The Portland daily press., 1898-03-22

by inc dlu VI SUMO iaWyoI, anu IN" o'AAs
nractioe had been the result of consider
able hardship to many poor people. He
said that the constables would get an ex-
ecution against some man and then
threaten to put him in Jail if he did not
settle the bill with the added charges of
lawyer and constable. Within the past
week, Mr. Rounds said, he had bought
from one of the constables the freed ON Of
n Door debtor. He thought that men who
did this sort of thing should not be
elected. city constables. Men who wanted
to become constables should be carefully
examined, and if they were not the right
sort of persons they should not be elected.
He told of one man whose name was on
the list of applicants in the hands Of the
special committee who had beeu under
arrest Oh the night when he was elected
by the city government "Do we want
such men as this for city constables?'
asked Alderman Rounds.
Alderman Merrill said that in view of
the fact that the special committee on
this matter had found it difficult to deter
mine just what was required of them he
would like an expression of opinion on
the matter from the members of the joint
convention. He further said that Alder
man Rounds's objection to the method of
procedure of some of the constables would
apply to the deputy sheriffs as we'll as the
constables and was a criticism of the law
rather than the ccnstables ze
Councilman Driscoll said that it was
the sense of the special committee that
the best interests of the city required the
Alderman Rounds said he thought
there should be limit to the mum Der OF
constablss elected and he wanted to know
Wharf.-The convention thought about it and
what this limit should be-
|. Alderman Dow said he did not bslieve
the city council had right to limit the
number of constables that should be
elected.
Alderman Merrill thought If the city
council should agree not to appoint over
a certain number Of constables that would
be all that would be required.
The Mayor said he thought the city
council could elect any number of con-
stables 1t saw fit to elect.
Alderman Lamson believed committee
should settle the whole matter.
Councilman Burke said if limit was
to be placed on the number of constables
SO many should be given to each ward.
Councilman Letavor didn't believe in
limiting the number of constables, but he
did think their qualifications for the
office should be carefully looked into.
Councilman Pierce said the limiting
the number Of nonstables to be elected
was one of great difficulty and the num-
Der should be determined by the conven.
ton and not by the committee.
Councilman Milliken asked If the
special committee on investigation had
any names OF applicants ready to report
favorable upon SO that the joint conven.
tion could go ahead and elect them.
The Mayor suggested that convention
decide whether or not the number of con.
stables should be limited. A vote was
taken on this question and thirteen voted
W llmlt bIo 4utlluCI anu ol0f6A d&GluSt
limiting it,
Alderman Smith raised the point that
all of the members Of the convention had
not voted. According to the rules every
member should vote and every question
unless previously excused. He raised the
point that this rule had not been regarded
In the vote just taken. The Mayor sus-
tanned this point.
Alderman Rounds then jumped to his
feet and said that if this was the ruling
of the chair he would move to reconsider
the joint resolution introduced by Coun-
Gilman Cloudy at the last city government
meeting which had a passage by vote OF
Is to Z, whereby the city Of Portland had
asked to have an monitor sent here for
our protection.
Councilman Cloudy arose to speak and
had said, THAT to reconsider the vote on
this resolution would do no good as a
COPY of 1t had already been sent to Wash
ington.
Alderman Rounds raised the point that
Mr.. Cloudy was out OF order as according
TO Tulcb ~ CAO ubQ IlkAb w bpodh
on a motion to reconsider vote.
The Mayor sustained the point raised
by Alderman Rounds.
Mr.. Cloudy then said that according to
the rules no memb Der had right to speak
more than twice on the same motion and
he asked the chair to rule upon this point
as Alderman Rounds had spoken more
than twice on this matter.
Alderman Roundss motion to recon-
slider the vote on Mr.. Goudy's monitor
resolution was not seconded and the mat
ter was dropped.
Councilman Phillips said ne believed 1t
was the duty of the convention to proceed
to the election of constables If the com
mittee had any names ready to report up
on favorably.
Councilman Rosenberg said that the
business of the lawyers was suffering fol-
want of oonstables so to serve their papers,
and he thought the convention should
elect some at once.
|. Alderman Dow now moved to proceed
to the election of oonstables.