Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-08
Mr.. CARDWELL HAS Baked
WILL NOT CONSENT TO THE GANGS
ROUGH RIDING.
1t Is rOposed to Have County Court
Appoint Justices-Fire Commits
sioners and One Election
Commissioners Also in
the Scheme.

coming legislature. The attention which
the city will receive may not he such as
will please or benefit the people. but il
the legislative schemes of the gang succeed
the bosses freely boast that the govern
ment of Kansas City will be taken out OF
the hands of the voters and placed i'll
the keeping of the machine. With a proper
manipulation of the city machinery, they
reason. Kansas City can be made to elect
a gang ticket. The plans Of the Kansas
City gang have been communicated to the
state gang, and the war against Kansas
City is on. Some of the tiXers, however.
have not been discreet enough, and the
scheme, supposed to have been bound tight
about with secrecy, has sprung Il leak.
The plan which is TO deliver Kansas CITY
over to the Democracy embraces three pro-
visions:
First. the abolition of Republican justice
courts: the justices to be appointed by the
county court instead of elected by the peo-
pie.
Second. the creation OF a fire depart
ment machine by the appointment of lire
commissioner.
Third. one election commissioner for the
city. instead of three. as now provided by
law.
The second scheme involves appointment
by the governor of a board of fire omnis-
sioners. similar 10 the police board. now
in vogue. This scheme was exposed in
The Journal several days ago. 1t imply
means the sacrifice of efficiency in the fire
department OF the city to Democratic polit-
zeal greed. The gang has long been yearn-
ing for control of the fire department 1t
would be an able ally of the police machine.
If the firemen owed their appointment to
the strength of their allegiance to the gang.
it is reasoned that they would work in
dusiriousiy to drum up votes for the ticket.
Justice Scheme Is Original.
The scheme for a justice court machine
is original and startling. Nothing in the
gift of the gang is too good for the man
who plotted and conceived il.
1t will be a day of halielujahs for the
gang when the courts are finally subju-
gated.
But the worst scheme of all is the last.
Ii was devised when Clay Arnold refused
to do the bidding OF the gang and connive
at the revival of Owsleyism in Kansas
City. When Clay Arnold refused TO sane
ton the registering of ghosts from vacant
lots and houses before the last election. to
be voted by the repeaters at the polls, his
taking off was decreed right then. But
the scheme developed from the first idea
was the removal CT ArGo,d. II now embraces
the removal of the Republican member As
well.
Without the shadow of an excuse for tnc
reform" Kansas City. according TO the
plans of the gang, is to be placed entirely
subject to a political despot. With but
Gre election commissioner. and he in the
service of the machine. Kansas City could
TO longer hope for an expression of the
will of the people.
Representative William o. Cardweli has
ff,Iy,I ,l. ,r.-ar a-I ,xill mot nI.N- tt.N
behest Of the gang again to faStcn Owsley-
ism upon Kansas City.
Il Will never vote for a bill to put the
election machinery of Kansas City in the
control of one man. said Representative
Cardwell yesterday. Il Will never vote to
exclusively of the Democratic party. The
scheme savors too much OF boss rule 10
suit me. While | do not accuse Owsiey. the
fact remains that he was cenSured. and |
would not want the return CT that disgrace
upon the party
The present system suits me all right.
And while | have been approached by Il
politician who sounded ne upon the scheme
to substitute one commissioner for The
three. | could not support it. even though
my party demanded ii of me. | got my
Office without making any pledges to the
politicians. and | intend 10 do what is
right for Kansas City.
DO you favor a boz rd of fire commits
| sioners?" he was asked.
No. | do not. l think the fire depart
ment should be kept out of politics. The
department is too efficient at present for
any change
Mr.. Cardwell is Inclined to favor the
Justice court scheme.
Representatives Cleary and Phillips were
no~n-committal on any of the plans. Il
have heard them mentioned. hut haven't
made up my mind yet" said Mr.. Cleary.
The plans of the gang. however. may he
| foiled by 4 minor circumstance. It is I'M
derStood that the Kansas City delegation
will not pull together in the fullest har-
mony. They all want to be leaders OF
the Jackson county contingent. Frank
Phillips and George II Noel would each
| like 70 he speaker. And. while John NJ.
| CIeary is not a candidate for that honor,
| he does aspire 10 the leadership of his
delegation. W. o. Cardweli is sponsor for
| Noel and thinks the delegation should unite
on a man who can pull the votes of the
farmer delegates Between these conflict
ing interests and ambitions there is likely
IA he a merry war.