The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-01
THAT THEY WE'RE UNDER 80
WHEN THEY RECEIVED THEIR
APPOINTMENTS.
BAILIFF ADAMS GETS THROUGH
A Legal LoOphole, But Others of
Doubtful Age Must Show Cause
%. Ii. Lewis Stand.

wise his appointment will not be con-
| f1rmed. Such was the stand taken yes
terday by the assembly committee on
police. The committee also adopted q
resolution instructing the chairman to
ask the mayor If all his police appoint
ments up to date have been made &C.
cording to law, and If all of the men
appointed patrolmen were under
thirty-five years of age at the time.
It was the spiciest and warmest ses-
| sion of the committee on police that
has been held since the time; nearly
two years ago, when the committee Of
the former assembly refused to rec
ommend Mayor Smiths police appoint
ments. One would expect harmony
with the policy Of the mayor under
the present circumstances, but the
| meeting developed a condition Of af-
fairs far from harmonious Mr.. Lew
Is took occasion to freely express his
views Of the mayors policy Of appoint
Ing men Ineligible to the position Of
| patrolmen, and also emphatically crit
| icised those members of the council
who imagine they were elected to rep
resent the Republican party instead Of
the people of st. Paul.
The first case considered by the COM
mittee was that of John Quincy
Adams, whom Mayor Doran appointed
bailiff Of the municipal court. Mr..
Adams is over thirty-five years Of age,
but reference to the charter, section AZ,
page 205, showed that the mayor is au-
thorized to appoint three persons to act
as bailiffs of the municipal court, the
| judges Of said court to approve Of the
appointments. The section further
empowers the mayor to make these ap-
pointments Irrespective of any general
or special rules, or legal regulations
or enactments relative to the qualifi-
lions Of policemen. Consequently the
committee voted to recommend the
| confirmation of the appointment Of
! Adams, though Mr.. Reardon voted IL
the negative on the ground that the
| assembly had nothing to do with the
| appointment.
The next name considered was that
Of T. B. Maloney, whom the mayor has
appointed license inspector. The dis
cussion of the appointment developed
considerable feeling and some plain
speaking, especially upon the part of
Mr.. Lewis, whose remarks were a
| trifie too caustic and pointed to be re-
| committee. Besides Mr.. Lewis there
were present Chairman Mabon and AS
semblymen Reardon, Arosin and
Thompson.
| The first question presented was. as
to the status Of the city's license in
| spector. Reference to the proceedings
Of the council brought to light the or
| dinance of 1892 which in substance pro-
vides that one member Of the police
| force shall be detailed as a license in
| spector at salary Of $1,000 a year.
Mr.. Thompson did not like the or
dinance one bit, and he said So
1T was got up by some people for a
purpose, and ought to be repealed de-
clared Mr.. Thompson.
| Mr.. Arosin thought likewise and re-
marked that there might be 500 police
| men on the force and not one man of
them be fit to become license in
spector.
Corporation Attorney Darragh's
opinion as to what constituted eligible
lily to the office Of license inspector
was then read. It was to the effect
| that the license inspector is a patrol
man and that the man appointed to
| that office must comply with all the
! qualifications required Of any other
patrolman. Mr.. Lewis then opened up
They only criticism of this ordinance
Of 1892 is that it provides for a COM
pensation of 200 for the license in
| spector do not see why he should
receive any more salary than any other
patrolman. Now as to repeating this
ordinance, 1t seems to me that this is a
most inopportune time to do anything
/ of the kind. 1t is not a nice charge to
| bring upon this Republican council
that we repeal ordinances that may
happen to conflict with our personal or
political pleasure or wishes. Besides,
fail to see why fit man cannot be
selected under this ordinance, be ap-
/ pointed patrolman and then be de-
| tailed as license Inspector"
II move that we recommend that the
appointment Of Mr. Maloney be con-
| firmed," said Mr.. Arosin;.'I know MIR.
Maloney to be an honest, able and con-
| scientious man and fit for the position
to which he has been appointed
Mr.. Thompson remarked that he was
willing to back the mayor. but he
| didn't believe in letting one man in and
refusing to confirm others. He thought
the age limit Of IS years too low. 1t
ought to be As. Like Mr.. Arosin, Mr.
| Thompson was inclined to stand by
the mayor. rather than to observe the
strict letter of a law that he disap-
| proved Of. Then Mr.. Lewis planted
himself right in the center Of the ring
and talked to the committe after this
fashion:
II differ with some of you gentlemen
as to the attitude we should assume
in this matter. During the past adj
ministration. the assembly and its COM
mittee on police. of which was a
member, fought all of Mayor Smiths
| appointments in cases where the ap-
pointees were over the age limit ]
maintain we should follow the same
| policy in considering Mayor Doran's
appointments. My recollection is, gen.
| tlemen, that we all took the oath OF
office, pledging ourselves to support
and observe the laws and ordinances OF
this state and city. The charter in
| equivocally states that no man is ell
igible to the Office Of patrolman unless
he is under the age of 35. The fact
the mayor has erred in making this ap-
| pointment, don't excuse US for erring
| am surprised that men should go to
the mayor and urge him to appoint a
man to an Office for which he is dis
qualified by law. True, this is an un-
fortunate provision of the charter but
there 1t is, and it must be obeyed We
hewed close to the line during the past
administration and should do so now.
would take this position if my own
father was candidate for position
| Of this kind. 1t was stated to me early
| by this administration that the age
limit would be strictly adhered to, and
would never have voted to confirm
any appointment of a man whom ]
| knew to be over the age prescribed by
! law
Mr.. Arosin: I didn't vote against mer
over IS years of age who were appointed
by Mayor Smith.
Mr.. Reardon: Ny conscience Is clear