The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-09-22
POLICE PENSION
FAVORED BY BOARD
ST. LOUIS COMM sloNERs DRAFT
RESOLUTIONS URGING SUP.
PORT.
HADLEY AND FOLK APPROVE
Amendment viii Build Up Depart
ment In Three Large Missouri
Cities.

In no uncertain way the members
OF the Board Of Police Commissioners
in St. Louis indorsc the proposed
amendment to the Constitution OF
Missouri to be submitted to the pco'
pie in November, granting the cities
the right to establish a pension sys-
TEN for old and disabled policemen
And just as emphatic as the indorse-
ment OF the police board Is the ap.
proval given the amendment by Gov
Hadley and former Coy. Folk. This
shows there is no political question
whatever inyolycd-that It Is hui
manitarian question, and not one Of
politics.
Neither the members Of the board,
nor the present or former governor
can have more Of an interest in the
question than a desire to see the de.
partmcut brought up TO its highest
efficiency. so eager are the members
OF the police board for the adoption
Of the amendment that they have
drafted an address to the public Oh
the question. IN il they say:
ITO the Public Of Missouri:
"The undersigned, Board OF Police
Commissioners of the City of ST
Louis, respectfully suggests to the yot.
ers Of this state that an amendment
to section a, Of article Of the con
siitution Of this state, will be submit.
ted as amendment 40 /, for their ap.
pToval or dsapproyal at the next No
yeMber election.
THE purpose Of this amendment IS
to authorize the legislature of this
state to provide, In such manner rs
the legislature may deem proper. a
pension fund for the benefit and re.
lief of members Of the police depart
ment in cities having 100000 inhabi-
tants or more. who have become dis
ablcd IN the public service by casual.
", disease or age, from rendering full
service in their respective depart
ments
I'VE ask each of the voters of the
state, without regard to political afhl-
iations. to read the amendment and
we ask that he policemen who come
within its purylew. or may hereafter
come within It's puryiew, may be pro.
tcctcd by you by this amendment. 1t
is a most worthy and just object, and
the legislature of this state should be
permitted to provide by Legislation for
carrying ont just the purposes set
forth IN the amendment. ana we ap.
peal, on behalf Of the policemen Of
this city. without regard to political
or religious belief, to the public for
its support
"Matt C. Reynolds. President,
"Iuhn A. Laird. Vice.Pr"sidcnt.
~. II Krcismann, Mayor and ex.
Ofhcio Member.
otto l.. Tcichmann.
Hobart Brinsmade."
The approval by the police board
merely expresses the judgment of the
entire city It is further expressed by
a former governor of the state, who is
entirely familiar with conditions in all
Of the cities, and especially in St
Louis.
Former Gov. Folk says of the
amendments:
Men who scrye the public faithful
is for years on the small salary pc.
lice officers get should not be left in
the evening Of life as the subjects Of
charity. The certainty of support as
long as they live and do their duty
will make the officers do better work,
and have a tendency to remove them
from those Influences that tend to i'm.
proper practice in order to insure a
competency against old age or acct.
dent This pension Is to be paid by
the cities affected, and not by the
state, as | understand the amendment,
and the officers who will be entitled
to the pension will be so few that the
burden OF II will be lightly felt. The
officers so pcnsioned are to be mem.
bcrs Of a reserve force for emergency
service rs far az their disabilities will
permit, and thus give value received.
Such pensions are now allowed
f!remen. These and police officers by
reason of the dangers incident to
their duties are in class different
from other branches Of the public SER
vice, and are entitled to insurance
against the disabilities of casualty and
the iniirmties of age"
Governor Hadley expresses himself
briefly and to the point, as follows:
81 favor the proposed amendment to
the constitution. giving the Legislature
authority to provide for pension sys.
TEN for those police officers who MAJ
be injured In the performance Of their
duties.
every truly yours,
Herbert s. Hadley. Governor"
Approval OF the proposed amend
ment is by no means confined to
the police board and newspapers. The
citizens generally are in favor of a
plan whereby the police may be as.
sisted when they are disabled as a
result Of their service. Their duties
are extremely hazardous and their sal.
aries small compared to their great
expense. Notwithstanding the haz-
ardous work the number Of men who
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