Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-06
QUICK ACTION PROMISED on CHAR
TER AMENDMENT ORDINANCE.
COMMITTEE WILL MEET SOON.
WILL PROBABLY RECOMMEND THAT
A NUMBER OF CHANGES BE MADE.
While a Majority of the Members of
the Committee Favor the Mems
ure, They Are Not Yet
Agreed Upon All of
the Details.

Three of the four members of the upper
house judiciary committee, TO which has
been referred the charter amendment or
dinance, viii vote to report it favorabIy.
They are Alderman Wyne, chairman; Al
derInan Eyssell and Judge II. c. McDougal.
who is ex-officio member. Alderman John
ston, the fourth member, is now in Penn
sylvania, and viii probably not return for
ten days or more. It is not known what
stand he will take, but, as he spends very
little of his time in Kansas City, it is prob
able he will not participate in any of the
committee meetings.
Aldermen Eyssell and Wyne are both out
spoken and emphatic in their demand for
home rule in the police department, and
their views regarding the ordinance sub
mitted to them are almost identical. Both
favor the measure in the abstract, but are
undecided regarding details. The ordinance
they report TO the house may differ from
the one they now have in hand. but its
active principle will be the same. Judge
McDouRal, city counselor, of course, IA
vors the ordinance as drawn, though he
Eays 1t will probably be amended almost
out Of existence" before it runs the gaunt-
let of the two houses. He has some doubts,
also, as 10 lne IecepLlOn 10 De gwen II
by the supreme court when it comes be-
fore that tribunal upon the propositions:
Which is supreme in the matter of Kan
City's police department, the city char
ter or the state law" Yet he is willing to
give the Kansas City public an opportunity
TO express itself in opposition to the ma
chine politics, the tricl5ery and tyranny
which now dominate the department.
Alderman Wyne said yesterday: Il have
been out of town until just recently. but I
understand the Journal has been making a
most commendable fight for this reform.
OF course l am in favor of it. / am going
TO call meeting of the committee in a
day or two when We will lay out some line
of action. am not sure that the ordinance
as drawn is the best way of getting at the
matter, yet it may be. am not sure about
the details. 1t is very complicated matter
End has many phases. My idea would be
70 have every member of the committee
confer with such men as H. c. Kumpf,
Major Warner and o. II. Dean-men who
have had experience in municipal affairs
and get their ideas regarding the minutiae
of the measure, then meet and compare
notes.
'It would probably be a good idea to
embody some other propositions with this,
one providing for the extension of the city
limits, and another for the annexation OF
Westport for instance. As long as we are
might as well be included and thereby save
expense. am willing, however, TO be gov
erned by the opinion of the majority in
these matters, and shall Insist only upon
eXpediting the matter to the utmost"
Alderman Eyssell said: 4 am in favor
of some measure that will give us control
of our police department. 1t is a disgrace
10 have our affairs dictated by Il man in
a little way station down the river, whose
only interest in us is to use us to further
his own political ends. We ought to be in
position to know what becomes of the
money We pay out for police protection.
and there ought TO be an end TO this dick
ering and barter in saloon licenses. 1 will
either vote 10 report favorably the ordi-
nance as now drawn. or some other one
of similar import upon which the commit
tee may agree. ! talked with Mr.. Wyne
last night as we were returning from the
council meeting, and we decided to confer
with well known lawyers in the city and
get their ideas as to the best form for the
ordinance. 1t will probably be acted upon
inside of ten days