New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-28
A GREAT AND GOOD SAYING.

| - "''J e>~~ S~~'s" O"3As W
said, for our compliment is only in Ii
comparative degree. There is much roo,
for improvement now as there was before
and we have no doubt the authorities ar
as anxious to improve upon what the
have done as they were to initiate the Re
forms which they have already consun
mated. When the present police wa
organized, many of the best men on tn
old force refused to continue in tn
servl because it was a radical lay GU
that no white man ought to touch. TIL
good men quit, and the bad men wer
dismissed, which necessitated the enlist
ment of men entirely new to the service
and many mistakes were committed, as i
always the case in the beginning of an,
fresh organization. Even the Bee, if i
intended to commence new journal to
morrow, would fail at the outset in select
ing its staff Of employees; and it would
| require months to settle down into
good working order from the cal
boy to the leading editor. This
printer would be discharged, that reporter
would neglect his duties, the editor him.
self might not be the man for the occa.
sion. In banks and stores of long stand
ing constant changes are going on in the
hired help, incompetent men giving place
to ex. erts, from the opening day to the
final liquidation. If this difficulty hap
pens in a single business, where one cal
culating and imperious eye sees and one
master hand directs all things, how liable
is it to occur in an Office where the entire
proceeding is uncertain, where the en-
ploye is impressed with the idea that he
is as much partner as he is serving
man, and where the scope of its activities
pervades miles upon miles of territory
and thousands upon thousands Of people
This question, it seems to us, should in
duce the thoughtful public to consider
somewhat about the evils and mistakes
that beset every human effort before they
rush off to condemn as a whole that which
is only censurable in particular.
Given: A city with a police force of
FIVE hundred men, in this or any other
country, and We undertake to find men
who can and do find fault, not only with
the evil that is liable to be complained
Of, but with the system as something in
ferior to what they would like to have.
Given: A set Of compliments put in pos
session of this police force to correct it,
md We agree to point out errors and mis-
axes multiplied upon those that were to
De eliminated. 1t is the fault of human
nature, always falling into disaster, from
he man who cut his finger to the emperor
Who makes war without approaching his
enemies.
The Bee assails the police as the instru-
nents of the Governor, and then accuses
hem Of ineficiency and worthlessness in
heir official duties, basing its Indictment
lpon the charge that one man was shot,
mother was cudgled, another was taken
oughly, another was a respectable citi-
en- who suffered arrest in his office at
be plebeian hands of the officer, and the
Ike. AS rule those who fall into the
ands of the law are the most unofendinc
f people.
We have no doubt all these preferments
re strictly true, and We have as little
oubt that they might be urged against
ny force that could be organized in this
ty. In fact all orr exchanges bring us
,atements of a similar nature made
5ainst officers of high and low degree,
herever government is established. As
lere is glory Of the sun and another of
lie stars, so there is treatment that
aries according to the policeman and his
lbject. Some men are not amenable to
rest except after severe lesson in the
anly art; and when the officer finds this
rt of customer he must proceed as the
ee would 60 about Kidding its Office of
'unken printer. The officer is presumed
be human, and this presumption ex-
nuates lis act until it is rebutted by
oof that he is brute. When the po-
e board is satisfied that it has brute
its employ we are certain that the :
embers will promptly turn him over to
nenagerie, for although they are repub-
ans, they still have regulations to pre-
rye, friends to make and acquaintance q
protect. They can not afford to keep
Id beasts about them.
As to the intimation that Governor
armoth is responsible for every abuse
ich policemen may perpetrate, or for
y of them, this is all foolishness, since
} Governor has not got the time to d. .
t all these little transactions. He is Il
Their omniscient nor ubiquitous, and
'refore it would be impossible for him
determine that Smith would get drunk P
two o'clock, disturb the peace at half II
It two, resist the officers at three, and p
locked up at four, rather the worse for e
ar. He has some friends, we doubt u
!, like other public men, who do not go Ii
sleep when he is being abused, but he II
lot responsible for the weight Of their
uments any more than he is for the
olity of his enemies in the Bee Office.
he can do is to let these men take a.
e of themselves as citizens, while he u
ems to every just complaint that may o.
made against them as officers. III