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

oeiore the new form of government was
"oopted' state law having created q
police and fire commission some veo,s
ago only, under The old government.
when politics ruled everything, the
! c'Vl' service was rather loosely epfor.
ced. Commissioner Hamery has weed.
ca ont many undesirable patrolmen and
FouuuNlhen ana sergeants and detectives
probably Il dozen or more. Some of
them he personally caught drinking or
drunk while on duty: several were call.
Ell up for trial 10y the police commission
Tor other good reasons and dismissed
In thelr places the best possible men
were chosen after searching civil ser.
vice examinations. OF - or more
candidates for places, not many more
than dozen or so got on the eligible
list. The tone and character of the
police department has been brought M
10 high level. The men are respond.
ing and there il among them genuine
pride in the department and its in
crea,ing efficiency.
The first department, like the police
department. was put under civil SER
vice some Years ago. The fire depart
ment in Des Moines has always been
carefully administered and it has al
way, been an efficient institution
THE SOCIAL EVIL.
Commissioner Hamery has under
taken still more than merely putting
the police department on an efficient
basi,-he Ia, undertaken to revolu
tionize the long time policy Of the de-
partment and OF the city toward house
Of prostitution. After segregation,
and the host Of other hallway efforts
for the control OF the social evil had
been considered, Hamery decided upon
putting al end to the alliance between
the city and the prostitutes and its
collection of fines from them monthly
for permission to ply their immortal
trade But he did not come to the con-
clusiun Of completely enforcing the law
against prostitution until public senti-
ment had gotten behind him with a
pretty sharp prod,
A time vas fixed for the women in
the two or three red light districts to
get out of their resorts and leave the
city. When the time limit expired,
every prostitute found was arrested
and forcibly deported Or else required
TO rive assurance that she would quit
the business. There is not now 10 Des
Nome, an open house of prostitution
The city Of Des Moiues does not collect
a single dollar Of blood money from
unfortunate women. The problem Is
not vet completely solved, tor the pro
blem of the designation house and the
street walker IS not yet completel!
dismissed OF. But something has b an
done in fact much has been done
toward making Des Moines clean city
The public believes that if the admin
istration persists 10 its present policy
IT, will make still further progress.
There is no public gambling in Des
Noine,. There has not been for years
r-pder the old administration, the
,olice winked now and then at quiet
gambling. Now everything in the way
If gambling is under the ban ana the
police are vigilant in keeping 1t out OF
the city.
THEY DIED HARD.
+, is interesting that the only talk OF
nsino the recall should come because
of commissioner Hamerys policies.
rho interests he antagonized died hard
and they made their vigorous KICK wnen
no issued an order putting out OF ous''
,os. everv slot machine or slmiiar
,h,ing device, whether operated ior
.oha,djse or not. From the cigar
dealers and pool hall owners ca"io "
lond noise of protest But tne o'ro'
GOOD and they circulated petitions 'or
.sioner's recall, making all
sorts Of charges. r..oao.
~ ,rno .rTorts were ludicrous Tue PEG
,l, merely laughed at them a"' "' ~
,ooI, them seriously. They soon
oni, ,heire efforts and suos'u'u '-''"'p',