Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-03
Sleeves Is
Now Mayor
OF Salem

In compliance with an opinion rem
dered last night by City Attorney Rol-
lin X Page, in which it is held that
the mayor-elect Of the city of Salem
should take up the duties of the office
on the first day of the year, Louis
Lachmund today announced that the
trials and tribulations of being chief
executive of this city were over, and
that the reins are now in the hands
of others beside himself
Consequently Mayor-elect Sleeves
is now, and has been since January
1st, the legal head Of the city's ad-
ministration, and it will now be his
duty to preside at the next meeting Of
the council, and at the same time af-
fix his signature on the approval of
the bonds furnished by eight Salem
saloon men for licenses, passed upon
and granted by the council recently.
This is an apparent settlement of
the difficulty in which the saloon men
Of this city and the city council are
involved, relative to unsigned licenses.
Even had Mayor Lachmund signed the
licenses after the first of the year
they would have been illegal, accord
ing to City Attorney Pages opinion
but as the matter now stands 1t will
be up to Mayor Sleeves to either ap-
prove the bonds or swear to com
plant charging the eight saloons with
transacting business in the city with
out a license In an interview held
with Mayor Sleeves on New Years
day, he declared that he was not in
favor of holding up the licenses grant
ed to the eight saloon men, and init
mated that he would approve the
bonds, and issue the licenses upon
taking up the duties Of the office.
That further conflict will result is
not probable under these circum-
stances, as It only requires the sigma
ture of the new mayor to eliminate all
prospects for charge of the violation
Of the laws by the saloon men, either
technical or criminal,
Chief Of Police Frank Shedeck will
not prosecute one case again the eight
saloons operating without a legally
signed license, unless the authorities
file complaint, and order him to pro-
ceed He declared today he would
take no hand in the affair, until such
action was begun by other officials
to sanction any move to arrest the sa-
loon men. He also stated that he did
not intend to have the matter thrown
on his shoulders, and would not at.
tempt to discuss ex-Mayor Lachmund'a
stand one way or the other.
Chief Of Police Shedeck makes
himself ridiculous when the contends
he will not enforce the law until a
complaint has been sworn to by the
mayor and the council said Mr.
Lachmund this morning. Everyone
knows what the duties Of n chief oI
police are, and It Is needless to say
that where the law is being violated
It is the duty Of the chief to enforce
II whether the violation be technica
or otherwise If q man was knocked
in the head on the streets Of Salem,
don't think It would be necessary fo
, the chief to first secure q complain
sworn TO by the mayor and the coun
Gil before making an arrest. There 4
not a particle OF difference as to TN
manner in which the law Is violated
| As long as they are violated the dut
( Of the chief is to enforce them, Wha
, are the people paying a city attorne
- salary for If It Is not TO guide tn
officers and maintain some sourc
- through which legal advice can be SO
4 cured? He has rendered the opinion
and, inasmuch as the opinion hold
p. that the law Is not being enforced,
/, Is surely up to some one to act"