The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-07
rolitlc. and the BIC perartment.

Politics ana the IRE Depar I'm nj.
Is IL no, about time that politics was
eliminated from all matters pertaining 10
the management Of the city's affairs. and
that such matters should be conducted on
a strictly business basis: Il may Be that
some OF the criticism 10 which the Fire
Commission and the FIRE department. have
been subjected has been due to political
feeling but point has now been reached
which concerns every citizen who seeks
IRE insurance. The IRE insurance com
psnies take the position that the fire de-
partmsnt is inefficient aRd they have rails
ea the insurance rates ten cents on the
S-a Now the question which presents
Itself is, shall the Fire Commission main
tain its stubborn attitude, and refuse TO
make the change in the FIRE department
organization which the fire insurance
companies say is necessary in order to
10 make the organization efficient, and
thus impose an additional heavy burden
upon the people, or shall the Fire Commits
sion yield gracefully to the wishes of the
IRE insurance companies. and thus pre-
vent an increase in the insurance rates?
Chairman Grayson is quoted as saying
that he intends to DO what he thinks will
conduoe to the interests Of the tax payers.
Does ne think it will conduce to the in
terest Of the Taxpayers. or the city, to
have FIRE insurance rates increased? Does
ne not know that insurance rates in this
city nov are higher than they are in eth
CT Atlanta or Augusta, and that in proper
lion as the cost Of doing business here is
increased business will be driven away?
An increase IN the cost of doing business
viii also force an increase in the cost of
living. and that would tend to keep peo-
pie from coming here. It is in the power
Of the Fire Commission. therefore. to do
the city a great injury.
Suppose Chairman Grayson is confident
that the fire department organization is
as eficient as it can be made-that the
fire chief is competent and successful-it
doesn't follow that his Judgment in that
matter is infallible. The insurance agents
and experts think differently. and the fact
that they are as competent as Chairman
VI a . SUI W AOA Al a NgA4NN DRAAAOA as ~
whether a fire department is efficiently
handled or not ought to lead him to
question the correctness of his judgment.
Surely it would be better to yield to the
demand for change in the fire depart
ment organization, If the fire. insurance
companies are willing to let the rates re-
main as they are provided a change is
made. than to adhere to the present or
ganization and pay a heavy increase in
fire insurance rates. An increase of 81
on the $500 is a pretty big tax to pay in
order that Chairman Grayson may uphold
his view Of what is an efficient fire de-
partment organization.
We hardly think the fire insurance com
panies want to dictate to the Fire Commits
sion. They simply want that done which,
they think, will give them the greatest
amount of protection against loss. They
are deeply interested in the fire depart
ment organization, and ought to be per-
mitted to have something to say in regard
to it, If they are not permitted they will
take the only other course open to them to
protect themselves course that tells
heavily against property owners.