The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-07-17


be said in its favor.
The Japanese Gin to the Police-A Word
for Philadelphia.
The princely gift by the japanese Eavoys to
the police seems to be received, on all hands,
with the proper spirit. So far as the apportion-
ment of the sum placed in Mr.. Belmont's hands
is concerned, however, it seems particularly ab
surd that any part Of it should be given to the
Philadelphia police. And we protest against
any such action in the premises, for the rea-
soas, first, that the Philadelphia police altogeth
er refused or neglected to secure the comfort Of
the Japanese in Philadelphia. either at the time
Of their reception or during their stay at the
Continental Hotel; and secondly, because, If the
Philadelphia police are to De rewarded in the
same proportion for doing nothing as the New
York officers who did their duty and more,
there is no longer any stimulus for the latter
nor any adequate punishment for the miscon-
duct Of the former.
If we examine the facts in the case as re-
CARDS our first point, we shall find that the Phi
ladelphia police have always been VIGOROUSLY
inefficient. Philadelphia is quiet, sleepy sort Of
place; it gives to the stranger the idea of
large manufacturing village in state Of pro-
found repose. One can fancy without very
violent exercise of the Imagination, that he
hears the beetles drowsy hum in Chestnut
street, and persons Of volatile turn of mind
are irresistibly impelled to chase butter
flies in the Exchange. When the Philadelphia
comes to New York his ears are deafened by
the roar Of great city. His head aches from
the noise, the hustle, the excitement of the inn
mense tide of humanity which hurries him. he
hardly knows whittier; like the Latin poet, he
signs in vain for the quiet bliss Of his rural
home. This delightful state of things is occa-
sionally disturbed by a sensation. Sometimes
the pleasurable thrill is caused by the opening
of a new dry goods shop; sometimes by fire.
mans fight, or an election row. and once in
long while by some such novel sight as that
which was afforded by the entrfe of the Japa-
nese. Then the people are wide awake. Then
the good old Quakers shut up their houses and
lock their plate chests; then the Philadelphia
rowdy came forth in all his glory; then the po-
lice went to sleep more resolutely than ever;
then rufdanism became rampant, and the con-
troll of the city was given up to the mob. Such
was the case with the japanese reception. The
Ambassadors were dragged at very slow pace
over three miles of the almost interminable
streets of the city. The police were totally
powerless against the mob, which behaved
most disgracefully, insulting and annoying the
in cvarv nocsihto wov rI.J
was the behavior of the crowd that the Japa-
nese, although they could not understand the
meaning Of the exclamatioas 90 rre oiui. saw
very plainly that the uaoi.est hte1l,oa q the
people nearest to them was e. insult them
During the stay Of TIE kasoys st Oh Cootiaeu-
tai Hotel, their quarters were not properly
guarded, and strangers were permitted 10 force
themselves into the private apartments OF the
Princes. And il has been universally declared
that the conduct OF the police of Philadel-
phia. throughout the stay of the japanese
in that city, was a disgrace to the country.
The mob took their tone, Of course. from the
police. That is the case everywhere In Paris
one finds polite police, ruling polite crowd
with civil phrases and gentle remonstrances
In London the mob is not 80 easily handled:
but the police are civil and patient, and the
people always listen TO reason. In New York
the police improve every day. The constant
accessions to our population of criminals and
disorderiy persons, who fee to the metropolis
from foreign parts or from other sections of our
own country, make the work Of the police here
harder than ii is anywhere else in the world,
and the men are obliged to use more severity
than Philadelphia Quaker would approve Of
The mob, however, stands in awe of the police,
and the latter have thereby greater power
than the club or ehe revolver could give them.
Therefore, while the japanese were guarded
by the New York police, they were as safe from
intrusion and annoyance as IL they had been in
their own Jeddo palaces. The city guests "suf-
fered some from the Aldermen, who got up a
ball nominally for the Embassy, but really for
the scum Of the city's population. We can
make police however much more easily than
we can reform the Aldermen. They say, in
England, that il requires three generations to
make a gentleman, but no one could give even
an approximate idea Of how long II would take
TO polish an Alderman into anything like
good breeding, or TO inssil an idea Of his duty
into the head off Philadelphia policeman. They
are even more obtuse than the Philadelphia
editors.
We have made these structures upon the Phi
ladelrhia police in all seriousness. They are
especially needed at this time, in view Of the
approaching visit Of the TIncc of Wales. who
will pass through Philadelphia on his way to
Washington. The japanese knew but little OF
what was going On about them; but the Prince
and the noblemcn accompanying him will
thoroughly understand the conduct Of he Phi
ladelphia mob, which may be, IL unrestrained
by the police. as insulting to the heir apparent
Of Victoria as TO the Ambassadors Of the Tycoon
Under all these circumstances some powerful
h. A.. "a a. a