The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-06-09
THE POLICE AGAIN.

The Union Republi IAN refers to our
editorial in regard to police matters
and says our policy seems to be
little one sided. 1t quotes the follow
ing sentence from our remarks: I'VE
take issue with the Board, however,
in the matter of reduction of salaries
of police officers, if it is intended to |
make the reduction permanent.
The Republican then INDUCES in this |
comment:
"We cannot see on what grounds
the last clause-if it is intended TO
make the reduction permanent-ls
inserted. Surely The SENTINEL is
not SO bold as to say that it is just
and right to reduce the salaries OF
the present Republican incumbents
and then when the Democratic force
is elected to again raise the salaries
This must be lapsus puma.
We thought we made our meaning
q ute clear. We had nothing to con-
ceal and therefore we had no reason
to attempt to mystify our state
! ments. We will say just here that
the writer of the above was suffering
from "lapsus memoriae" or ignor-
ance of Republican city administra-
ton. Right or wrong, the last Re
! publican Board established the
precedent of reducing salaries OF
police officers holding over from the
preceding administration and then
raising the salaries after d force of It's
own choosing and of it's own politi-
cal complexion had been installed
into office. That was exactly what
was done, as reference to the city
record will show, and certainly Re
publicans have no ground for COM
plant il they shall be dosed with the
same sort of medicine.
"The laborer is worthy of his hire
and there should be relative proper
ton between his pay and the value
of his services. Some policemen come
high at the reduced price OF forty
dollars per month and we contend
that every member of such police
force as the community desires and
demands for it's protection, and such
as we hope the present Board will
afford when the next election rolls
around, should receive fifty dollars
per month, because the officer who
faithfully discharges the duties of the
position renders a service that is wei
worth that amount of money
Hence, while upon the basis OF equity
the reduced price may be ample com
pensation for several of the present
force, upon the same basis we reiter
ate the hope that the reduction viii
not be permanent. The community
has had quite enough of policemen
that are not worth more than forty
dollars per month and the situation
OF Z, fairs demands that we shall hav'
mn that are worth and will carr
fifty dollars per month in affordint
the protection that has been wantini
, under the past regime.
i Our understanding was that tn
: present Board recognized tine necessi
ty for better police protection ant
the last Board having left them ,
debt and insufficient funds to NEE
the interest on the bonded debt, the,
adopted the reduction policy in orde
that improvement might be affecte'
| without additional exInnse We re
gard this as temporary because W
doubt that efficient officers can b
secured permanently at the reduce'
!; price and we think it would be falls
economy to fix the pay at figur
that would preclude the engagement
of such a police force that has beel
} sadly needed since the Democrat
: went out of power in 1896.