The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-17

more needed than In the FIRE department
both in the handling Of men and In pro
| Niding the city with proper fire apparatus
and In the purchase Of supplies.
IL will he seen that in the appointment,
of fire commissioners for cites other
states and the desrablty OF tbs custom
is recognized, for example,
| In Hartford the members of the board
OF FIRE commissioners are six In number
and are appointed by the mayor subject
TO the approval of the board of aldermen.
| The board is bipartisan, three Rspubn-
cans and three Democrats, and so APP
pointed that the term Of one Republi.
can and one Democrat expires each year.
In Springfield. Mssss chusetts. the
| board of fre commissioners consists OF
five members. four Of whom are ap
pointed by the mayor and the nth mem
ber is the chairman ex-of,cio Of the com
mittee on fire department from the city
council. The term OF office OF the com
missioners appointed by the mayor Is
four years and annually in the month
OF April one commissioner Is appointed
In all appointments Of the members OF
this board the political affliations of the
appointees are considered with tho view
to SO constituting the board that not
more than two Of it's members shall be
Of the same political party.
In Buffalo fire commiss toner's are ap-
pointed by the mayor for a term OF six
years. the terms OF the commiss ioners
expiring at different times
In Cleveland the executive work Of the
police and FIRE departments Is In the
hands Of the board of public safety, con-
sisting Of two members. one Democrat
and one Republican. appointed by the
mayor. confirmation Of two thirds Of the
council being necessary. and the terms
expiring at different times.
H..
under the control Of the board OF public
safety. consisting Of four members. ap-
pointed by the mayor for the term of four
years, two members Of the board being
appointed every two years.
In Milwaukee the board OF fire and
police commission consists Of four mem
bers. ono OF whom Is appointed each
year by the mayor and holds Office for
four years.
A NATIONAL REPUTATION.
In our neighboring city Of Fall River.
by a revision of It's charter OF ie0c. IL
was provided that there should be three
fire commissioners whose term on office
should he three years. one 10 be an.
pointed annually
The work 81 our fire department. CON
trolled as ~ present. has been excel.
lent: our fire service has national
reputation for efficiency. Under the pro
posed change could II be benefited-might
II not become demora lIzed? N Is no
dlsparagement of the efficient members
OF our fire department "a say that the
service is liable to deteriorate n this I
proposed change In the ordinan nee be 4
made Any business man having arre I
interests and having n large number OF /
well knows what results would 1
OBTAIN, no matter how honest and well 4
Versed IN their calling his operatives /
hAf
inexperienced. and II n change were made
In the management every year. Further.
more, this annual election of commits
sloners unquesitnoably will tend 10 In
crease political activity I'm tho force
which Ia always detrimental 10 such a
department.
So far a. have ssccrtained. this con-
.enp'ated chsnge I'm the manner OF elect
ing our nre commissioners Is opposed b,.
prominent property ,holders. by business
men and by insurance companies
me ohly reason which shoula roverp
ms city council I'm making p change 90
me present method of electins orr Sc
commissioners and their terms OF service
should he that the change in tho cr.
finance would improve conditions ana
nou'u conrer manifest and inconirover-
iole dement's upon our FIRE service.
What reasons have been advance h,.
hose advocating this measure?
PURPOSE NOT CONCEALED.
member of the common coun.u I'm his
'emsrks upon the question OF the nas.
'age OF this ordinance said as stafed r.
he press. The purpose OF the proposed
ordinance is net even concealed or even
lave there been any attempts TO con-
'eal It,"
Those who were most active I'm urging
he passage OF this amended ordinance
lever have said that the contemplated
hangc In the manner OF eicctins our
Ire commissioners. and In their term OF
ervice. was for the benefit OF the fire
department., and thereby for the better
of the property and lives OF
ur citizens. but have stated publicly.
10Th before introducing the measure and
fter It's passage by the common council
hat all that they wanted TO ac~>omplish
" II was the removal OF one OF the com
nissioners. n commissioner who was
egally elected under n valid ordinance
or three years and whose term OF ser.
Ice does not expire the coming vrar..a
nan OF the same political party as the
no jority of the city council which
lected him. = man 80 the same yollticat
artv as those urging The pase.rc ,.s |