Show I Dismissal of Hem Hempel pel I HE taxpayers of Salt r Lake kc from whom the thc cil city T THE government gets gels its powers arc entitled to tc I 1 know why Captain Hempel was dismissed from I the Ilie police department The phrase For the good goodof of the service is elastic clastic It may mean meRn a great I ninnY many things and is so flexible that n a superior J officer anxious to rid himself of a a. subordinate for fot fotI I whom he has lies conceived an antipathy ma may employ I it to excellent advantage Wo TO learn from the lipsI lips I of the tho city recorder the clerk of the commission t I that at yesterdays yesterday's meeting when Captain Hempel 1 lost his hh official head hea tho commission accepted the police chiefs chief's statement that his auction action was II forthe for forthe for I the good of tho the service and asked no questions John Hempel entered the service ice of the city of I Salt Lake twenty years ago ngo In all nIl those years so 50 far as the city records show it was not charged against him that he was either cither dishonest or dent The usual complaint against policemen who I have havo grown old od in t the e service and have havo arisen to toa a positions of responsibility is that thc they become grafters use their positions as means of profit for I themselves Wo We 0 never heard that this was charged against Captain Hampel If that is the tho reason wh why he is now discharged the people people are are entitled to tho information After all the only just powers that can be exorcised exercised by a n government are those which ar are delegated to it by tho the governed therefore the governed are aro entitled m to the reason for the official acts nets of those whom hom they thoy place in office Captain Capt Hempel may merit discharge for something something some some- thing ho he has done dono or something he has left undone 1 some somo sin of omission or commission if so what objection is there to telling the people about it 2 If his dismissal was deserved tho the people who arc 1 always just in their final fins conclusions will applaud the tho action of Captain superiors If the tho act of oe dismissing him was as one ono to reflect u. u credit upon 4 I I those concerned tho they should not and anci will wiit not nesi- nesi I t tato tate to In laj before their masters the people tho the cirI circumstances cir- cir I which led to their action Their silence I in view of the fact that they are morally bound to take the taxpayers into their confidence is going I I to be construed as suspicious The public is going I to think that there were some private reasons that I dictated his disgrace reasons so ignoble that those I who used them thorn are ashamed to display them in the broad light of da day r. r Thc Tho dismissed police official is authority for forI I the sta statement that the chief of police admitted to j him his discharge was inspired by some reason outside outside out- out outside side the manner in which ho lie discharged his police j duties or his conduct as a responsible officer oft of i t the depart department nent Since that is the only logical excuse excuse ex ex- ex cuse for discharging discharging- a faithful employee ee who hasI has I been in tho the city's seT service for twenty years the thea I a police chief has rendered himself liable to severe t public criticism a fl 10 i as JS a a. a servant ot or me the ponce pouce i chief or is ho a a. public servant of the people peoples Should his tenure of office offic depend upon the j efficiency with which he discharges the duties for forI I which he is paid or should it depend upon the whim t of a chief of police or the crotchets of those who have e sufficient influence at police headquarters to get tho the official heads of those against whom they have conceived a grievance 1 I There Thera being no flo official reason according to the police chiefs chief's statement to the tIle dismissed officer what is the pr private prate ate reason reason Who Vho arc are the influential i persons that are arc able to bend the he police chief to their will and in induce uce him to discharge a man manI I who was made senior captain when this administration Hon tion ti came in into info o power 7 When secrecy is employed in the conduct of public business the people always suspect that the i reasons for that secrecy would not present a pleasing pleasing pleasing pleas pleas- ing appearance in of day Why is it that tho the city commission will calmly dismiss one of tho the highest and most responsible J off officers cers o of the he police department on a blanket and all comprehending excuse tl for for the good of the service without asking for specified details as asto asto to tho the offense of which ho he has been guilty 1 I Is Js Is tho the commissioners' commissioners confidence in the police J 1 chi chief f so great that they give gi him unchallenged power 1 I of life and death over the members of the thc department depart depart- ment mont t If that is their habit wh why is it that tho the city commission bothers to enforce the rule requiring I appointments and aud dismissals to be approved by their I august 5 selves before they become effective and andI I I operative 1 I Captain Hempel may deserve discharge we wc dont don't i know And the people dont don't know and they will i not know until the matter is explained to them But they arc are entitled to know J This man has been in city employ fo foi twenty I years not a breath of suspicion has blown wn against I tn t t. t 1 J Tr 1 1 U LU u nit lIe I I chief of police told him that his removal had nothing noth I ing lug to do with police business With what business had it something to dol I Whose business was vas affected b by the incumbency incumbency bency of Captain Hempel Whose business is isso t BO so powerful that thit the they can bend belld the police chief to toI I their w will and can so control the he cit city commission I that th they act like a bunch of nerveless and irresponsible irre lyre I manikins when tho police olice chief chier cracks his I I whip Some weeks ago ngo Captain ejected an anI offensive c and ana insulting Salt Lake Tri Tribune une reporter I from a n section of the police station that lie he had not notI I t the 1 c pt privilege of entering I j Is that that- the tho reason for his dismissal al 1 Is Is the Salt Lake Tribune controlling controlling- the l. l c city corilI commission and the chief of police i sa 1 te laa J j I America is being eing boomed abroad says a dispatch if il fr front from m Europe Americans Americans certainly have havo lao spent t 1 c enough ough money there to entitle the country to it it I J- J The great Panama treasure hunting party palt has returned with wilt nothing but a store of experience I f Its It members could have hn pot gotten ten that at nt homet home t I I PS SSI j Mrs t should l lie le e Mrs Airs with th h method i I I 1 |