The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-23
THE WAGE QUESTION.
What Nill the Council Do About the
Salaries Of Police 0ffleerSp .
THE COMMISSIONERS TALK
This Is Not a Tine to lmpair the Efficiency
% the Department, Nor Is Il coaSld-
cred NageS Are Too High,

Inc nfonoscd acttoN OF thc NltN NouhNh
IN reducing tho wages OF tho members
| OF tho police forse has created a good
deal OF talk IN huslness ~clrcles,
amongst tho people generally, Juat At
the present crlsis In the affatrs " this
city, when Il Is about 10 enter upon q
new and larger existence, the matter OF
police protection and the efficiency OF
the force becomes one OF grcat import
ancc. In order TO get the views OF those
who arc IN n position TO pass upon the
question. an AStoriha representative yes-
terday Interview down Town mcmhcra OF
the police commission In regard 60 the
subject
SHOULD NOT BE nECREAsEp
Mr.. = & Gordon. one OF tho members
Of the police commission. aatd that an q
member ot the commission. perhaps Il
was out 81 place to express an opinion
on the subject. "Iou can Judge somc-
what for yourself Tho men on tho force
now receive si per month, or at the
rate OF sss cents per day, Each man on
tho force works eleven hours per day, SS
days In the year. I DO not consider that
tho mcn are overpaid, SO far as know,
every man on the force has proved him.
self TO be an honest n efficient officer.
we have aimed to rup the department
rs economically as possible I under.
stand that Il Is now proposed 10 make
a reduction OF tea per cent, or tx the
wages OF each mar AZ 500 per month.
Under the prsssnt MANAGEMENT ami
through the efforts OF the officers now
on duty. the receipts last ear from
fines. and which were turned over 20 the
city, werc s@@ In 1894 tho ~.
eclpts wcre s6s2L IN 1876 the excsss NJ
receipts over the cost of running the de-
partment was about &ca
The opportunities FOR police officers
to make rake-dowus. or In other words
arrests. and then release the parties.
pccketing u s. Zee for the operation. are
numerous l am satisfied hat none OF
this kind OF work has been done ~ the
present force. What might be lone by
cheaper mon Is q question. From the
applications We aow a IN hand II
would seem that 20 hiee cheaper priced.
and inexperienced mea. would srcauy
dctorlorate tho efficiency OF the service.
and I. for odc avn most certainly not IN
favor OF reducing the wages OF tho police
officers. II Il Is found absolutely ncecs-
sary TO reduce expenses. l should rather
favor a reduction In the number Of the
force than In the amount OF wages paid
TO each man"
WAGES SMALL. ENOUGH
Commissioners Stone. when lnterrogatcd
upon the suhiect. declared himself ~
most certainly In favor OF making no re-
duction In the amount OF wages paid pa
trolmen. He said: Il am not In favor
OF this taiked-of c~urtaillng OF expenses In
the police department.. The men work
hard: have long hours. and have been
honest In the performance OF their du-
ties. much to the gain Of the city. Sons
people think Il Is easy 20 STAN IN the
corner. or walk up and down the block
looking for trouble. Just let them try H.
| had occasion TO 10 TO Uppertown yes
terday. and missing a car, concluded TO
walk. l walked both ways. and was com.
pletcly tired out when | reached my Once
again. One Of tbs night patrolmcn mas
the heat from Alderbrook TO the Clatsop
MIN. which he IL Obliged 10 cover a great
many times while on duty. | do not
think this Is a snap. nor that he Is earn
ing excessively high wages when you con-
slider the raet hat he always has a
chance OF losing his life or being pcrma-
nently disabled by some thug.
III the city council shuuld decide hat
Il was necessary TO make a reduction
In the appropriation for the Expense Of
the police department. I shall surely vote
TO reduce the number OF men rather than
reduce their wages, Wages are small
enough now for the service demanded.
and to make them any less Is only 10
tempt men to be dishonest. All things
considered. We have n good force. and I
soy. keep Il so. Tn city Is about TO
Increase In populltion. and being n FISH
ing town. and n seaport. there are al
ways a greater or less number OF rough
characters to deal with. Why reduce the
force now. or impair It's efficiency. even
II his Is the dull season."
HE AGREES.
Mr.. II. c. Thompson. chairman Of the
committee OF the city souncll on health
and police. when seen last night. stated
that he was not In favor Of u reduction
In the salaries OF police officers. Mr..
Thompson said that the only question In
his mind vas whether II was not adyis-
able. during the duh season. to reduce
the number OF officers on the force, which
would make a saving OF some expense
to the city. The commission. he said.
could at any time Increase the force
when II became necessary, and that the
committee would no doubt authorize such
action whenever such circumstances de-
handed II. ''Our committee has not ns
yet prepared It's report TO ne submitted
TO the city council on this question. and
It's action will be governed very largely by
The recommendations OF the board OF po-
lice commissioners The present corps OF
officers has proved itself an honest ana
efficient one. and ! would not be the one
TO impair that efficiency. or reduce the
compensation OF It's members Its num-
beers may possibly have 10 be temporarily
reduced"