The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-13
And Less BuncOmbe in Police
Management
Is What Citizens Of Topeka are
Demanding,
Whether POpuIists or Republic
cans, They DO Not
WANT MONEY WASTED.
Public Sentiment in Favor o
Cutting Down Expenses.
Police Board Disposed to be
Stubborn.

President J. B. Billiard, of the board
of police commissioners. today received
the following letter from Mayor Chas.
A Fellows in regard to the proposed
reduction of the police force to conform
to the law:
Topeka, Kan. Dec II. 1897
Hon. J. B. Billiard, President Board OF
Police Commissioners Of the City OF
Topeka, Topeka, Kan.
Dear Sir:-ReferrinS to our conVersa-
ton of the 9Th inst, in which you urge
that the mayor and council refrain from
insisting that the board of police COM
missioners comply with the decision or
Judge Hazen concerning the police
force have talked with several of the
councilmen, in fact a majority of the
members of the city council, and with
many citizens and tax payers, and am
compelled to inform you that the city
viii insist that your board be required
to comply with the law. No other
course would be right or just A viola
ton of the law of this state by the pO-
lice commissioners or city officers can
not be justified in any possible way To
follow your suggestions and allow the
police commissioners to continue their
present organization of the police force,
without any reduction in number, grade
or expense, without protest on our
part, would we believe, be a betrayal
of the trust reposed in us by the peo-
pie.
AS to your suggestion that if the city
insisted on the law being complied with,
that your board would raise all salar-
les to their maximum limit and would
endeavor to make the police depart
ment cost as much as at present. / am
confident your conduct will receive and
merit the censure and condemnation OF
the people of this city, and in my 1udg-
ment, will not receive the approval of
the executive of this state. Your board
ought to be willing to use every effort
to reduce the running expenses of the
city, and ought nOt,as matter of Spite
add additional burdens to our tax pay
will not be impaired by taking II q Few
of the "fringes and plumeS't that 1t has
been decorated with as mere matter
of display.
We have tried to reduce the expenses
of the city to the lowest possible limit
and we expect you, who have control of
low our example. If you do not, the re
sponsibility must rest upon you and
the administration you represent
c. A FELLOWS, Mayor.
President Billiard will answer the
Mayor Fellows letter. At the meeting
of the police board held Saturday night,
no action was taken in the matter A
discussion was had about it.
Mr. Billiard said in regard to it: we
talked about at the meeting but no
action was taken. We may have a
special meeting of the board this week
to consider the question. received
Mayor Fellows letter only this morn
ing. / shall prepare an answer 10 IT,
We think that it would be wise not to
reduce the force and that is the reason
we suggested raising the salary Of Ger
tain officers to the maximum 50 that
with the extra money we could main
tain the efficiency"
Mr.. Billiards. answer will contain the
suggestions as already made, together
with a statement of the needs OF the de-
partment and way Of reaching II pos
Sible, some compromise.
It is the opinion of Mayor Fellows
and the city council that the police
board is making a grand stand play to
prevent the reduction Of the police
force.
At a recent conference President Bill
city would save nothing by ordering
the reduction of the force because the
law allows the board to raise the sal
ary of the police judge to $1,000. He
were other Instances where salaries
might be raised and the city would con-
seqUenuy have a crippled force but one
just as expensive. Mayor Fellows was
stumped by the audaciOus statement.
He did not want to believe that three
aries of officers in their employ simp-
~ for spite.
There are others besides the city
council upon whom the pettiness OF
the police commissioners would fall.
and they are the men, Populists and
Republicans, who pay the taxes. It is
doubtful if POpulist business men Will
stand extravaganza by the Topeka pO-
lice department or any city department
The police board does not like to let
go of any policemen. They are part Of
a powerful political machine and they
do not want to do anything to destroy
the effectiveness of the machine. but
of course this does not affect the busi-
ness men who pay the expenses.
There is a scramble to shift the re-
SnOnSi bilitV the council.