New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-19

v;dnai resyoniibility we will undertake. that the
work shall be done TINS saving 10 the City treasury
The amount now paid for the performance OF these
duties; ard if any Captain OF Police acts 10 tho
per tet forth ii the article alluded TO, leaving his
liz utensnts 10 perform all tue duties, su h heutea.
ants Tor any other person ooenzaDt OF the act should
bring the matter at once before the Commissioned
I" of Police who DO doubt, would properly apply
the corr. Give, and Ie dress their wrongs.
TBos STEVENSON, Captain Sixteenth District.
New York. Dec ID. 1884
TIE POLICE-LABOR AND REWARD.
To he Editor Of The y Tribune
SIR: Your ISSUE of Monoay last contained an odi.
iorial article Of such extreme bitterness and severy
toward the Police of this City, and especially the
Captains that it seems TO me TO demand an answer.
have waited, hoping that some one better qualified
than myself would farnish it, but nothing direct y
TO the point has appeared ask the simple justice OF
your columns 70, such reply the facts in the
Justify i shall be brief possible, and shall also
esGsavor to be decorous and respectful in my Ian
suase because if l should yield 10 the feelings such
sross II Justice Is calculated to provoke 81 ould sho
myself to be the blackgusrd, if not the profgate,
zhch yeu represent the Captains of Police to be.
Your article was a most cruel and unjust attack,
not only on the Police as a body, but on every men,
Der Of It personally, myself included-for have no
inclination screen myself from your censures, IN
der the comforting idea that an one Of the erosp
eoas sbeh you are generous enough to suppose may
D. found. | think il Will require but little rSument
TO sar iy any impartial mind 70 II the EXCEPTIONS are
The reverse of y bat you state them 10 b..
Eus then, e. 10 the general charge that the Police
cle ard worthless set; and that especially the
csptsirsor Il Is az them that your heaviest artillery
&c, ms TO be leveled-have shirked and shufied Oft
their duties, after another until the Off e be-
come sinecure, and those who hold that position
set Of pampered nabObs-equaly a nuisance to soci-
a burd3 IN ha itv rup
TRIBUNE take leadDg and pc xerful part years ago,
in urging modification of the City Charter, and the
oIsaDiza alton OF the municipal govern ment into de
partnents they now exist each under an elective
bead with subordinate bureaus, &c. Is it not true
that when this done there general scramole
for the Offices in these departments and that the
heads thereof were quite unable to satisfy the de-
maids Of their "frieDds' and Of "the party" but
hat every ADDITIONAL place that was filled only in
creased the oude pressure! Aod that each success
i've year, as the head Of department or another
became chaDgedby the shifting and uncertain chances
of politics, new YARNS Of real Israetes' visited
Egypt for " corn ?" That every Joseph h I'd his
brethren and friends, by whom he was bound to
deal literally, until there seemed TO be no
still the cry was "Morel' Something must be
done. The politicians set their wits to work. l,
found tina, several of the Departments were
suffering greet imposition Their rights had been
trsmped on. The City Inspector found that tue
Police were int reriDg with his business 10y acting as
Health Wardens The head Of the Street Depart.
mcDt made the same discovery as to Police Street In
specfors; the Chief Engineer as to Fire Wardens,
Hell Ringers, SC. Applications made success,
sively 10 the Legislature and Common Council to
"Reform" these abusee and give each Department,
entire charge Of its appropriate business. and doe'
not The TRIBUNE kaoT Mat these efforts rere sttdddy
aud prsereIineiy opposed By he Captains Of Polio,
generally, and bliere Jy eroyy one Of them These
are FACTS which are sus ceptible of proof. The
Captains OF Police Were willing to perform the dutie:
imposed on them. They never asked - BE- relieved
from any Of them They opposed the changes that
were made. What show of justice then is there 10
laying the blame at their door If aoy neglected
all may not suffer alike l believe the public are
satisfied that the duties alluded TO faithfully
performed by the Police, as they have ever beer
since. At least, should not fear to have that ques
ticn 60 TO the people Of my District without distinc
ton Of party.
fthe editor Of TiE TRIBUNE had known the mem
hers Of the Department and the nature of their duties
better, be could never have made so sweeping dec
laration o. be has The story Of their hardships ex
posures and dangers, has been too often told TO need
arepe,ton here. Whatever caviers may say, be-
eve their services will of these days be properly
appreciated IL is indeed tue, that there have been
bad men IN the department. There are doubtless
some still. The mode of appointment Formerly
detective it was changed, with the bid of The TRiB-
rNEs Under the generally wise and impartial admin
isration of the Commissioners ofPolice it is believed
that the character of the Department has greatly i'm
proved. II only required time, patience and perse
verapce to make the reform as complete possible
bNt lHk 4 hlbtNk WIS impatient. A dhifOTna would
remedy every detect Ii put on aud ait n having
been WON over Year ask fHE TRIBUNs the eife 4
OF il Has crime increased, or otherwise Is not
the cry Of compliant sgeinst the Police as loud and
long as everl Why is this Is it necessary to have
apack horse to receive the abuse and carry the sins
Of this great City-and the Policeman seems 10 be the
most docle and convenient animal to perform that
servce'
But the captains promenade Broadway, and loaf
away their time in theaters, bathrooms, &c, you
say. am verify gully Of the fret count in this in.
dctment, as l DO occasionally 90 little out OF my
way, to reach Broadway, in passing up and dowa
town. As for my visits TO places OF Amusement they
are few and short, and gen,rally have object con-
ntcied with my business. Others must speak for
themselves on this point
AS to the Increase Of the Police force aud their
compensation, would ask II the frsh1 been 10 pro-
portion 10 he Increase Of the Citys population or
latter IN proportion TO the increase in a tho ne.
ctssfies OF Me ihe population of this CITY has
nearly doubled in the last ten years. Tho Police
force has been mere ased from eight 10 unyar1 of
eleven hundred. The compensation ha, beep in,
eTesstd fon $500 for prive;es and 500 for cantsu
10 SEQ for The former and 81 600 for the latter Ten
t'ais ego, Hour was s. a barrel; potatoes 50 cents a
busheii meat 10 CENTS pound; butter l2l cents
&C. NOW they are twice q ar At d more House
r.n's rave also nearly dou lied D0es Tux
1RIbuNE say there should have been no increase in
sbsTts ia meet this increase in the means of Uyin
Do not the proprietors OF that es.ao,,.h pert ,sv
uer ecmposrors, and other work men. an alvsn>s
~ former wages, quite equal to tie aayapce in