The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-01
Committee on Police, Under the
Tuition of John Dennis, Is
Flying New COlOrs.
BIO THREE LOOKING FOR TROUBLE
A Pointer For Future Investigation-tias the
Matron's Report Been Lost In the Shuttle?
Who is Accountable? e?-Notes.

A reform wave has struck the city ana
a glorious movement is to be led by the
aldermanic committee on police. People
may laugh at this statement, but 1t Is as
true as gospel preaching. Early in the
present year when the president of the
Board of Aldermen made his committee
assignments many of the citizens shook
their heads at the complexion of the COM
mittee on police. They professed to see in
the makeup Of this committee that obsta-
cles would be placed in the path OF the
police force at every turn. This statement
was Indignantly denied by the members
of this committee, and they further added
that they would do all in their power to
assist the present heads Of the police de-
partment in enforcing the laws OF the city.
When the announcement was made by
the members of the committee 1t was taken
with grain of salt, because it was we'll
known fact that not one of the committee
had a7y love for Mayor Gottschalk nor
the present Chief and Sergeant OF Police.
Those citizens, who were the first to
doubt the sincerity Of the committees
loud protestations of innocence, and heart
breaking desire to advance the welfare of
the police department, are feeling satisfied
that their prognostigations are true. They
are satisfied that the little dram which
was enacted the past week is but the fore
runner OF more petty politics of the same
kind.
1t is a remarkable thing, and beyond the
comprehension of the voting public that a
man like President Eastwood of the Board
of Aldermen, man who is considered one
of the soundest business men in the city,
will allow himself to be pulled and hauled
around by John Dennis. There is no use
Disgusting the plain fact that the majority
of the citizens look upon Dennis as the
''Boss." 1t looks to these same citizens
very much like repetition of Barnum's
circus-the ringmaster snaps his whip,and
the majority of the Board of Aldermen,
particularly the committee on police, dance
to the music, and do his bidding.
IL this reform committee on police are
looking for some matter whereby their
names may pass into history as benefact-
ors to the city at large, and at the same
time put full stop 10 some Of the school
boy politics which emanate from the City
Hall, golden opportunity presents itself
to them. Let them investigate the disap-
pearance of the Chief of Policies annual
report, which came to light Friday even
ing as mysteriously - it had formerly
vanishsd. 1t is their duty to find out who
has been trifing with the property of
their department. The chiefs report is
their property, in sense, and 30 is the
matron's report. Where is the matron's
report? Both these reports were in pos
session of City Clerk Crawford. Where
has the matron's report gone? The men,
bers OF the committee on printing have
not seen it, nor has it been received in the
Common Council.
The gentlemen of the aldermanic COM
mittee on police should rise to the occa-
sion, shake off the Dennis yoke, assert
their independence, and no matter who
falls by the wayside, show the citizens that
they are out for pure and unadulterated
article of reform.