The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-03
To The Herald:

To The Herald:
The public interest in the fire and
police bill introduced by myself in the
legislature of 1894, and enacted into a
law by that body, is my excuse for
this article. In crfticising the law
some have INDUCED in criticisms Of
myself, and as 1 strongly believe in
the principles of law. 1 desire to point
out some inaccuracies. 1t was stated
in an editorial in The Herald the other
day that it is as hard TO remove a
man from his position under the pres
ent law as 10 convict a man Of murder.
That language was too strong; and yet
arguments Of like nature are being
used by the advocates Of absolute re-
peal and by those who are partisans
of the Sutherland amendments. Sen
ator Jones. who is in the senate, not
as the choice Of a nominating conven-
ton. but by the grace of a political
committee which selected him to fill
a vacancy. stated in a speech on
Thursday that 1 introduced the law
for the purpose Of keeping Stanton IN
Office, and that 1 am now ashamed OF
nv child. Again, on Friday. he took
occasion to drag my name into the
debate and charged me with an utter
ior purpose in introducing the law.
BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT.
His statements are without founda-
ton. I introduced the law and SuS-
tanned it because I believed it right,
and 7 believe in it today. Had 1t been
executed by its friends instead Of its
enemies it would have demonstrated
its efficiency md it would not have
been a source of expense. My course
in presenting the law is JUSTIFIED, for
the very men who fought its civil ser
vice provisions in 1894 are today ad-
vocating them. The press was opposed
to my efforts in 1884,. with the exception
OF the Deseret News, and today each
one Of our daily papers insists that
the fire and police departments must
be kept non-partisan. Chief Pratt and
Chief Devine and the Ogden officers
opposed the passage of the law in 1894,
and now they are active in sustaining
its principles. Surely it cannot be said
that they are animated by selfish mo-
tives.
AGAINST POLITICAL PLUGGERS.
[ did not introduce the law to retain
any man in office; l introduced it so
that forever after in Utah men like
Senator Jones would find it impossible
to secure or retain political power by
making the men in the two depart
ments their political pluggers." That
the public may understand the law as
It stands and the changes proposed
70
review them.
The present law provides, first, for
a bipartisan board of four men hav-
ing charge and control of the two de-
partmentS: with power to employ a
clerk at salary not exceeding $500
per year: that each department shall
consist of the board and a chief and
assistant: that no person shall be APP
pointed to position in either depart
meRt without the concurrence Of at
least three members of the board; that
the board shall adopt rules to govern
the selection Of men. which shall pro-
vide for ascertaining the habits,
standing. reputation and moral and
physical qualifications Of the candi-
dates. and which may provide for
competitive examinations.
THE CHIEFS.
Secondhand the chiefs Of the two
departments shall be appointed by the
board during good behavior and that
no officer or member Of either depart
ment shall be removed. except for
cause. on charges made and a hearing
before the board. 1t is also provided
that in all cities affected by the act
having a chief Of police or Of fire APP
pointed or elected under laws exist
ing when the act went into effect, that
such officers should not be removed
prior to the expiration of their terms
of office, except for cause. and at the
end Of their terms that their success
sors shall be chosen by the board
This disposes Of the charge made by
Jones, that I introduced the law to
further the ambition OF any man.
presume that he believed that in Re
publican senate he could gain votes by
assaulting me. 1 hope that he is salts
fed with the result.
THE RULES.
Third-The law further provides for
the printing and enforcement of the
rules, and that after they take effect,
all persons below the grade of assist
ant chief shall be selected in accord
ance Herewith. The duties of the
chiefs are next pointed out, and they
ordinate, reporting the reasons there
for, ard reporting to the board each
month the condition of the department.
It is provided that in the absence of
the chiefs, that the assistants shall per
form the duties of the Office That no
member of the city council shall be a
member of the board and that the
board shall serve without compensa-
ton unless the council, by ordinance,
otherwise provides.
F'ourth-It provides that the examin-
ations shall be public and free to citi-
zeEs Of the city. That THE examina-
tons shall be practical in their char
acter and shall relate to those matters
which viii fairly test the relative capa-
city Of the candidates to discharge the
duties of the positions which they
seek and that the board shall con-
troll the examinations
Fifth-That either chief may be re-