Secret Police Powers

Trade unionists do not need to go very far back of local events to find a striking example of what a cumbersome old machine our present plan of city government is and how easy it is to shift responsibility. The wholesale granting of special police stars to strike-breakers employed at Sumner's Iron Works met with severe criticism and certainly could not be defended on the ground of public policy. Yet it was done so secretly that it was discovered entirely by accident. An attempt was made to have this granting of police power a matter of public record by the passing of an ordinance providing that special appointments should be ratified by the City Council in open session. Then began the merry chase after the councilmen, seven of them. The chase led to the fire and police commission, and before they got done the boys were in a state of mental bewilderment as to who on earth was fixing public policy in this city and whether anybody was responsible for anything.