Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-10-23
The Proposed, Increase of the Police
Force.

The city is in no situation, al thin time. TO in
crease its expenses. They are already large,
Il not heavy, and great part OF them is in tho
character Of fixed charges, such as interest,
payments on account OF the debt, &c, which
cannot by any effort OF economy, be reduced,
1t is, therefore mot an encouraging moment for
the Mayor 10 propose a considerable increase in
the police force, and a consequent considerable
increase OF expense, and We incline TO the judg-
nent that pnhc opinion will not approve his
snggeston.
Two conditions will be requisite, before cit-
zsns will favor the increase OF the force. They
mnst feel, first, that it is now too small for the
efficient protection OF person and property; and
second, they must be convinced that it's increase
ss proposed, would actually make person and pro-
perty more safe. The fact is, however, that the
public feeling on these subjects is either un-
settled or takes precisely opposite view to
those above named. The city is already as or
DERBY and qniet as others Of like size and similar
situation, and we doubt il people are conscious
Of any danger which larger number OF police
men would remove. Furthermore there Is a
well-defned doubt whether more police Of the
-sme sort would help the situation. Perhaps
they woud; Mayor whiteley has started ont, un-
doubtedly with more efficient body Of men,
under higher state OF discipline,
then we have been accustomed to
for some years but there are causes for in
efficiency and Generalization which lie deeper
than the Mayors efforts can possibly go.
In fact, the suggestions made in reference to
this subject by Mr.. Davis's Temperance paper,
1. l.
in this connection. In brief the Rescue argues
that large proportion of the crime and lawless-
ness of the city flows from unlicensed liquor sa-
loons; that to close them would do more to check
both than an increase Of police possibly could
do and that the increase proposed will
have no apprecable effect while these
schools Of evil doing remain open. The sug-
gestions are pertinent and cannot be overlooked.
1t is well known fact, to which the daily reports
of the newspapers the daily experience OF courts
and jurieB, and the daily observation of those
who labor amongst criminals amply testify, that
most Of the crimes, petty and great, which af.
iiict the community proceed from intemperance
and to this must be added the further fact thai
those places which pursue the business Of liquol
selling in defiance OF the law, and in disregard
of tnat pnDnc opinion Wnlch establishes law, and
even further Generalization, to those which in.
temperance itself produces. Now, in this city,
there are scores, probably hundreds Of unli-
censed li1nor-shops, whose business is openly
pursued, and who have every expectation Of es
Gaping the penalties which the law pro-
yldes. In some OF them policemen
have lately had their rendezvous few weekf
ago. their precincts were the places where some
Of the police could most readily be found Iheil
unlawful liquor-selling has been carried on with
the knowledge Of the officers Of the law, and
they have not been interfered with. They ex
psct this immunity from disturbance to continue
II it does, the addition Of dozen more men tc
the police force, and the increase OF the annual
expenses of the city several thousands OF dollart
will be altogether in vain.
We have no idea that the Mayor will or can
strictly enforce the State license law, and close
up the unlicensed saloons. His men cannot Oh
will not go into that business. His own party
will not support him in such move Whethe
the prosecutor for the State will sincerely pros
ecnte such utllicenEed sellers az the police ma,
arrest liz doubtful; we hope, however, that h,
will not compromise with them for five dollar
auece