Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-02-14
POLICE BACK OF IT
BILL TO DIVORCE DEPARTMENT
FROM CITY IS READY.
CLEARY WILL ACT AS SPONSOR
QUARTETTE OF POLITICIANS SAID
TO BE ITS CREATOR.
If 1t Becomes q Law Home Rule for
Kansas City Will Receive Its
Death How and the Police
Become "Miss0uri State
Omcers."
CLEARY WILL ACT AS SPONSOR

cial.) The Kansas City police bill. which
Is aimed to divorce the police force en-
tirely from city control will be introduced
tomorrow by Representative Cleary. He
will do SO by request. 1t is significant
fact that none of the Kansas City repre-
sentatives stand sponsor for the measure
which is intended to be fatal blow to
home rule. Both Cleary and Phillips. If
not avowedly against the bill. are known
to be Indifferent as to its fate. .Cardwell,
alone among the Kansas City delegation.
will be its active champion. Before coming
down to the legislature he placed himself
and his eloquence at the disposal Of Jim
Pendergast, for any purposes whatever.
and 1t is doubtful II the boss will have
more urgent need of the young orator than
when the police bill comes up for consid-
Grafton.
AS The Journal has before stated. the
bill is the result of the collaboration OF
Pendergast, Julian and Gregory. 1t was
compiled in Frank Rozzelle's Office and he
was the consulting attorney in its prep.
aration. 1t follows the old metropolitan
police act. but there is a vital difference.
The old law gives the city charter as the
authority for the creation Of the police force.
The Pendergast bill gives the governors
police board as the authority. The present
law contains eight references to the city
charter. The proposed bill contains no ref
erences to the city charter whatsoever. The
bill attempts to re-enact into statutory law
all the provisions of the charter in relation
to the police. thus seeking to make the
police force state institution, not only
governed and controlled by the state, but
deriving all its power from the state. In
express words. the Pendergast bill de-
clares that the police force are Officers of
the state of Missouri"
A Death Blow for Home Rule.
The charter of Kansas City has been
the main hope of the people in their strug-
gle for home rule. By eliminating all ref
erences to the charter from the bill and by
vesting the authority for the creation Of
the police force in the police board rather
than in the charter. the Democratic ma
chine hopes virtually to annul the home
rule provisions of the charter. Where this
circumlocution would be successful is a
legal question, to which there Is q strong
negative side. But as to the intentions Of
the gang there can be no doubt. The blow
at home rule, they consider, the pet feature
of the bill.
A very important provision Of the PEN
dergast bill is that by it the board is
made the sole judge Of the amount Of
money necessary to run the department
and the common council is required to
nppAopiAthlC Al Lie A1Sl Otul-
nance of the fiscal year. payable out Of the
| next annual revenue Of the city, the sum
of money as estimated by the board. At
present the council has power to hold a
check over the, department. through the
annual appropriations, The proposed bill re-
moves this check as 1t does every other
check that has heretofore been exercised
by the city over the police.
The police board Is constituted as at
present. The bill embraces the charter
provisions giving the board exclusive power
to grant dramshop licenses. A civil service
board shall hold examinations from time
to time. as to the qualifications of appli-
eans are 70 md ne mage a6 OF 5hose who
patrolmen are to be appointed from these
| lists. They are to serve on probation for
| men. After serving for three years on|
the regular force. they are only subject I'd
removal for cause.
Salaries VIII be Increased.
There is an increase in the salaries Of
captain. lieutenant, patrolmen and secre-
tary of the board. The scale of salaries
provided is as follows: Chief Of police, 49,
to the board $500: captain. 800: lieu
to the chief. $500: surgeon. 1850; de-.
each, s1,0sO; patrolmen, not to exceed one
for every LOCO inhabitants. each, 5000; pro-
bationary ratrolmen, each, S120: matron
$500; signal men, each. $500; hostlers. $40,
No change is thus made in the present
law in regard to the number OF the force
but by the new census 1t is expected that
from fifty to Seventy-five patromen can
be added. And if the bill should pass. the
board would doubtless authorize an in
crease to the limit of the law.
Story of It's Birth.
The bill was originally drawn up by
Rozzelle. in response to request from the
Police Protective Association. The first draft
did not contain the Objectionable features,
merely providing for the increase in SAL
aries. But when submitted to the police
board. Gregory said 1t would not do. 1t
was then that Pendergast and Julian got
together with the political head of the po-
lice board and had the provision inserted
In regard to the dramshop licenses and the
provisions inimical to home rule.
Thus modified, the measure suits the PEN
dergast cult. but It pleases Joe Shannon to
be displeased. Since the appointment Of
Gregory is assured It suits Shannons whim
to be Filipino. He does not look with
cuIated to give Gregory more power.
Neither does he care. to strengthen the
Stephens machine SO long as Pendergast
and not Shannon, is the governors master
meehanie, in KanSss az S,,y City For obvious
same telescope and for obvious reasons
| Noel is in much the same fix Thus to
Cardwell is left the defense of the Pender-
CAST bill.
Shannon's Excise Measure.
The measure which will have the sup
| port Of the Shannon members Is the excise
| bill. It. also. will be introduced by Cleary
| tomorrow. The bill was prepared by Frank
Walsh. 1t creates county excise commits