The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-04-01
COZ. LEE AT THE CONFERENCE.
He Meets the Mayor and Republican Po-
 lice Commissioners.


 lice Commissioners.
 Local politicians were active yester- day because of certain~%umors abroad that something positive would be done at the meeting of the board of police commissioners to be held next Tuesday evening, and that at that meeting successor to Police Superintendent Smith would be chosen.
 The attention of the board was so oc- cupied with other matters at It's last session that nothing was done, and, as was stated in these columns yesterday, the fact that the members agreed to meet in special session next week has but little significance.
 The most prominently mentioned in the ranks of aspirants outside the department is Colonel Frank T. Lee, whose friends have claimed for him the support of enough democratic votes to elect him, provided the republican commissioners are favorable to his am- bition. Just here is the thing that the colonel has to contend with. He has not had the entire support of his party representatives in the board.
 The developments at the trial of Pa trolman Bellman Tuesday evening caused the members of the board to do some thinking. They have concluded something must be done to improve the morale and efficiency of the force. This has added another serious difficulty to the successful solution of the problem,
 The question is: How will the ap- pointment of a man outside of the de- partment help matters if there be no retirements or dismissals of men who may fairly be presumed to be responsi- ble for the present order of things? Yesterday afternoon at a con ference was held in the mayors office behind closed doors. It was attended by the three republican police commis- sioners, the mayor being master of | ceremonies
 There was considerable significance attached to the fact that the four men had not been closeted for any length of time when the fifth man, who was Colonel Frank T. Lee, the republican candidate, sought and was granted ad- mission. What transpired no ore knows, for not one of the men who was pres ent could be induced to talk.
 The mayor and the commissioners, and, in fact, all the gentlemen attend 1 ing the conference were silent as to what took place, and the public is left to draw it's own conclusions The fact that the candidate and two police com- missioners favorable to his election were closeted with the man who has been op- posing the appointment may not have any significance, as they would have the public believe, but there are those who i have deduced from circumstantial ev- idence that Colonel Lee either has been given to understand that the plum is his or that it is not within his grasp. This is about the present situation. A democrat was asked if he and his colleagues would support Colonel Lee next Tuesday evening if he had the solid support of his party. He said that to get single democratic vote Colonel Lee must come to the meeting with three republicans determined to stick to him all the time, and that they must be assured that Mayor Farnsworth will appoint him if the new charter is pass ed. Unless he can do that there is no chance whatever for him.