The Mena weekly star., 1910-02-17
CITY COUNCIL AND
 MAYOR LOCK HORNS
Wrangls Over Police Resu Is ia a De tsrminei Stind by Presiding Ui- ficer--Little Hsaiway ia Electric
 Light and Other Matters.

The p.tiai me Ing of ih, city counc 1 as we K 13uud uo ID
 distlnct an [ de5ermiued deadioc between M ,yor L.ga and fou of the i've m, mbers of he Louu- 'cil over the nlg ht police. Alder man Richard, al the first gu of war. took his position IS a non combttant, refusing to vote yea or nay.
 The first step that brought on the conflict was an ordinance re- pealing former ordindnc. which provided for two night police. To this measure the mayor offered no objections, and 1t was 4d tne first time and on suspension of the rules was read the second aud third times and passed by unani- nous vote.
 Later au ordinance, for waich this q paved the way, was ,u- troduced Dy Alderman Parks. Tbs was for the appointment by the council of nightwatchmen who had the approval of the bus. mess men of the city, 1t being the custom for the business men to recompense these nightwatchmen as special guards fer their prop erty and the city to give them further pay as decided by the council.
 When this point was reached, Mayor Legate announced that he proposed to stand on his rights, claiming that the council had no authority to take the power of appointment of police from him. City Attorney Lundy stated that he believed the night watchmen, as mentioned in the proposed or dinance, were not under the jnris- dictiou Of, nor responsible 10 the chef of police, and that, there fore, the ordinance woald be legal. On a motion being put by Parks and seconded by Watkins 10 place the ordinance on its first reading, the mayor announced that, peliev- ing the proposed ordinance was in violation ot the state law govern ing municipal corporations, he would not put the motion. The city attorney, being asked for light as to the proper procedure in the dilemma, said he knew of no such situation ever srislng be- fore, nor Of just the proper man. uer to proceed. He, however, acting as city clerk, called the roll through the various readings and adoption of the ordinance, showing on the records the refusal of the mayor 10 act and the course taken. ca each roll call, Parks. Watkins, Daniels and Shields voted yes, Richards refusing 10 vote. The mayor then announced that he would refuse to sign either the first or sscoud ordl- nance.
 This situation has been brought about, 1t IS clalned, oy dlssatis- facuou on the part of business men on the south side with the mayors appointment of Ali Walker as n:gut police, or with Walkers servlces after appoint ment. This lead to a statement by the mayor at previovs meet ing that if the people were dis pie d, If they would get together and make known whom they wanted, he would appoint their choice. At tue meeting following, two petitions were pre- sented, one by each of the former night police, Dave Goodner for the south side and Frank Repetto for the north side. The mayor then announced that his former proposition applied only to the south side and he would net, un- der any circumstances, appoint Repetto, and did not appoint Goodner, stating as his reason that his petition did not contain majority of the business men who pay for the officer on that side.
 The contention of the couucil- men is that the business men, who pay the special fees for protec- tiou and large part of the taxes. should have some hoice as to who be the guardians of teir pro per ty, while the mayer believes that the responsibility rests with him and the chief of police and the law justly places the appointing power with them.
 At the close of the first round, the mayor is clearly iu the lead.
 No Electric Light Progress
 The first question before the council last night was the munich pal electric lighting proposition. The report of an expert hired by the improvement board, for which the council at former meeting paid forty odd dollars, was de- cided by the city attorney to be insufficient to meet the require ,1sanfc of tha ct,tutee This mt l