The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-03-20

put II on is final passage. but WEIGH
objected and the motion was lost In
support Of his motion Parker made
an able argument He said in part:
AN emergency exists. The police have
claimed they earned their salaries by
collecting from the China gambling
houses. etc. more than enough % pay
their salaries For a long time past
we have not insisted that gambling
could be carried on under any particu-
lar arrangement; with the police de-
partment We saw III to reduce all
salaries a short time since and the
police department have seen III TO re-
taliate on the council by closing up
the games II was not done one week.
or two weeks ago. but all Of a sudden
they struck a moral tone. This ordi-
nance In my opinion. Is necessary TO
protect the revenues OF the city.
The surveyors report on the exten-
sion Of Commercial street was confirmed
by ordinance. read the third time. and
passed
Revolutionary improve Goth street
from Exchange TO Commercial, TO give
entrance to the new depot. since the
railroad had stated they would soon
have the track laid TO it: adopted.
To place water hydrant near Han
;horn's cannery; adopted.
That the committee on ways and
means engage an attorney TO assist the
city attorney in prosecuting the suits
for the collection OF the Grand avenue
Improvement assessments; adopted.
That the committee on public prop
erty employ a sexton at the Clatsop
cemetery at salary of s45 per month;
adopted
Opinion Of the city attorney read,
stating that the sheriff could not collect
fees for the collection Of road taxes
in the city, and resolution passed that
such fees heretofore collected be recov-
cred by whatever means necessary.
d. H. welch and H. Mansell were
appointed street assessors.
The usual bills were presented and
referred 70 the committees.
THE MAYORS SPEECH.
Just before the council adjourned
Mayor Taylor arose and said that he
had a statement TO make to the coun
Gil a pin might have been heard to
drop in the chamber when he COM
menced. He said: Members of the
Colncil: / was surprised when | saw
the report in the paper this morning
that ii was rumored there was dis
agreement between myself and members
OF this body. l do not know whom
the report couid mean, and do not
believe there is anything in it, but that
such a report could be circulated at
all shows that there is something
wrong somewhere with some of the
city's officers believe that every
member OF this council in his acts in
this matter of retrenchment did what
he believed to be right and just. The
law empowers the council to fix sal
aries. 1t is the province of the council
to do that, and they have the right
to do it without having reflections cast
upon them by some other department
of the city government. In the be-
ginning of the year the police commits
sion saw fit to pass an uncalled-for
resolution rejecting upon the council
and to my certain knowledge the chair
man of that commission instructed the
clerk to give It out TO the papers for
publication. 1t was also intimarVd toI
me that If the police salaries were
reduced some retaliatory measures
would be adopted
1--WE all know that gambling has
been going on in this city, under
sort of license, through fines collected
by the police department The ordi-
nance reducing police salaries was re-
turned to the auditor by me yester-
day afternoon Within three or four
hours afterwards it came to my ears
that the gambling houses were to be
closed up that night. AS to gambling
in the city. have nothing to say now.
l only speak of the spirit which ami
mates some Of the officers of the city.
Last evening that ediet went forth
in spirit of retaliation. If 1t was
done by the commission it showed a
wrong spirit. I am told again. how