In yesterday's meeting of the Police Commissioners something amazing happened, something which is without precedent in the annals of American officaldom. The only German among the three commissioners, moved to send a petition to the Legislature in Springfield to reduce the annual salary of each commissioner from $3000 to $500.

As explanation for this motion, Mr. Jacob Rehm pointed to the extremely urgent necessity of reducing the expenses of city and county, and to the fact, that the Police commissioners if they don't want to loaf idly around in the offices, could not possibly be occupied there for more than a few hours a day (because of the managm ent lying in the hands of the Superintendent). These short hours of work, however, would be paid sufficiently with $500; at least he would be willing to do it for that much. In that way the city could save $7,500 annually from the commissioners. Enough to rebuild a police station...At any rate, no law could force an official to accept a higher salary than he thought sufficient.

So the German commissioner believed. The American, M. Talcott, opined that $500 would really be too little. To indemnify the commissioners for their time a salary of $1,200 would not be too high. However, he would not insist but gladly be satisfied with as little as Mr. Rehm.

A most vehement protest against the motion, however, came from the third Commissioner, the Irishman, Mark Sheridan. This nobleman, who was elected two years ago as a representative of the virtuous, trough-licking party, (Peoples' Party) whined miserably about the sacrifice expected from him. He had, so he insisted, given up all his other business activities in order to dedicate himself entirely to the service of the fatherland. His whole time, his most zealous industry, was going, so he said, into his office, and he, for his part, could not do it cheaper than for $3,000.

But nothing he said availed. The American joined the German at the vote and the noble Irishman was swamped.

The Legislature at Springfield will be making eyes!...What should it do? Refuse to consider the motion?.....

Is the example of the Police Commissioners going to be imitated? Are our County Clerks, our Clerks of the Superior Court, our Sheriffs, going to move to have their salaries cut to one sixth? Alas, it is to be feared that we will have to wait for that a long time....