The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-10-09

- OAAA tAO AAAtsJ VI Az POAANN AOAOS
was the object of continued attacks
from two members of the council,
he declared, and added that ever since
its present organization they had
been finding fault with it. All the
members Of the. force" he said, ARE
old citizens of Billings and with the
of two of them have been
here longer than any OF the mem
bers of the present city administra-
ton. The alderman who introduced
the resolution should have seen the
mayor 1irst He should have made
his complaints to him and IL he had
any grievances they would have been
heard and considered The resolu-
tion is offered for political enect only.
1t is an insult to the mayor and to
the administration, and the two alder
men are welcome to continue their
attacks on the mayor. But he will
do his duty, and do it the best he can
and despite the apparent animosity
that may prompt some of the alder
men he will continue to treat all fairly
and courteously."
Mr.. Berky now felt called upon to
say something. "Others beside the
two aldermen have talked about the
police appointments and the manner
in which some things were done,' he
said THE mayor was to call the
council together before he made any
appointments of policemen. But he
didn't. He simply called some to-
gether and ignored the rest The old
members OF the council are entitled
to some recognition. They have ex-
perience, and experience is valuable.
They have to bear the brunt of the
fight and the mayor keeps nagging
at the two aldermen to whom he has
referred. We admit that we are black
sheep, but we can't nelp it. We did
not want to bring this matter up, but
the mayor keeps continually after us
and we are forced to fight back"
Again did the mover OF the resolu-
ton take the floor, and this time he
spoke earnestly and at some length,
this time his voice occasionally rising
to higher pitch than was absolutely
necessary to make himself heard, but
this was due to the earnestness OF
debate He disclaimed any and all
desire to make himself obnoxious and
disavowed all personal feeling. All he
desired. he said, was to d0rNshat he
regarded as right and was Ipted
only by the wish to makathe cit,
administration more effeGtive an(
guard the interests of the people. Ar
alderman was different than the mem
i ber of legislature. The latter repre-
sented an entire district and was
! personally unknown to many fol
whom he acted, whereas an alderman
represented ony comparatively few
people and at best ony small dis
! trict. 1t did not pay him to discriml
nate against anybody. He met hi:
!, constituents daily and mingled will
them and was compelled to listen tt
what they had to say. His only rea
son for introducing the resolution wa
to bring the matter of the way il
which the police force had been actini
before the council. Complaints wer
constantly being made that officer
were not attending to their duty ant
none could be found when needed
mo policeman was around when
late burglary was committed" he cor
tinued, ''yet one is supposed to patro
that particular part OF the city. TIL
burglar was in no hurry. He tool
plenty of time 10 commit nuisanc
on the floor of the store he robbe
and showed his contempt for the pc
lice force. The acts he committe
showed that he was there long tim
and that no policeman appeared t
molest him. The courts OF the Ian
have found that the police neglecte
their duty and it is on record tha
some of them have been fined a
the way from $50 to SIS for doing tha
which was in violation OF their dut
!, and the law. Nothing has ever bee
said by the mayor about this, yet
is known to everybody. If the mayo
| had brought the matter before it tn
| council would have had an opportunit
to discuss it. You have appointed
I commission to manage the force an
that is all the rest of us know abol
!, it. We are not taken into the col
, fidence of that body or the mayo
} We know nothing as to what is goin