NATIONAL FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATION.

NATIONAL FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATION.

全国Fireme总统詹姆斯·d·麦克尼尔n’s association, has written another long open letter to the members of the American fire service, in which, after adverting to the encouragement his efforts had received, and the expressions of belief that there exists a necessity for such an association which have been sent from all over, he ventures to wonder why, since so many States, some of them prominent, have no organisation, but are “waiting for someone to do something.” someone in every State does not do something as in New York, Illinois, Minnesota and the two Carolinas. Such organisation ought to be much easier than ten or fifteen years ago. since today, instead of promising only a good time, there arc so many business reasons for it. State associations have passed the experimental stage and have become an important oart of the Nation’s organic life. They are an “hundredfold more necessary to the protection of the lives and property of our pedple than all of the State or National Guard encampments or associations on earth.” He reminds his Southern white firemen that in North Carolina every negro fireman who has been sick or injured during the past sixteen years or killed in the fire service of the State has been cared for bv the State, while the, white fireman has been ignored. The importance of this was seen by the Colored Firemen’s association of that State, and it sent a representative at its own expense to the National Firemen’s association, Kansas City convention. as it will to that to be held at Roanoke, Va. There is now no excuse for ignoring this duty, since the fullest information as to the objects and workings of the National Firemen’s association have been made universally known by the fire journals, and the difference between that association and the International Association of Fire Engineers has been so clearly explained, as well as the reasons why both should exist. No fair-minded man can entertain any prejudice in favor of one as against the other. There is ample room for both, and each should receive the suoport of the American fire service. Indifference alone, therefore, will be the reason whv all States are not represented. The rates to Roanoke for the convention of August 14. 15. 16 will be lower than ever, and though the firemen of the extreme West may claim that the cost of attending will be too great, those of the Eastern. Middle and Southern States cannot put forward the same excuse. As it will be the last term of Mr. McNeill’s presidency and the choosing of his successor will be of importance, that is another reason why there should be a large attendance.

For the second time Mayor Dempsey of Cincinnati. Ohio, has vetoed the ordinance increasing the pay of the fire department. He claims that their pay is at present as high as in other cities; that there has not recently been sufficient increase in the cost of living to warrant an increase aggregating $30,000 a year. He advises the council, if it desires to apply this additional money to the use of the fire department, that it should be done by employing additional men.