The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-09
VENGEANCE ON FIREMEN
RUMORS AS TO THOSE WHO VOTED
AGAINST Il. VI. JOHNSON.
Probably 10 he Turned Adrift from
the Observation-Disclosures by
Chief Barrett.

Those city nremen who are Democrats,
hut who opposed Controller f. NJ. Johnson,
candidate for auditor in the recent county
election, are alarmed at rumors that they
are to be removed on the ground that they
are no longer Democrats Attention has
frequently been called to the fact that six
months ago all fremen except some of the
favored officers) were required to take a
day off each week without pay. To this
they objected strenuously. At the time it
was explained by the administration that
the policy was one economy dictated. Mr..
Johnson was given credit with saying that
he could not make money grow on
bushes and that retrenchments were nee
essary, else the city would more than eat
up its income. Subsequently, however, the
controller recommended q new apprOpria-
ton of 5000 for salaries in the engineers
office. The firemen argued that il it were
possible to make a new appropriation for
any department the administration might
have been able to find money enough to
pay them full time. 1t was because of this
that many Democratic firemen opposed Mr..
Johnson'S election as county auditor. An
employee of the Board of Safety said yes
terday that it was notorious that a member
of one fire company had openly boosted
that Controller Johnson would not get one
out of the eight Democratic votes In that
house.
1T is only natural said he, that the
administration should be aroused against
those men. The charter requires that half
the firemen shall be Republicans and half
Democrats. These men who did not sup
port the ticket certainly cannot be classed
as Democrats. The main thing is that they
had no right to go about openly Boosting
that they would not support the Democratic
ticket. If they waEted to pursue such
course they ought to have gone down to the
Board of Safety and filed notice that after
that they were to be classed as RepuphcN
ans"
Then they would have been dismissed,
would they not, there being no Republican
vacancies?" he was asked.
Certainly, and they ought to be-. III they
are not Democrats they have no business
holding appointments as such.
Then they ought to be hired and DEM
ocratS put III their places!
The radical supporter of the administra-
ton laughed at this.
Another report was that Democratic fire.
men who had failed to pay their campaign
assessments would be turned adrift. This
was denied by representatives of the adj
ministration. Fire Chief Barrett denied
that any changes were to be made. he
contends that there is no politics in the de-
partment, and asserted that so long as he
had anything to do with the department
no one would be reduced from official posi-
lions to the ranks, and no one. officer or
private would be discharged so long as
they attend to their duties" The present
administration found it possible on one oc-
casion to make sweeping changes, which
politics dictated, in the department for
the betterment of the service" discharging
old and tried firemen for ''incompetency."
President Mack, of the Board of Safety,
of the board to the effect that Democrats
who had not supported the ticket ought 10
be removed would be ignored. He said no
such policy would be adopted. There has
been as yet no formal proceeding taken by
the board according to the public records,
to Indicate changes are contemplated. Act
ing Mayor Johnson denied emphatically
that any changes are contemplated OF
political character.