The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-07
1T SUITS LEEDY.
The Governor Stands by the
metropolitan Police System.
Declares Nothing Would Induce
Him to Abolish 1t.
FEARS REPUBLICANS.
Says They Would Steal the
Votes of the Cities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS He Prevent
ed Passage of the Bill
introduced Last Winter Repeal
ing the Police Law.

Governor Leedy announces that he
viii not abolish the metropolitan police
system in Kansas and assigns as the
principal reason for retaining that de-
partment of city government the opin-
ion that if the Republicans had control
of the police affairs of the cities of the
frst-class in Kansas they would steal
every election which was held.
The governor has been besieged by
the Populists of Fort Scott to abolish
the police board there, but he refuses
to do so and in explaining why he de-
sires to retain the metropolitan system,
attacks the Republicans.
The local politicians and Off1ce-hold-
ers at Fort Scott indulged in a quarrel
with the police commissioners, the re-
suit of which was the removal of the
old board and the appointment of a
new board by the governor. Now it
seems that the new board is giving no
better satisfaction than its predecessor
and the politicians think the best way
out is for the governor to abolish the
system in that city, power to take such
action being conferred upon him by the
state law.
The governor, however, refuses to
avail himself of this prerOgative and
declares that the metropolitan police
system shall be continued.
L Will not abolish the police COM
m1ss1oners anywhere in Kansas" said
the governor today to a Journal re-
porter. IF I did so the Republicans
would undoubtedly gain control of po-
lice affairs in the various cities and the
result would be rotten elections in
Which no one but Republicans would
have any show and if a member of any
other party had a chance they would
steal it from him or count him out.
With this probable condition staring
me in the face 1 will not give to those
people the opportunity to engage in
such irregular practices"
The governor has disclaimed any eff
q - FER II
opposition to the bill providing for the
repeal of the law creating the police
commission system. He does not deny
it at this time and explains why his eff
forts met with great measure of sue
cess.
when that bill was pending in the
senate" he said today, I told the
committee that it's passage would de-
liver at once to the opposition 1000
votes in each of the six cities of the
firSt-cl2sS. / further told them that if
they desired to create an obstacle en-
braCing 5000 votes at the outset against
us, it would be proper to pass the bill
repeating the old law.
If the opposition did not have the
votes they would create them on the
count" said the governor. "A little
thing like that would make no differ
ence to the average Republican polite
ian.
'''TaIk about facts in these matters
take Shawnee county for example. This
county cast IA 900 votes last year and
there is nothing to be found anywhere
that indicates that the county is enti-
tied to that number of votes. 1t can be
demonstrated that the county has H.
600 votes but there is a discrepancy of
900 votes which is a good many es-
pecially when the result was as close
as it was last year.
''The only way to regulate these
things is by the metropolitan police
system. If I abolish the system one of
the greatest political advantages to be
secured viii be placed at once under
the control of the Republicans who
have control of all the cities of the
frst-class in Kansas. 1t would be un-
wise and impOltic"
The governor says his declaration is
not meant to apply to the present time
or the near future. He says: SO long
as I am governor of Kansas the metro
politan police system will not be abOl-
ished by me- but will be retained to aid
in preserving the dignity of the cities
and the rights of their citizens