The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-14

There has been real friction in the
ADMINISTRATION Of the Des MONIES plan
in only one department., and that is the
department Of public safety, which in.
cludes the policing OF the city. 1t
arose on the very day that the newly
elected commissioners took their seats
and in their very first meeting. Con
siderable heat developed and fora time
the situation BODIED i'll, but now the
trouble seems to have been altogether
disposed of in the right way.
Politics was at the bottom OF it all
politics, Involving the payment Of pre-
election promises by the appointment
Of mere politician As city marshall,
an official who has immediate charge
Of the police and The enforcement of
police policies.
Two members of the commission,
both OF them experienced in old-fash
ioned politics, pledged themselves be
fore election 10 liverystable keeper to
vote to appoint him marshal. This
liverystable keeper also secured
through these men the promise Of a
third commissioner. He labored early
and late for the election of bis friends
and they we're elected. The liverymen
held them TO the fultilment of their
pledges and they made good 10y voting
him into office in spite OF the protes 5
OF the missioner who had been as
signed to be superintendent OF the de-
partment of public safety.
In every other instance, the import
an. places under each commissioner
had been filled in harmony with each
mans wishes. In this one exceptional
case, q ma iority OVERRIDE the commits
sioner and put into the most important
places under him man in whom he
had ne confidence and in whom the
public had no confidence, man who
it was known would block at every turn
the reform policies which the commits
sioner at the head OF the department
OF public safety was known to harbor.
Commissioner Hamery, who was thus
ignored, protested, then pleded and
threatened But the trio remained OBJ
dura,e. Their word had been given to
their candidate, and they forced him
into the place. The matter was taken
up by the people, who also protested,
but Dough, his new Uniform, got into
it, and staid in it
A HOT STEW
There was immediate conflict be-
tween the superintendent OF pubic
safety and his marshal. They differed
absolutely in their attitude toward the
social evil, toward gambling, and to-
ward slot machines in cigar stores
They also differed upon the method OF
recognizing the police. There was
conflict of authority between them, ex
change of hot words. ignoring OF orders
and what not. The affair kept the
police department in hot stew for
weeks.
Commissioner Hamery Is persistent
il anything, and lighter He was the
sole reform and anti-gang member OF
the old council and he was used to such
things. Moreover, public sentiment
was with him. He stood by his guns
until not so very long ago the thru
man OF the five commissioners saw the
Injustice of it all, came over to Hamery
and helped to Gust the obJectlonaoie
marshal.
A new department was Immediately
made 10 accordance with HamerS
wishes. 1t was an appointment iro"
the police department itself ana was
made on merit: there was no politics
in it. And that was the first time d
marshal or chief of police had oceh
thus appointed in many years
Commissioner Hamery's ideals IN the
organization of the police are hlsh'
Politics has no place in his pans-so'e,
ly the building up Of an efficient anu
trained body of police, differed by me u
who have came up through the ranks
by successive promotions. Civii ser
vice obtains, both in making promo
tions and in selecting new men ior '"e
force. Eu. civil service vas N "'F'