The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-13

The committee on municipal corpora
lions Of the lower house of the legisla-
ture held a public meeting last even
ing to hear arguments concerning Sen
ator sutherland's bill. amending the
present fire and police commission law
which has passed the senate and is
now in the hands Of the house COM
1nittee. Hon. c. s. Varian, Judge Pow
ers. City Attorney Mckay and Chief
Devine addressed the committee which
sat and listened patiently from O clock
until midnight.
MR.. NARIAN SPEAKS.
Chairman Nye called the meeting to
order and read the bin as amended
and passed by the senate. Mr. Nye
then stated that any gentlemen present
who wished to speak on the subject Of
the bill would bu heard. In response c.
S. Varian arose and in part said:
I am informed that there are numer-
CuS3y signed petitions before the legiS-
lature asking for the repeal of the
existing statute. The Dill came before
the last session with an attractive til
tie which, providing for non-partisan
police and fire departments, of course
appealed to every good citizen. 1t was
supposed the bin would relieve US
OF the difficulties which had previously
existed. There was no immediate need
of the law. but the people felt it was
a scheme to get efficient service and
so the bill became a law.
Without criticizing anyone or wish
Ing to give offense, l will say there
has scarcely been a time in the last
year when the community has not been
attracted to some diScOrd or scandal
in the fire or police departments, and
1t is constantly getting worse. The
Dill has not operated as it was sup
posed 1t would. 1t must be apparent
TO any impartial person, particularly
in the police department. that the adj
ministration is tending TO anything
but for the interest of good service.
/ call attention to the experience we
mad few months ago. when the no
lice officers went about spotting. peek
ing over transoms and spying upon the
private acts of citizens. | saw that
the police service doesn't REQUIRE no
ilcemen to resort to such degrading
acts. 1t does not elevate them and
make them the brave, honorable and
conscientious men and officers they
should be
The people don't want their police
ofheefs engaged in such acts. They
want their streets guarded and lives
and property protected. To secure the
highest efficiency in the police service
there must be perfect harmony in the
force This there has not been and
cannot be under the present law. with
10 one whom the people can hold re-
sponSlble. The mayor, who ought To
De responsible. is Shorn of all his now
err 1t ought to be his duty 10 protect
the city and carry out the Administered
non OF the police and every other de-
4 loT1F Ii
an ne can do is suspend under certain
circumstances -
IL Is impossible to secure a hoard
OF commissioners who can act harnon-
lquSly- -Four minds have four diffArat,t
IDEAS. 1t ought to have been but one
mead and he the man whose term of
once Is out Two Years and whom the
people can hold responsible
The speaker quoted Judge Dillon as
IN eminent authority on municipal
government. in which he held that fun
power should be delegated to mavors
more Than ordinarily is.
Ihat applies particularly to orr sir
lFatlon. he continued. I'VE want a
mead Whom We can hold responsible
not four men whom we can't remove :;
MI NdTian stated that there is no
mead to the police and fire department
VINO can be reached in an emergency.
three Of the members of the commits
SiOiI pelng 2hSemt from the city He
laid particular stress on this point to
snow that If anything should happen
requiring the immediate presence of
the head of the department, there was
none upon whom to rely. He read the
names OF many prominent citizens
VINO mad signed petitions asking the
repeal Of the law, and then those of
prominent firms, and said he felt it
was the wish Of much the greater por-
ton.
The bin said he, bears the name
of senator of ability, but he has
hardly lived here long enough to know
just what the city requires; besides. /
cannot think he ever drafted this bill.
SO unjust. so unfair and in many par |
uculars SO unconstitutional I don't /
believe he conceived it. If 1 were to |
give the bill a title, would say it is a |
bill relating to fire and police depart /
ments in cities Of 1900 or more inhab- !
itants, and to perpetuate and keep in |
power the present chiefs"
Mr.. Narian then dwelt upon the var |
3ous sections of the proposed bill It /
W2s obnoxious for many reasons. 1t !
look out of the present law the require /
ment that subordinates be given an |
open trial upon charges filed, when re- |
moval was contemplated, and gave |
chiefs most arbitrary powers. The I
subordinate was never secure in his |
position. but was subject to the whims !
and caprices of his chief, and must |
always smile and bow in humble SER
Vitude to his chiefs ever varying
20, ],