The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-30

citizens. There is some element of dan
ger in all of this, but the best human ma
ture would net allow a man to abuse the
power that is given him.
Councilman Virgin thought that if the
Mayor should be given control of the fire,
police, street and other departments, no
would be able to control the city politi-
cally and perpetuate himself in power.
Mr.. Libby didn't think that the his
tory of commissions in other cities had
shown that the commissioners had the
power to control the cities politically.
Councilman Maybery and MIR. Libby
then entered into discussion OF the
effects commissions of public depart
ments would have on the politics Of the
city.
Mr.. Libby said he believed that the
only way to have an efficient police force
was to give the Mayor the power to dis
charge any police officer without trial.
Bat the new charter doss not give the
Mayor the power to appoint policemen.
These must be appointed under the civil
service laws. The city marshal should
not be taken from the ranks of the police
force. He must be man Of exceptional
ability and fitness for the office and
must have qualifications that could not
be found in the ranks of patrolnen.
Wien the deputy marshals have been
taken from the ranks you have gone far
enough. None of US are satisfied with
the police force as it exists today. There
is danger in this one man power, in Civ
ing the Mayor SO much power, to be
sure, but you must know that the Mayor
will be acting under the full view of
all the citizens and his responsibility
he cannot shrik.
Mr.. Libby asked II the council was
satisfied with the police department. II
you are not satisfied with it under the
present system, why not try something
new9 If you don It like it, after trying
it for one year, you have the right to go
back to the legislature and ask for
restoration of the present state of affairs.
"Let any patrolman be suspended from
the police force for any reason by the
mayor and let it be known that the mat
ter is coming up before the board of al
dermen, what happens? Why said
Mr.. Libby. "when that polioeman's mat
ter comes up you will find that he has
gathered every friend he has on his beat
who will importune the board OF alder
men for leniency in his case. and the
board of aldermen under such pressure
will not uphold the Mayors suspension
of the officer. This matter has been
tried again and again. Under the new
charter the board of aldermen will have
no power to interfere, but the Mayor
can remove police officer for reasons
if ne choose and this fact will tend to
improve the police department -
Alderman Ilsley said that he thought
if the Mayor had this power of removal,
he would go to tbs police at the time his
term was drawing to a close and say,
Boys, go out and hustle for mo- and
Mr. Ilsley said, 'tthe boys would come
pretty near hustling for me. to-"
Sections 10 to 81 were read and passed
over without iscussion.
Alderman Kehoe asked if tina commits
sioners in drawing up the proposed
to the city charter had COZ
sidered the advisability of having the
chairman of the board of aldermen and
not the Mayor preside ct the meetings
of the board.
Mr. Libby replied that this had been
considered by the commissioners, but it
seemed better to have the Mayor preside
ovaE all meetings, in which he had no
power of vote excepting when the stat
utes require or in the case of tie.
Alderman Kehoe said that he did not
think that this plan of the Mayor rresid-
ing over the meetings was in accordance
with the desire of the new charter to
separate entirely the legislative and exc
cutive departments of the city govern
ment. Mr.. Kehoe thought it was better
to carry the plan out to the end and sepa-
rate the executive and legislative branch
es entirely.
Mr.. Libby replied that 1T was ques-
tion of judgment only, but this seemed
to be carrying things to extremes. Mr..
Libby believed it better to give the exc
cutive the power Of presiding over the
board of alderman where his presence
to be required by the right of his
office as Mayor IF the city.
Councilman May berry asked if it had
been taken into consideration by the
the benefits that might
have been derived from the election of
the city assassDrs by the people instead
Of by the board of aldermen.
Mr.. Libby said that he saw no reason
why the present method of election of
overseers should be changed. He be-
lieved that tho assessors were now elect
ed for their experience and fitness for the
office and not for political purposes. He
thought that If the present method of
eleotion of the assessors was not salts
factory and did not have tendency to
the selection of men outside Of political
reasons, it should be changed SO thht
the city assessors should be selected for
their fitness and ability.