Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1900-02-23
RIGHT OR WRONG.
ED1roR PRESS =

In your last weeks issue you
blamed the flremen only for not
giving due notice of the election for
a chief. According to Borough
Ordinar ce No. 10 it is not the duty
of the firemen to give the notice
but the chiefs. According to this
Ordinance the council had IL per
feet right to appoint; this is not
disputed The only question is was
the council right in not consulting
the firemenY An organization like
fire department should have pub
lie encouragement, and as the Or
dinance requires active aud able
men, those men ought to have thr
right to elect their own off .ers
Tho Office of chief is not paving
one he has no organization what
ever, his time in giving due motto,
may always be questioned. Inas
much as the council is superior tbs
members of the fire department
have a perfect right to go befor,
that body aud present their views
Aud the council should receiv'
them with courtesy We are a vol
untary organization and having
been for several years "a member
know how difficult it is to keep il
together. Nothing makes propert,
safer than a we'll organized depart
ment. We never know when a fir,
may break out, and though ther
have been comparatively few in tia,
past, that is no assurance as to TIN
future. As to the question of righ
or wrong that is supposed to be an.
swered by the fact of resignation OF
the one entire company aud several
members of the others. The couu
Gil can hardly be blamed for obey
ing the Ordinance, but nevertheless
l do not think it did justice to tho
firenen. 1t is bad policy for the
superior body to deprive the lower
body of it's right by chance. The
Ordinance having been passed more
than twenty years ago l think il
should be changed or ameEded and
if not the Same difficulty will likely
occur again. The firemen are al.
ways willing to aid, asking 10 pay
or credit, and we all regret the act.
ion of No. Hose and the other re
signing members, and trust tho
matter may end without further
trouble, for the best interest and
protection of the town.
A MEMBER OF THE Fl. 81 l.. Co.
(Our correspondent does not dis
pute the right of the council in its
action, his whole argument is as to
it's expediency. This may be ans
wered, in the abstract, by saying
that it might have been policy for
| buO OOuuOll W OOnSulO Will tuO hlC
men in the interests of harmony OF
it may be stated in another way,
that no matter how negligent in the
performance of their dutiesa body
or,the chief, may be, yet the council
should overlook their short comings
forgive their remissness aud pardon
all their sins of omission, in ordei
to keep them in good humor
Solomon said "spare the rod anC
spoil the child" and if the policy ot
condoning faults, overlooking shor
comings and never visiting pun
ishment was pursued, society would
soon be at the mercy OF wrong doers
: or to put it more mildly, would b
constantly required to be on it
knees before those who neglecte'
their duty, were careless of tn
things required of them and in
different Of the forms of law, il
, order that they might be placated
or not offended at q seeming rep
rimand. The chief, according t
! our correspondent, was remiss i
: his duty, If in fact under the b.
laws OF the department he was eve
legally elected as such, and yet
says by its action that his negleC
> must be overlooked and in realit
the council is asked not to abide b
the forms of law because the fire
4 men do not do so. ED. PBEss.)