The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-12-17
THE POLICE COMMISSION.

lHSNOIl-INaih VI
THE POLICE COMMISSION.
Public opinion is divided upon the
expedieney of the motives that aetu-
ated certain contingent OF the repuo-
lican party TO elect police eommis|
sion without the consent and approval
of the rank and file of the republican
party. There are two sides to this
question, Looking at the proposition
in the light of present conditions. there
is some justification for their actions
Astoria has no police commission at
the present time and has had none for
nearly year. One commissioner does
not constitute police commission
within the purview of the city charter.
According to that document, which is
the governing statutes Of the city, a.
board Of police commissioners is COM
posed of three persons, who must be
residents and taxpayers within the
city. TIVE Of the present alleged COM
mission possess neither qualifica-
tion, and, therefore, vacancy exists
either by operation of law or by gen.
eral rules Of construction of existing
vacancies.
w. H. Barker, one Of the police COM
mission is resident of British Column
bia. His family also live there, and
that is his legal residence. w. ]. Cook,
another of the commission. has dis
posed Of all his interests in the city
and gone to New York. He is neith-
er a resident or a taxpayer. The char
ter does not contemplate that public
officers, elected by vote Of the peo-
pie charged with the control and
management of the police department,
should reside In British Columbia and
New York. Exegiencies might arise.
where a meeting of the board would
be necessary, and it would be impos-
sible to secure one. Charges pre-
ferred against police officer or the
chief of police, must be investigated by
the board of police commissioners, and
a majority thereof is necessary to dis
charge an officer. This is impossible
to secure.
This is an outrage, and one that
should not be tolerated. II the absent
commissioners viii not resign, then
their Office should be declared vacant
The vacancies should be filled in the
manner provided by the charter, and
not by questionable political methods.
II these vacancies are filled, all of the
commissioners term of office will ex-
pire at the next election, and a new
board can be elected who are identl-
fed with the business of the city, and
not men whose business is removed
from the city, and where they are not
in a position to serve their constitu-
ents. For this reason there might be
some excuse for the actions of the re-
publicans in springing three men for
police commissioners at late hour on
the day of election.
The Astorian is republican in poll
tics. In fact, it is only republican daily
newspaper published in Clatsop coun-
ty but 1t will never be a party to, nor
indorse ulterior motives in securing
political preferment by professed poll
ticians. 1t is opposed to ring rule, star
chamber nominations of men for polit-
ical offices, and questionable methods
occasionally used by those who claim
the authority to dictate, believing that
the interests of the party can be bet
ter subserved by leaving the avail
ability of candidates to the party as a
whole, rather than to self -constitut-
ed committee, whose actions are. fire.
quently condemned by the rank and
file at the polls.
Clatsop county is republican on a
straight party vote, and would be so
today, if conditions were different
When prominent republicans, identi-
fed with the principles of the party,
DE6in " AuCohlOh NlN Ahdl
have actuated some of the leaders OF
the party; when one faction
insists in naming all the candidates to
the exclusion Of other factions, just SO
long will there be a repetition of the
result of the election last Wednesday
and it's tendency is toward the disrup-
tiOn of the party.
The Astorian does not want to criti-
else the action of any man, COMMITTEES
Of leader; it does not want to dictate
the nominations for any Office, or the
management of political campaigns
but It will certainly insist on a new
deal, when exegiencies arise making
such a change imperative for the sue