The age-herald., 1898-11-17
fIClAL BLUW POLICE COMMISSION Ciy Council Asks Legislature to
 Abolish It MIR, PEARCE'S RESOLUTION Passed Without a Dissenting
 Vote. FOR LOCAL SELF-60vERNMENT Charged That Commission Is a PoIiti-
 cal Machine. THE COUNCIL HAS NO POWER Pays for the Police Department and Then It Is Run by One Man Chief
 McDonald's Trip to
 Montgomery.
THE COUNCIL HAS NO POWER

It has been known for some time that the city council would make fight to have the police commission abolished, but the first official blow in that direction was struck last night.
 The board of aldermen, by passing reso- lution introduced by Alderman Pearce asks the legislature to abolish the commission and put the control of the police depart ment in it's hands. The resolution was not discussed, and was passed without a dis senting vote.
 It is as follows:
 Whereas, The management and con-
 trol of the police force of Birmingham
 is under the present law, in the hands
 of a commission appointed by the gov
 ernor of the state, and,
 Whereas, This law takes away from
 the people of Birmingham the right to
 select their own officials for local self
 government, and,
 Whereas, It is highly necessary under
 the present financial condition of the
 city that all departments of our govern
 ment shall be in the hands of an elected
 body, which said body is responsible to
 the people for a proper and economical
 distribution of all funds derived from
 taxation; and.
 Whereas, No necessity exists for more
 than one governing body and 1t was not
 the intention or the spirit of the gen.
 eral assembly of Alabama in granting
 charters to municipal incorporat tions, to
 abridge their rights of local self-govern-
 ment, but to grant full police power to
 them for the protection of life and prop,
 erty. Therefore, be it
 Resolved, By the Mayor and Aldermen
 of Birmingham That the senators and
 representatives of Jefferson county be
 and are hereby requested to enact a law
 giving the entire management and con-
 trol of the police department of Bir-
 mingham into the hands of this board,
 with clause repeating the present law
 providing for the appointment of a po-
 lice commission.
 It is said among the aldermen that they are determined, and that the fight will be vigorous enough to open the eyes of the legislators. The plan is to get the matter before the legislature at once, and 1t will not be many days before the denouement will come.
 Weary of One Man Rule
 "We are tired of being ruled by one
 man, and that's what the police com
 mission puts on us. We are tired of having one of the biggest political ma- chimes in the state foisted on us as something non-political We are tired of paying man to lobby in Montgom- cry for his own interests, while our cit izens are afraid to walk the streets at sight for fear of running against the barrel of a highwayman's pistol"
 These were the words of Chairman Pearce of the police and sanitation committee of the city council in an interview.
 The control of the police department was taken away from us ostensibly to get 1t out of politics." continued MT. Pearce, land now there is not a greater political machine in the state. It is is not pollt- ical machine why did Chief Mcdonald go to the legislature two years ago to keep the men who were to make him in power? The city council paid his salary while he was in Montgomery fighting us. His posi- ton is here in Birmingham at the head of the police department. Why is he in Mont well that the people of Birmingham do not want him as chief of police. He knows that his only chance to remain in office is to act as life preserver for the police The city council paid his sal ary two years ago while he was doing this sort of work If demand is made for his salary this time while he is in Mont gomery there will be a vigorous protest raised against paying it.
 Stab at Local Self Government
 'The law authorizing the police commits sion is a direct stab at local self-govern- Ever since it was established fric- ton has existed between the board of al- dermen and the police commission. They have put the power in the hands of one man and he does everything contrary to the wishes of the board. He Is the czar. When any of the aldermen ask something about the department we are just as good as told that it is none of our business. We know nothing about how it is run. On the other hand we do control the fire depart ment and have heard of no dissatisfaction arising from its management. It is thrown In our faces that we will run the police de- partment into politics if we get control of 1t. Has any one ever said that the fire department has been run into politics?