The Topeka state journal., 1902-07-22

w. S. Bergundthal, of the First ward,
was elected president of the council, to
succeed Mr.. Clancy There was no op-
position to him.
The expected opposition to Mr..
BlanchS confirmation failed to mater
ialize. 1t had been claimed by some of
the opponents of Mr.. Blanch that it
would be impossible to confirm his ap-
pointment- In fact. caucus OF some
of the Republican members of the coun-
ell had been held. and it was claimed
that seven of the Republican council
men stood pledged to vote against Mr..
Blanch Some of those who were alleg-
ed to be bound by this caucus, however,
refused to join in the scheme, and when
the break occurred, all attempt to op-
pose the confirmation, melted away.
There was no reason for opposing Mr..
Blanch, and the absence of good ground
for opposition was a weak spot in the
combine against him.
Even if partisan politics were to be
applied, Mr.. Blanch is clean, hard
working Republican, and has been ac-
tive in the support of Republican candi-
dates for long time. He is resident
of the west end of the Fourth ward.
and is indorsed by hundreds of the peo-
pie in the ward who know his character
and reputation. He also had the in
dorsement of the senior councilman
from the Fourth ward. w. F. Weber,
and this proved to be a strong point in
his favor.
Mayor Parker carried out the wishes
of the people of the Fourth ward by Sc
lecting a Republican for Mr.. Chaney's
successor. 1t added another to the may
or's long list of non-partisan appoint
ments.
PROHIBITION RESOLUTIONS.
By a strict party vote the council last
night put itself on record as being in
favor of the enforcement of the city
ordinances against gambling, joints and
disorderly houses. Two resolutions were
presented and passed, the vote on each
being by roll call. The only council
men voting no. were Blossom, Griley
and Snyder, the three Democrats.
The first resolution introduced was as
follows:
Resolved, That the members of the
council view with great dissatisfaction
the immunity permitted to certain vio-
lators of the law in Topeka 1t is the
conviction of a large number of citizens
that never before in the history of the
city have the laws against the sale of
gambling been SO notoriously violated
as at the present time The members OF
the council have no authority under the
law which will enable them to change
the situation. They have no control
whatever over the police department
and are unable to dictate even the
membership of the police committee of
the council. They are unwilling to let
tn1S condition prevail longer without
having placed on record their earnest
protest against the continuation of a
policy which obtains as they conceive
not by the desire of the executive au
thority of the city, but by sufferance,
In the interest of the moral and ma
terial welfare of the people of Topeka
they earnestly urge the mayor to at
once exercise the full authority of law
granted him in the premises in order
that the evils complained of may be
suppressed, and to any such action on
nis part they pledge their earnest and
unQuallfied support.
sc " WOLF
GEORGE NEIL
III. S. NICHOLS.
IS. A. SWENDSON
SAMUEL T. HOWE
GEORGE. w. TINCHER,
wv. S. BERGUNDTHAL'
The second resolution went a little
further and ordered and directed the
police officials to enforce certain or
dinances las they have taken and sub
scrfbed an oath of Office to do" This
resolution provoked a protest from
some of the Democrats. who had con-
tented themselves by simply voting
against the former resolution.
I'D like to ask said Councilman
Snyder, IF these officials mentioned
took any such oath as the resolution
specifies ?"
No one answered the question, and
Councilman Griley said: 'I do not want
to appear to be charging that the chief
of police, his sergeants and subordinates
nave violated their oaths of office and
are perjurers- 1 claim that they are
acting within their rights. and within
the law, and have not violated their
oaths."
Then why don't they enforce the
law? demanded Councilman Swendson.
If you have any charges against
these officials, why don't you prefer
them and have these officials elected
from office, as the law provides?" re-
torted Mr.. Griley.
The resolution in full was as follows:
Be 1T resolved by the mayor and
1oflv Of
the city marshal and his corps of police
men, and the police judge, individually