Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-08
PALMER'S MISTAKE.

The special meeting of the cit
council held last evening ostcusiO'
for the purpose OF letting Il city cor
tract, brought out THE sensation, Oh
TO date, of the new administration il
abe calling down by the mayor o
the department Of public health an,
safety, which means COMMISSIONS.
Palmer, who is in charge OF that do
rartmcnt.
The full text Of the mayors con-
munication, together with the repor,
of the meeting, appears on anoth.,
page.
Whatever this particular episo ,c
may amount to, the fact is that Com,
missioner Palmer has made a mistake
in dealing with these vices, and some
others, in the past. and the Time fuu
change is right now,
No commissioner ever elected in Or
tawa was in a better position to
handle the department of public
health and safety, which includes the
liquor and the police questions. as well
as gambling. Mr.. Palmer owed alb
solutely nothing to the liquor inter
ests or the gamblers or the stady elp-
ment of the city for his election. Thcy
were opposed to him both in the mi.
maries and at the election. He was
man new in public service and in a /
position to enforce the ordinances tel
the letter just as he found them. IIeI
made the mistake of tcmporizing with
the evils and not demanding literal
enforcement of all the ordinances Of
his department as they stood 1t isl
a well known fact that the ordinance
concerning the operation of saloons
were not strictly enforced, any more
than gambling was absolutely sup
pressed. While the notorious resolt
on Fulton street is probably closed
now, 1t was not absolutely shut down .
at all times since the present admin
istration has held the city government.
The Fourth of July ordinances regard
ing fireworks were disregarded, at
least in part. although his attention
was called to the existence OF ordi-
nances (Which are very specific some
time before the Fourth. Fortunately
there were no accidents on that day
and with the exception Of The slight
annoyance to the public and doubt
less to the speaker of the day, Nj
Chipperfed, who tried to make him
self heard over the din of torped0e
and toy pistols ana various other
noiscproducing nuisances, there vas
little damage done. But had there
been the administration and no Que
else would have been responsible.
The mistake made has been In tenn
porting with these things and the
making of exceptions for any reason g
or for any day in the enforcement OF
the ordinances as they exist 4 strict
enforcement from the jump would
have saved lot of trouble and ghea e
the element who seek To "strctrh
things to understand that it cannot 5
he done They wouldn't be looking
for excuses to get by Just this once"
1t is not too late now to make a
change and to enforce the ordinances 5
literally and in full. But II will take
Il lot more work now for Mr.. Palmm
to convince all parties concerned lh /
GLIDING his own policcmcn) that hc {
really means business than Il would
have taken had he been lit from the
day he took his Office. We believe MR.
Palmer has the backbone to do his
duty to the public and that he viii
see that the police do all that Is to
be expected of them and quit winNne
at things he must know are going on {
and which are wrong. 1t is not TOO I
late yet to begin running things right,
and we are sure Il little thought viii
convince Mr.. Palmer that the easiest
way for him to handle his, the hard.
est job of the city administration. g.
to see that the ordinances are en- (
forced now and at all times. cntircIy !
and literally, as they were passed &
by the council