afternoon at his home, 453 Banning
street, in reference to the Contempla
resignation in the police commission,
snd asked his opinion in the matter.
Mr.. Knighten replied that he had
thought of no reason further than the
possibility that they wanted to get away
from such associations and be respecta BILE
again. He affirmed that the Ministerial
union had not been trying to drive men
out of any position or do aught but to
have the men now in power enforce the
laws.
He further said that the union has had
confidence in the police commission and
the council, also in the administration of
the city; and they are not willing to give
up believing but that those in power will
yet find some means to comply with the
demands of the union.
When asked if the Ministerial union
would recommend men to fill any vacan-
cies in the commission. Mr. knighten
smiled somewhat skeptically and said
tiun doesn't met again till next Monday,
would be ia ken, if any, bur that in all
human probability the powers that usual
n control those things would fill the va
eancies with such men as they wanted
and needed, just as they had done in the
past.
-"In fact,'' said Mr.. Knighten, ''it is
with the council rather than the police
commissioners that the union has had its
dealings in the past for we feel that the
former body Is the right one to act i'll
these matters. They have the law on
their side and cor sequently the power,
All the matter needs is backbone on the
part OF the authorities to put stop to