The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-12-14
HORSE SENSE.
Men of Influence in Topeka
Take Up the Subject
Of Police Administration and
Discuss 1t.
An Eye Opener for Governor
Leedy and Partisans.
MEN WHO PAY TAXES
Are Tired of Having Cities Gov
erned Politically.
Want the City Run Just Like a
Corporation
FOR RPUBLICPURPOSES
Police Force Should Be Re-
duced for Economic Reasons.
Citizens Generally Stand by
Judge Hazen's Decision.

The people who pay the taxes of To-
peka are not satisfied with the Metro
pOlitan police. This feeling has been
intensified by the action of the board of
police commissioners in dehantly re
fustng to follow the decision of Judge
Hazen and reduce the force to a num-
ber allowed by the law The threat of
the commissioners to raise salaries to
keep up the expenditure of money,
shows the system up in its true light as
q political machine
NJ Snattinger, in discussing the con-
troversy, said:
7 have followed the matter through
its different stages. and it is evident
to me, and l think to everyone, for that
matter, that there is nothing in it but
politics. 1 was really angry when I
read what President Billiard Of the pO-
lice board had to say His letter bears
on its face the fact that the first thing
thought of is what effect a reduction
VIII have upon the party.
I am not prepared to say whether or
not there are enough policemen, but
a police department properly conduct
ed. can never be secured while it is in
the control of politicians do not
blame one party more than another.
They are all guilty alike.
1t does not seem right that a class
Of men should be put in charge of a
department to manipulate It to help
this or that party, and that we have TO
pay for it It Is not fair. and the soon
er 1t IS done away with. the better"
Major William Sims. president of the
First National bank said:
on general principles. I would say
that the police commissioners should
follow the decision of the court If it
says there are too many, the force
should be reduced to correspond with
the law 1t seems to me that there
are too many burglaries and things of
that kind now
e W Benedict-The whole trouble is
with the system 1t is not right that
any police system should be controlled
BY politics. That is where the whole
trouble lies. 1 believe it would be bet
ter to have a small police force and a
good one. than a large one that
amounts to nothing.
D J. Greenwald-I do not know that
the police force is too large now but
we should have an efficient force with
the least possible expense to the tax
payers / do not believe that those who
framed the metropolitan police law ev-
er intended that it should be made q
political machine. do not believe that
they Intended that all the policemen
should be discharged every time there
Is a change in the administra ton. I
contend that the spirit in which the
metropolitan police law was enacted
was all right and that it was the pllr-
pose to make the police department
like those of the larger cities in which
merit is the only thing considered in
the men, 1 do not believe it possible
TO make good policeman in one or two
years.
Ex-Governor Thomas A osborn
think that a force of Is patrOlmen can
furnish all the needed protection in this
city provided they are appointed with
reference to their ability and not with
reference to the votes they cast. Until
such is done. I don't think it matters
much whether they do or do not reduce
the force.
Mr.. P. I Bonebrake-I know that
during the three years I was on the
police board We had a force of only %
men, and the city was more orderly
than at present. We squelched all the
joints and disorderly houses then as
soon as they started, and that is more
than IS being done now I think Mayor
Fellows has taken the right stand and
believe that the force should be re-
duced because it would be a saving to
Mr.. Edwin Knowles-I don't think the
reduction of the force would count ma
terially as far as protection is concern
ed because the present force is far
from efficient.
AR E H. Crosby-As far as protec-
tiOn is concerned. I think that the pres
ent police force is not large enough
There is practically no protection af-
forded the outlying districts of the city
and never has been any. But If the
city can't afford TO keep up the police
force. why it is an entirely different
tnl1iS- don't know anything about
the activity of the police force.
Mr. b f. Morrow-If Judge Hazen
was correct in his ruling. I think the
police commissioners should reduce the
force II II is the law. they should
abide by it. The commissioners might
as well go out and break the law by
running joint as to stand uD and sav
they won't reduce the police force after
Judge Hazens ruling. As far as pro
lection is concerned I don't think We
would know the difference if they turn
ed the whole force out.
Mr.. l. =. WOolVertOU-T don't +1,fr1-
the present police force is too large, or
this size But if the council must cut
down expenses, let the force be reduced
This is the only business-liIze wav of
looking at the matter. Personally. I
think the metropolitan police law is a
farce. and am emphatically in favor of
the city running its own affairs We
elect councilmen to look after the af
fairs of the city. and I don't think the
governor or anyone else has any right
to interfere.
n r Morehouse-The police force
as at present Of very little use to US,