The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-28
POSITION IS STATED
Committee Calls on Mayor
Ross With Resolutions
MANY QUESTIONS ASKED
Interesting Replies Regarding
Situation Is Given.

him with copies Of the resolutions passed
at the mass meeting held last Sunday in
the Auditorium The committee was
composed Of H. w. Lewis. Deacon Smith.
". b Jones. Robert T. Lawrence. on
the previous day these Same men had
waited upon Sheriff C. W. simmons and
presented him with copy Of the reso-
lutions passed by the mass meeting. Last
night there was much comment on the
streets over the splendid manner in
which Mayor Ross explained his position.
The conference yesterday was an inter
esting one from several points and the
committee evidently found out a few
things If which they were slightly iguor-
ant Mayor Ross gave them his position
on the matter In accordance with the or
chances under which ne is to take ac-
ton There seems TO have been a rather
vague idea about the matter and Mayor
Ross in his characteristic manner gave
the committee TO understand that he had
no more power to act than a private
individual
When the resolutions were unf0lded
and laid before the mayor Of Wichita, ne
said: Il suppose that these are the same
as have been published in the papers Of
the city"
The reply was in the affirmative.
Vow. see a clause in here" said
Mayor Ross. Gin which you state that
the officers Of the city have been appeal
ed to and that we have refused to act
T wish to correct that impression I wish
you to understand that have no au-
th0ritv TO take action in this matter
Whatever. am a city officer and not a
state officer. Now If you people want
the law enforced. you must go to the
proper officers. and they are the state
and county officers. ana not the city Of
fcers. All you need to do is to file
complaint am merely a city officer.
and as such it is my duty to enforce all
city ordinances. The city has no law or
ordinance for the violation Of the pro-
hibtory law on its books.
NOW, 7 have had the opinion Of the
city attorney. besides other attorneys in
this city. and I find that have no juris-
diction in the matter. Just a few days
ago the city attorney said TO me: When
the legislature removed the metropolitan
police law 1T removed an jurisdiction
from the police judge fin the state laws.
The police judge can only pass On such
laws as are enforced by the ordinances. /
I know Of no law whereby the mayor
or police Of this city have power to en-
force the prohibitory law unless as pri-
waite citizens of Wichita, and then only
by an ordinance to that effect
no no
mayor had ordered saloon on the West
side closed and it had been closed If
that was the case, why would he not
have the power TO close all the rest of
them2
Mayor Ross replied: 'It is true that
gave orders TO close the saloon on the
West Side The sentiment was against
having one there owing to the university
IN the West Side. and i simply closed it
by big bluff I have no intention Of
trying to blum the rest oG the city in
that respect 4 had nothing to back me
up in the matter, and 1t was only a blun
that caused the saloon to close"
+Weu, it was against the law"
'Yes. it was against the law OF the
state but the city Of Wichita had no
ordinances TO back it up in the mat
ter"
After few more questions Mayor Ross /
gave the members Of the committee some
more Information rather interesting He (
said.
"some Of YOU gentlemen were members
Of the police commission and as such
never enforced the prohibitory law in
this city. You probably did the best
that you could bur the law was not en- /
forced"
"rhe saloons on the streets we're
closed"
Eyes, they were closed on the streets. /
but you merely drove them upstairs OF +
into holes in the wall and there you had +.
no control over them You merely in /.
creased the number Of places under lock +
ana key ana made them places for min +
ors Is gamble and Carouse without be- /
ing observed.
''From the records T ind in a compar-
adve statement that There is Jess crime
and drunkenness I'm this cty now than .
at the time when you people were on the
police commission. The records are ut
your command and y0u can look them
over If you desire. but You win ind that
my statements in regard 60 the matter
are correct
.If you wish the saloons closed. why
do you nos file a complaint with the
county Attorney?
gwen set Us the evidence and we
Will"
u have no more power 20 set You the
evidence thsn you have ouly AS a pri-
waite citizen There IS no ordinance t1